MoreThanWaste.com - Capacity of waste management facilities at March 2005 in England and Wales (12/01/2007)

According to Environment Agency statistics released in January 2007, 686 million cubic metres of landfill voidspace remained on permitted sites in England and Wales at 31/3/2005. This was equivalent to 6 years disposal capacity at current tipping rates. However life expectancy varied between regions with only 3 years in the East of England and 8 to 9 years in Yorks and Humber and the East Midlands.

The Agency also found that the total operational incineration capacity is around 7 million tonnes, over half of which is in municipal waste incinerators.

Landfill capacity

Most of the regions in Engalnd and Wales have 6 or more years remaining disposal capacity at current tipping rates according to th Environment Agency. In Yorkshire and the Humber, and Wales there is significant amounts of voidspace on restricted-user sites. This results from their underlying industrial structure and the needs of the power generation and metal manufacturing sectors.

There is however a growing shortage of landfill capacity in London and East of England where only 3 to 4 years of permitted capacity remains.

The regions with the greatest remaining capacity are Yorkshire and the Humber, and the South East. Here there is more than 100 million cubic metres in each region, though almost a quarter of Yorkshire and the Humber's capacity is in restricted-user sites linked to power generation and metal manufacture.

The East of England has only 3 years capacity remaining at current rates of disposal. This is in part due to the large amounts waste accepted from the capitol and also reflects the higher population densities around the London conurbation.

The estimate of 4 years remaining capacity should not be taken as an accurate indication of London's landfill requirements as much of its waste goes outside the capital for disposal, according to the Agency.

Incineration capacity

Incineration capacity for municipal waste is concentrated in London and West Midlands; each region has an annual throughput capacity of over a million tonnes. Sewage sludge incineration is significant in Yorkshire and the Humber and London, North West and West Midlands have the bulk of England and Wales hazardous waste incineration capacity, and West Midlands and East of England the main 'other' incineration capacity (for biomass and poultry litter).

The Environment Agency says that, municipal waste incinerator capacity was concentrated in London and the West Midlands with each region having the potential to deal with around 1.1 million tonnes of wastes annually.

Incineration is also increasingly used to treat sewage sludge with a total capacity around 650,000 tonnes, nearly half of it is in Yorks and Humber and around a quarter in London.
Nearly half of all hazardous waste capacity is located in the West Midlands region with a further one-third in North West.

The 'Other' waste shown on the map (click on link) is mainly biomass (West Midlands) and poultry litter (East of England). One plant in West Midlands has (theoretically) almost 900,000 tonnes of incineration capacity split between biomass (600,000 tonnes) and reprocessed fuel oil (RFO) (300,000 tonnes).

Treatment and transfer capacity

The Environmen Agency acknowledges that due to the limitations of its data it is unable to compile a reliable estimate of capacity for treatment and transfer facilities. No doubt this will be rectified by the Agency in the future so that a more accurate picture of available capacity can be obtained

Data obtained

The data obtained from permits and permit conditions provides reliable site input data but has proved to be less reliable as a source for landfill capacity and a poor indicator of operational capacity for non-landfill activities according to the Agency. The organisation therefore carried out a survey in 2005 to obtain better quality data on remaining landfill capacity.

The incineration data presented by the Agency is based on the capacity identified in permit applications supplemented by a follow-up telephone survey to check and correct anomalies.

For further information visit the Environment Agency's website..


	Capacity of waste management facilities at March 2005 in England and Wales (12/01/2007) According to Environment Agency statistics released in January 2007, 686 million cubic metres of landfill voidspace remained on permitted sites in England and Wales at 31/3/2005. This was equivalent to 6 years disposal capacity at current tipping rates. However life expectancy varied between regions with only 3 years in the East of England and 8 to 9 years in Yorks and Humber and the East Midlands. The Agency also found that the total operational incineration capacity is around 7 million tonnes, over half of which is in municipal waste incinerators. Landfill capacity Most of the regions in Engalnd and Wales have 6 or more years remaining disposal capacity at current tipping rates according to th Environment Agency. In Yorkshire and the Humber, and Wales there is significant amounts of voidspace on restricted-user sites. This results from their underlying industrial structure and the needs of the power generation and metal manufacturing sectors. There is however a growing shortage of landfill capacity in London and East of England where only 3 to 4 years of permitted capacity remains. The regions with the greatest remaining capacity are Yorkshire and the Humber, and the South East. Here there is more than 100 million cubic metres in each region, though almost a quarter of Yorkshire and the Humber's capacity is in restricted-user sites linked to power generation and metal manufacture. The East of England has only 3 years capacity remaining at current rates of disposal. This is in part due to the large amounts waste accepted from the capitol and also reflects the higher population densities around the London conurbation. The estimate of 4 years remaining capacity should not be taken as an accurate indication of London's landfill requirements as much of its waste goes outside the capital for disposal, according to the Agency. Incineration capacity Incineration capacity for municipal waste is concentrated in London and West Midlands; each region has an annual throughput capacity of over a million tonnes. Sewage sludge incineration is significant in Yorkshire and the Humber and London, North West and West Midlands have the bulk of England and Wales hazardous waste incineration capacity, and West Midlands and East of England the main 'other' incineration capacity (for biomass and poultry litter). The Environment Agency says that, municipal waste incinerator capacity was concentrated in London and the West Midlands with each region having the potential to deal with around 1.1 million tonnes of wastes annually. Incineration is also increasingly used to treat sewage sludge with a total capacity around 650,000 tonnes, nearly half of it is in Yorks and Humber and around a quarter in London. Nearly half of all hazardous waste capacity is located in the West Midlands region with a further one-third in North West. The 'Other' waste shown on the map (click on link) is mainly biomass (West Midlands) and poultry litter (East of England). One plant in West Midlands has (theoretically) almost 900,000 tonnes of incineration capacity split between biomass (600,000 tonnes) and reprocessed fuel oil (RFO) (300,000 tonnes). Treatment and transfer capacity The Environmen Agency acknowledges that due to the limitations of its data it is unable to compile a reliable estimate of capacity for treatment and transfer facilities. No doubt this will be rectified by the Agency in the future so that a more accurate picture of available capacity can be obtained Data obtained The data obtained from permits and permit conditions provides reliable site input data but has proved to be less reliable as a source for landfill capacity and a poor indicator of operational capacity for non-landfill activities according to the Agency. The organisation therefore carried out a survey in 2005 to obtain better quality data on remaining landfill capacity. The incineration data presented by the Agency is based on the capacity identified in permit applications supplemented by a follow-up telephone survey to check and correct anomalies. For further information visit the Environment Agency's website..