MoreThanWaste.com - SEPA publishes waste prevention guide (19/03/2007)

"Although Scotland is currently recycling and composting 25% of household waste, we are struggling to keep pace with the growth in this waste. As a society we buy more, consume more and waste more than we have ever done"

Alan Dundas, SEPA’s Waste Prevention expert

A new Guide published by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) aims to help local communities tackle the issue of household waste prevention.

The Waste Prevention Guide is a toolkit to help consumers, communities and local authorities tackle the problem of increasing waste production head on.

The problem is that over one tonne of waste is produced annually by every household in Scotland and this figure is increasing by almost 2% each year.

The Guide provides support for the community sector, local authorities, and individuals to develop and implement a waste prevention project or campaign in their local area.

It focuses on the main themes of waste aware shopping covering:

unwanted mail
reuse
home composting
community composting, and
product service systems – or hire services.

The Scottish National Waste Plan

Plastic packaging waste

The Scottish National Waste Plan (2003) set an aim of zero growth in household waste arisings by 2010. To curb the increasing amounts of waste produced, SEPA says that a range of waste prevention measures are desperately needed at the local level.

As a first step SEPA felt it important to learn from other parts of the world about what works (and what doesn’t), and through the National Resource and Waste Forum (NRWF) commissioned research into international good practice. This report is titled: 'Towards a UK Framework for Household Waste Prevention' and is available via the SEPA website

The Waste Prevention Guide follows the publication by the Scottish Executive of a Waste Prevention Action Plan - see MoreThanWaste article

Comments

Alan Dundas, SEPA’s Waste Prevention expert said:

“There is no magic wand to solve the waste growth problem in Scotland. Waste prevention is the responsibility of a range of players including manufacturers, retailers, communities, consumers and local authorities.

“Although Scotland is currently recycling and composting 25% of household waste, we are struggling to keep pace with the growth in this waste. As a society we buy more, consume more and waste more than we have ever done.

“If we are to meet landfill diversion targets and reduce the cost of waste treatment and disposal there needs to be a sea change in our approach to waste. The Waste Prevention Guide is a toolkit to help consumers, communities and local authorities tackle the problem head on. ”

Further Information

The Waste Prevention Guide is available online from the SEPA website.


	SEPA publishes waste prevention guide (19/03/2007) "Although Scotland is currently recycling and composting 25% of household waste, we are struggling to keep pace with the growth in this waste. As a society we buy more, consume more and waste more than we have ever done" Alan Dundas, SEPA’s Waste Prevention expert A new Guide published by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) aims to help local communities tackle the issue of household waste prevention. The Waste Prevention Guide is a toolkit to help consumers, communities and local authorities tackle the problem of increasing waste production head on. The problem is that over one tonne of waste is produced annually by every household in Scotland and this figure is increasing by almost 2% each year. The Guide provides support for the community sector, local authorities, and individuals to develop and implement a waste prevention project or campaign in their local area. It focuses on the main themes of waste aware shopping covering: unwanted mail reuse home composting community composting, and product service systems – or hire services. The Scottish National Waste Plan Plastic packaging waste The Scottish National Waste Plan (2003) set an aim of zero growth in household waste arisings by 2010. To curb the increasing amounts of waste produced, SEPA says that a range of waste prevention measures are desperately needed at the local level. As a first step SEPA felt it important to learn from other parts of the world about what works (and what doesn’t), and through the National Resource and Waste Forum (NRWF) commissioned research into international good practice. This report is titled: 'Towards a UK Framework for Household Waste Prevention' and is available via the SEPA website The Waste Prevention Guide follows the publication by the Scottish Executive of a Waste Prevention Action Plan - see MoreThanWaste article Comments Alan Dundas, SEPA’s Waste Prevention expert said: “There is no magic wand to solve the waste growth problem in Scotland. Waste prevention is the responsibility of a range of players including manufacturers, retailers, communities, consumers and local authorities. “Although Scotland is currently recycling and composting 25% of household waste, we are struggling to keep pace with the growth in this waste. As a society we buy more, consume more and waste more than we have ever done. “If we are to meet landfill diversion targets and reduce the cost of waste treatment and disposal there needs to be a sea change in our approach to waste. The Waste Prevention Guide is a toolkit to help consumers, communities and local authorities tackle the problem head on. ” Further Information The Waste Prevention Guide is available online from the SEPA website.