This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New figures on waste and recycling
05/05/2006
New statistics show that Scotland has recycled or composted over six percentage points more, from October - December 2005, than in the same quarter in the previous year.
The Environment Minister Ross Finnie welcomed that in 2005 Scotland recycled/composted 22.8 per cent of municipal public waste - showing we remain on track are close to meeting our target of recycling 25 per cent of waste by 2006.
Mr Finnie also announced the publication on the Executive website of initial proposals from local authorities on infrastructure to divert waste away from landfill.
Mr Finnie said:
"Scotland continues to make good progress with recycling and composting. In the calendar year 2005, we recycled/composted 22.8 per cent of our municipal waste. In the quarter from October to December 2005, we recycled/composted 22.9 per cent. The equivalent figures from SEPA for the quarter from October to December 2004 showed that we recycled/composted then just 16.6 per cent.'
'The improvements in our recycling record are a result of hard work by a number of bodies, including local authorities and community sector groups who have implemented recycling schemes. Above all, though, the people of Scotland have participated in recycling and I want to thank them for helping to make Scotland a better place to live.'
"Of course, more needs to be done. As well as a target of 25 per cent recycling/composting by 2006, we also have targets of 30 per cent by 2008 and 55 per cent by 2020. However we also want to prevent waste arising in the first place. Our consultation on preventing household waste has just closed and we now start to analyse the responses.'
"Today the initial proposals from local authorities on infrastructure to divert waste away from landfill are published. The proposals will be evaluated to make certain they are affordable, represent value for money and complement our work on recycling and waste prevention."
The latest recycling/composting statistics show that 22.8 per cent of municipal waste was recycled/composted in the year January - December 2005 and 22.9 per cent was recycled in the third quarter of 2005/06, from October to December 2005.
In the quarter from October to December 2005, we recycled/composted 22.9 per cent. The equivalent figures from SEPA for the quarter from October to December 2004 showed that we recycled/composted then just 16.6 per cent.
Figures for the third quarter of 2005/06 are down on the figures for the second quarter. Quarterly returns on waste are subject to significant seasonal variation. In particular, there is less composting of green waste in the winter months.
Strategic Outline Cases (SOCs) have been submitted by six local authority Strategic Option Review Groups (SORGs). The local authority groups who have submitted SOCs for consideration are:
- Ayrshire (comprising North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire and East Ayrshire Councils)
- Fife (comprising Fife Council only)
- Forth Valley (comprising Clackmannanshire, Stirling and Falkirk Councils)
- Glasgow & Clyde Valley (comprising Glasgow City; East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire and Inverclyde Councils and also Helensburgh, in Argyll and Bute Council)
- North East and Highland (comprising Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray and Highland Councils)
- Tayside (comprising Perth & Kinross, Angus and Dundee City Councils)
As elements of the SOCs are commercially sensitive, certain details have been removed. After the SOCs have been evaluated, the Scottish Executive may invite authorities to submit more detailed Outline Business Cases, to seek support from the Strategic Waste Fund.
Two groups have already been developing more detailed Outline Business Cases (OBCs), which will be published in due course. These groups are:
- Lanarkshire (comprising North and South Lanarkshire); and
- Edinburgh, Lothian & Borders (comprising Edinburgh, East Lothian, West Lothian, Midlothian and Scottish Borders Councils).
SOCs and OBCs outlines infrastructure proposed by local authorities to divert biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) from landfill. Biodegradable waste is material that degrades in landfills and produces greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change. Following the EU Landfill Directive, Scotland has to limit the amount of BMW sent to landfill to the following amounts:
- 1.320 million tonnes of BMW in 2010;
- 0.880 million tonnes of BMW in 2013; and
- 0.616 million tonnes of BMW in 2020
Currently, Scotland landfills around 1.6 million tonnes of BMW a year.