Since December 2005, incinerators have been subject to new controls introduced by the Waste Incineration Directive. The aim of this Directive is to prevent or to limit as far as practicable negative effects on the environment and the resulting risks to human health from the incineration of waste and co-incineration of waste (where waste is burned as a fuel). The Directive is designed to tackle emissions through improved standards employed when waste is burnt, and by imposing stringent emission limit standards and controls, such as temperatures and continuous monitoring, within incinerators. The Directive contains a number of exclusions including the incineration of vegetable waste from agriculture and forestry, uncontaminated wood waste and animal carcasses.
The Scottish Government and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency have agreed a joint position on the implementation and enforcement of the Waste Incineration Directive. See details of the Waste Incineration Directive agreement.