High Level Summary of Statistics Trend Last update: Thursday, August 21, 2008
Waste sent to Landfill
The disposal of waste to landfill can result in the loss of many tonnes of valuable materials, release pollutants into the soil and watercourses, and emits greenhouse gases.
The National Waste Strategy1 places disposal to landfill at the bottom of its waste hierarchy. In Scotland, 7.23 million tonnes were landfilled in 2006 and Biodegradable Municipal Waste (BMW) accounts for approximately one fifth of this total.
Source: Scottish Environment Protection Agency Licensed / Permitted Waste Management Site Returns. BMW data: 2000/01 -2003/04 Local Authority Waste Arisings Survey, 2004/05 - 2005/06 Quarterly Landfill Allowance Scheme Return, 2006/07 Waste data flow
The Scottish Government has set a National Indicator to ensure a reduction in the amount of Biodegradable Municipal Waste ( BMW) Scotland sends to landfill. Biodegradable materials such as paper, card, textiles and garden waste decompose when landfilled and release the harmful greenhouse gases methane and carbon dioxide.
This indicator will monitor the extent to which Scotland contributes to meeting its share of UK targets set under the EU Landfill Directive. It is also in line with the Scottish Government's commitment to move towards a Zero Waste Scotland.
In the 2007 Spending Review the Scottish Government set a target that no more than 1.32 million tonnes of BMW would be sent to landfill in 2010. In 2006/7 (base year) the amount of BMW sent to landfill was 1.47 million tonnes. The chart shows the progress made since 2000/2001 towards the 2010 target.
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