|
 |
Zero Waste Alliance UK Press release, December
2006: Click here
What is the alternative to landfill or incineration?
THE SOLUTION - ADOPT A ZERO WASTE STRATEGY. On average every tonne of useful
product we buy requires 10 tonnes of raw materials to produce it. Six months
later only 10% of that original tonne is in use, the balance having been
discarded as waste. If we want clean air and a healthy sustainable environment
in the future we must radically change our ways and design out waste. Landfill
and Incineration are technical solutions based on the flawed belief that
assumes the environment offers us unlimited capacity to accommodate our
requirements. Many countries including Ireland, Australia and New Zealand are
vigorously resisting landfill and incineration as in the long run it does not
provide the answer and is unacceptable from every angle that you look at it.
Sussex, like the rest of the UK has a waste crisis that needs a breakthrough
strategy.
The solution is Zero Waste, now adopted by over 30% of all authorities in New
Zealand who have each implemented official policies to eliminate waste by 2015.
In Canberra, Australia's capital, there is a target to eliminate waste by 2010.
Canberra is currently recycling 66% of all household and commercial waste.
Proof of the success of their Zero Waste Strategy has reduced disposal to
landfill by 42% over the last 5 years. The process is simple and could very
easily be implemented in Britain as lack of an effective strategy has resulted
in waste increasing by over 3% p.a.
Every community that adopts Zero Waste is saying 'enough'. They do not want
businesses designing products and packaging to be dumped or burnt after one use
at great cost to the community such as a polluting incinerator imposed on them.
A Zero Waste Strategy informs industry it can no longer expect cheap disposal
services for their products and forces designers at every stage of the supply
line to design out waste.
A Zero Waste Strategy sets out the framework and provides a vision for
long-term change. Officers within Council waste departments play a part by
designing new waste contracts with incentives to minimise waste. Reduction,
recovery and recycling are core components instead of landfill. (Incineration
is not an option in New Zealand and is being resisted by many countries in the
world) A Zero Waste Campaign kick-starts a new "Green collar" industry creating
local recycling and waste reduction initiatives for business and non-profit
organisations resulting in jobs in the order of between 10 and 30 to every
existing job in the current waste industry. Huge economic savings, jobs and
business creation, only adds to the ease at which the community as a sound
strategy can adopt Zero Waste.
The huge potential to create new industries and jobs, protect the environment
and conserve raw materials, improve GDP and reduce the import bill, means Zero
Waste to landfill and incineration is the only solution to the waste crisis. So
far Britain has been slow to respond to the evolution of the new materials
industry and "green collar industry" with tax incentives and funding to enable
the transition. The Government policy makers have not recognised the potential
and have failed to implement the necessary legislation so our waste has
increased. As a consequence we have lost out in the development of new
environmental technologies. For instance, 63% of the patents in this field are
held by Germany, Japan and the USA, whereas Britain only has 6%.
Every County in Britain is under threat from the dash for incineration.
However an informed public will no longer accept Government assurances that
incineration is safe. Recent allegations over a refusal to disclose information
by Whitehall as to the real impact on health including the number of premature
deaths from the existing 12 incineraters will confirm that the incineration
strategy must stop forthwith. A Zero Waste Strategy is now the only acceptable,
sustainable alternative to reverse the rising tide of waste. The Government
just needs to grow ears! It is ludicrous that we currently pay three times for
excess packaging. Firstly at the cash till, secondly when the Council tax bill
arrives showing the cost of our waste collection and disposal services, and
thirdly the cost when the environment suffers.
OUR OBJECTIVE MUST BE TO ADOPT OUR OWN
ZERO WASTE STRATEGY FOR EAST SUSSEX:
We need to agree and adopt an Action Plan that is a strategic,
countywide document with a target for Zero Waste. It will need a
consultative process to identify the key issues and actions to set a
definitive goal. However we do not need to reinvent the wheel. The Waste
Management Strategy and vision drawn up in 1995 for Canberra is a good
start for Sussex. By 2010 it envisaged that a community would have
eliminated waste that: -
- Has encouraged the producers to take responsibility for the form in
which their products are sold to ensure that waste is not generated
with the initial production, during use or at the end of the products
life
- Has created an environment for developing innovative solutions to
avoid generating waste
- Only buys what it needs so that efficient buying and production
practices avoid waste
- Has created cost-effective methods for recovering resources so that
materials can be re-used or reprocessed into valuable products
- Has created industries dealing in unwanted materials
- Has extended the opportunities for resource recovery to the
Canberra region
- Takes pride in its achievements in eliminating waste and includes
environmental education as a key element in achieving the vision
A SUSTAINABLE EAST SUSSEX
East Sussex County Council is currently working up a Local Agenda 21/
Sustainability Strategy to comply with the request by the Government for
all Councils to adopt an action plan by December 2000 to achieve
sustainable development. For further info-
http://www.eastsussexcc.gov.uk/la21. This essentially, is
concerned with ensuring the social, economic and environmental well-being
of present and future generations.
The County has already proposed a draft vision statement: -
"Our vision is of a sustainable East Sussex, in which everyone in
present and future generations will share an improving quality of life.
It will be a county of distinctive, prosperous, vibrant and accessible
communities, providing a high quality of life and environment for
everyone. The social, economic and environmental well-being of all who
live and work in the County will be a primary factor in all decision
– making. The County will make a positive contribution towards
achieving a sustainable global future through the careful use and
protection of natural resources and through minimising the environmental
impact of all activities within the County area."
The County through the above process now needs to focus on producing
a "Local Agenda 21 Zero Waste Action
Plan."
THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS WOULD DRIVE UP RECYCLING RATES
(1) Education to recognise that waste is not rubbish,
it is a resource
We must adjust our own thinking and consider all waste as a finite
supply of raw materials. For instance over 80% of household waste is
capable of being recycled or composted at the present time (Haringey
Council )
(2) Rethink our household waste collection system
We must ask our District Council's as the Collection Authority to set
more demanding targets for recycling and composting. For example Lewes
District Council now recycles only 8.8% of household waste. Their target
is 17.6% by 2004 and 50% by 2015.
This is pitiful target bearing in mind achievements by Premier league
Councils elsewhere. For example:-
In only 12months Daventry District Council in Northamptonshire raised
the average recycling rate of 5400 households from 12% to 51%. with a
kerbside collection making it easy for all households to participate. By
the end of the trial in June 1999 the recycling rate had risen to
60%.
Neighbouring, Wealden District Council have raised their average
recycling rate of over 5000 households from an average of only12% to an
average of 53%. (excluding plastic)
The village of Wye in Kent has now achieved a recycling rate of 60%.
Bluewater, Ontario in Canada and Humboldt in California are recycling
about 73% and 74% respectively.
Tony Blair's constituency of Sedgefield is the third worst performer in
England recycling just 1.4% of its waste! Green issues were supposed to
be at the heart of Government policy.
High rates are achieved with the implementation of a green waste
collection and provision of a centralised composting facility preferably
close to the town where it is generated.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION-CIVIC AMENITY SITES-LEWES DISTRICT
-
Last year about 16000 tonnes of waste was taken by householders to the
three Civic Amenity Sites in Lewes District. The sites are the
responsibility of ESCC as Waste Disposal Authority who let a County wide
contract to SITA, a multinational waste conglomerate. Whilst SITA
employees run the Newhaven site, the Seaford and Lewes sites are run by
two independent operators. The Seaford site run by Paul Franklin
currently has the best recycling rates in the District. The amount of
products recycled in 1999/2000 is summarised in the following table:
-
|
SEAFORD-HWRS
|
NEWHAVEN-HWRS
|
LEWES-HWRS
|
Car Batteries
|
14.71 tonnes
|
17.42 tonnes
|
12.74 tonnes
|
Cardboard
|
28.48
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
Engine Oil
|
5.09
|
6.7
|
3.09
|
Glass
|
118.98
|
42.3
|
58.14
|
Hardcore
|
315.22
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
Wood
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
Metal and cans
|
382.68
|
336.08
|
245.48
|
Paper
|
185.54
|
48.62
|
64.57
|
Plastics
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
Soil
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
Textiles
|
4.5
|
12.4
|
4.43
|
Green Waste
|
783.69
|
711.00
|
252.33
|
Total (tonnes)
|
1835.00
|
1293.14
|
640.79
|
|
|
SEAFORD
|
NEWHAVEN
|
LEWES
|
Total waste into site
|
6756.85
|
6174.73
|
2964.45
|
Total recycled (incl. hardcore)
|
1835.00
|
1293.14
|
640.79
|
Recycling rate
|
27%
|
21%
|
22%
|
Total recycled (excl. hardcore)
|
1520.72
|
1195.66
|
640.79
|
Recycling rate
|
23%
|
19%
|
22%
|
Figures for 2004/2005
(This graph is directly from ESCC, we do not know what the missing
values along the base of the graph are)
(3) Improve the local Household Waste Recycling Site (the Civic
Amenity Site)
Set a target of 50% in the short term
Provided by the County Councils as Disposal Authority, the Civic Amenity
Site, now renamed the Household Waste Recycling Site (HWRS) is a valuable
resource and managed correctly recycling rates could very rapidly
increase. There is now an urgency to maximise the operating efficiency of
these sites. There should be a continual programme of modernisation to
drive recycling rates up.
Bournemouth Council have built a state of the art site recycling 80% of
all waste delivered to the site. It is designed to make recycling easy
and dumping trash difficult. On entering the site you first drive past
all the collection points for the items to be recycled. There is plenty
of help on hand to assist and also discourage contamination should anyone
wish to break the rules and put unrecyclable waste in the wrong areas.
Eventually you arrive at the rubbish having learnt the message that you
are required to recycle as much as possible.
We must encourage East Sussex County Council, now down to only 10 sites
having lost its Crowborough site, to invest more resources and implement
a series of improvements to each site. The average recycling rate for the
County is only 17%. It should now look at following the example of other
Councils in the Recycling Premier League to increase the recycling rate
to 50% within 12 months. I.e. more waste to be recycled than landfilled
in the near term.
4) Install signage to change public perception to improve the
recycling rates at the Household Waste Recycling sites
(HWRS)
a) Change road signs from Civic Amenity Site to "Household Waste
Recycling Site" to help change the emphasis from "tip" or "dump" to
clean and efficient recycling centres.
b) Provide clear signage on site to assist the public with location of
various collection bins to help prevent contamination.
c) Provide a sign on the site to advertise to the public the current
recycling rate being achieved on the site. This may motivate them to
separate their waste next time.
d) Promote competition between sites by publishing recycling rates of
all sites in the East Sussex in press and Countywide.
5) Expand range of items to be recycled
a) Install additional bins to collect wood to divert biodegradable
matter going to landfill. Wood to be salvaged for reuse or converted into
wood chippings for chipboard industry.
b) Install bins to collect plastic
c) Install bins to collect cardboard with steps for easy access.
Cardboard recycling has improved since steps were installed in Seaford.
There is currently no cardboard collection at Lewes and Newhaven and
other sites and this should be addressed.
d) Install bins to collect soil.
e) Promote usage as a "Paint Store" and collect surplus
paint to benefit schools and voluntary/community groups,etc.
f) Promote usage as a "Scrap Store"for collection of a variety "craft"
materials to benefit schools and voluntary/community groups for
projects/art and craft classes e.g. ceramic tiles to make decorative
mosaics.
g) Promote collection of electrical goods for export to Third World
Countries(The Seaford site currently exports to India and Africa for
repair and spare parts.
h) Collect books, shoes, Wellington boots, spectacles, etc
6) Is the site well designed to prevent queues and convenient to
use ?
If not , then it is too small and investigation should be carried out to
extend the site. Some of the sites in East Sussex are small and
inefficient and constrain the recycling potential. It is necessary for
the public to lobby for improvements so that the sites can cope with the
growing need to expand recycling facilities. Essex County Council
recently enlarged their site in Mountnessing in Brentwood District
sending the recycling rate from 35% to over 60%.
7) Is the site accessable to the public?
The County should aim to provide a local recycling site for
every town with a population of 10000. For instance a town the size of
Peacehaven should be provided with a local recycling site to avoid the
long travel distance to Newhaven. This would be more accessable and
convenient for Peacehaven residents and reducing traffic movements,
congestion and associated pollution.
Secondly, a new site in Peacehaven would provide much needed capacity at
the small and congested Newhaven site serving the residents of Newhaven,
Piddinghoe and Rodmell. etc which will lead to an improved recycling
rates.
8) Recycling rates will increase if the site operator is incentivised to
achieve a target
Councils that have achieved high recycling rates recognise the need for
sufficient staff at the sites in order to educate and motivate the public
to achieve high recycling rates. All bags must be opened and recyclables
removed. Additional staff on-site may necessary to give hands on help and
advice with separation of recyclables.
9) Site Safety and Recycling rates will increase with efficient one-way
traffic flow
The HWRS in Heathfield currently produces the highest recycling rate at
47% proving that the County can achieve a high diversion rate with
potential to increase further. The site has an efficient one way traffic
system leading up a ramp to a raised unloading area which gives easy
public access to the collection bins. From a Health and Safety
perspective the site is safer as the public are separated from the lorry
traffic collecting the skips.
In contrast the Pebsham recycling site serving the Hastings area only
achieved a lowly 7% which depresses the average recycling rate for the
County. This will start to improve with the start of the green waste
collection and the establishment of a local centralised composting
facility.
10) Centralised Composting Facilities to be located close to Recycling
Sites
Currently the County has a composting site at an organic farm at
Isfield, north of Lewes and Pebsham. In order to prevent heavy vehicle
movements across the County smaller composting sites close to the towns
should be built to take all green waste produced in the locality. Compost
can be sold back to the public or spread on farmland. With a policy that
each town in the County becomes more sustainable a local composting
facility for say, Seaford and another for Newhaven would reduce a
substantial amount of lorry traffic on already congested roads.
WARNING - THE PROPOSED WASTE CONTRACT IS
UNDEMANDING AS IT STANDS
For the Household Waste Sites the County Council and Brighton
and Hove are merely asking the new Waste Contractor to maintain the level
of recycling rates prevailing at the time of handover. This beggars
belief. The waste planners must try harder and deliver to the public a
Zero Waste Strategy which excludes incineration.
DONT LET THE WASTE PLANNERS LEAD US TO INCINERATION AS A
RESULT OF THEIR PITIFUL EFFORTS TO RECYCLE
If you want to see better recycling facilities at the Household Waste
Recycling Sites then let the County know that you are concerned. Write to
the :-
Waste Contracts Manager, Transport and Environment,ESCC,
County Hall,
St. Anne's Crescent,
Lewes,
East Sussex
BN7 1UE
If you want a three stream kerbside collection with 50%+ recycling rates
write to:-
Mr I. Kedge,
Lewes District Council, Planning and Environmental Services,
PO Box 2707,
Southover House,
Southover Road,
Lewes,
East Sussex
BN7 1DW
|
|
