The Challenges with Waste Diversion from Landfill in Scotland

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The adverse degradation of the environment as a result of human activities such as the disposal of waste to the environment in an unsustainable manner. About 70% of waste (controlled waste) is land filled in Scotland .The need to develop more robust waste management techniques to ensure that waste disposal to the environment is carried in such a way that it does not endanger human health and the environment. Land fill contributes substantially to the rising greenhouse gas which cause global warming. European Union Council, after series of public consultation with relevant stakeholders, set up a legislation known as the EU Waste Framework directive (75/442/EEC) in 1975 .It was amended in 1991 and 2008.It aims at reducing waste to landfill by employing friendly environmental alternatives like diverting the waste for recycling ,composting and energy recovery. The directive main objective is to met the set target of reduction to 75%,50% and 30% for these target years of 2010,2013,2020 respectively, of the quantity of municipal Solid Waste(MSW) landfilled in 1995(baseline), considering the EU 4 -year extension for some member states like the UK.In order to achieved this objective, Scotland is categorised into 11 Waste Strategy Area Groups(WSAG) by adopting the guidance stated in the National Waste Strategy. Each WSAG were required to produce a waste area plan for the local council in their group in accordance with Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) to develop a national waste plan. This paper gives a vivid comparison between two chosen WSAG namely; Glasgow and Clyde Valley and Western Isles Area waste plans (AWPs).

GLASGOW AND CLYDE AREA

The Glasgow and Clyde Valley Waste Strategy Area consist ...

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...economic development and industrialisation is held responsible for increased waste in the Glasgow and Clyde valley area, the western isles is being face with challenges of the remoteness of their area. This makes it more difficult and expensive for waste collection despite the low tonnages of MSW compared to the Glasgow area. Again, the two areas are of different urban setting. The Glasgow area is highly developed and most of the MSW are from household and commercial industries. In contrast, the Western Isles’ MSW are mostly generated from fishing activities which is the major economic heartbeat of that area. However, both areas embarked on developing area waste plans, as required from the directive, in order to increase waste diversion to recycling and composting and limit the waste disposal to landfill in a cost effective and environmental friendly manner.

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