Regional Waste Plans
by Vic Warren and Margaret Hunt
It is more often residential, industrial or transport planning that causes inappropriate development, and consequent heartaches in local communities, but the present large-scale waste planning for Wales and the UK could have similar consequences. Vic Warren and Margaret Hunt summarise the position and comment on the need to stay ahead of the game, and to influence planners and elected members in time to deflect bad decisions.
Vic Warren CEng, MICE, MCIWM, MIHT is Chairman and Margaret Hunt Secretary of CPRW’s Newport Valleys Branch. Vic is also a member of the National Executive whilst Margaret is a National Vice-Chairman.
Background
Why is there a lot of waste policy and strategy development going on at present? Because there is a global realisation that wasteful and polluting practices must stop. Waste and recycling has been the subject of many initiatives over the years. The recent spate could be said to have originated from the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, when world leaders set a wide agenda, much of it environmental, for planetary survival in the 21st century (Agenda 21). Problems identified in mankind’s generation of waste were:-
Pollution of the environment
Production of greenhouse gases
Waste of natural resources, if material is not recycled
Energy wastage (goods produced from natural resources usually require more energy than needed for recycling material).
Since then, the major drivers to improve our waste management have been:-
European Union – Waste Framework, Packaging and Landfill Directives. The latter requires reduction in landfilling
UK policy – Waste Strategy 2000 includes a national strategy for increasing recycling, by setting targets for recycling
Wales Assembly Government (WAG) – Wise About Waste (2000) translates the UK policy in terms applicable to Wales
Planning Policy Wales Technical Advice Note 21:Waste (TAN 21) – requires local authorities to prepare Municipal Waste Strategies, and to collaborate in the production of Regional Waste Plans.
This surprisingly logical process is leading to a considerable shake-up in waste collection and disposal, not least in respect of household waste. Local authorities now have to take waste reduction and recycling seriously, and are at various stages in the process.
Regional Waste Plans (RWPs)
TAN 21 required the establishment of RWPs as frameworks within which local authorities will prepare their individual waste strategies, and allow for these within their Unitary Development Plans (UDPs). Three RWPs were determined as necessary, one each covering North, South-West and South-East Wales.
‘Waste’ in this context covers all ‘controlled’ (ie regulated) waste, which includes household, commercial waste and most industrial waste but not some agricultural wastes (slurry, etc) and mines’ / quarries’ waste.
The main reason that RWPs are considered essential is because it would be very inefficient, economically difficult and often impossible for each local authority to be self-contained in its management and disposal of waste. Recognising this, the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) requires local authorities to plan jointly for dealing with waste, so that facilities and contracts can be arrived at efficiently, with no conflict or duplication, and with economies of scale. However, this is where some issues and conflicts of interest may start.
Basics
Some positive tenets meant to underlie UK / WAG policy are:
Sustainability – proposals must be tested for holistic sustainability
Proximity Principle – waste should be disposed of as close as possible
to its origin
Regional self-sufficiency – waste should not normally be exported from
the region of origin (this may sometimes be unavoidable, for example some
hazardous wastes that require specialist high-temperature incineration)
Waste Hierarchy – national guidance for managing waste gives a
hierarchy of methods, a higher method being preferred to any lower:-
Reduce - avoid producing waste in the first place
Re-use - use redundant goods again, maybe for another purpose
Recycle - collect and send waste for re-processing
Recover - dispose of waste in a manner that recovers something (eg incineration with energy and/or heat recovery)
Dispose - throwing waste away without deriving any benefit (eg landfill)
Precautionary Principle – caution when deciding on new and untried techniques
Flexibility – don’t put all eggs in one basket
Best Practical Environmental Option – processes that provide the greatest benefit or least damage to the environment at an acceptable cost
Proposals for new arrangements and facilities should be tested against these positive principles, which may occasionally be conveniently overlooked by a local authority.
So, the three RWPs have developed from a complex process of data collection, option generation and public consultation. In all cases, the
assessment process produced six options of dealing with waste, with varying mixtures of recycling / composting, incineration, mechanical and biological treatment (MBT) and landfill. All three regions have chosen the option with most recycling. The plans are now at the ‘recommended final plan’ stage, having been approved by members’ panels, and awaiting ratification by each local authority. The exercise is virtually complete.
The next step will be for each local authority to establish or modify its own Municipal Waste Strategy. This will in itself entail further regional discussion to implement RWP policies that necessitate joint ventures between authorities, or authorities and the private sector; and to ensure consistency with the UDP process. It is this step that may produce proposals of concern to the local communities.
Development and Landscape Considerations
Whilst RWPs do not identify actual facilities or sites, they have produced strategies for waste management in the regions, and it is expected that all the participating local authorities will sign up to those strategies. Consequences, spelled out when authorities determine the detail of their proposals, will include new and different methods of dealing with and disposing of waste, and new facilities which could include:-
Local facilities (bottle banks, etc in car parks) for recyclable materials
‘Civic amenity’ sites for householders to deposit waste
Transfer stations, for bulking of waste and refuse
Plants for part-processing of materials – usually a Material Reclamation Facility (MRF) – for sorting recyclables and subsequent baling and bulking
Plants for processing and part disposal – could be a ‘ Mechanical Biological Treatment’ (MBT) Plant, an incinerator, or other treatment such as pyrolysis
Composting, anaerobic digestion plant – for green waste, and if rigidly controlled and in-vessel, also for kitchen waste.
Landfill site – use of these for household waste is being reduced under EU requirements. But sites for the disposal of residual waste, construction waste and hazardous waste will still be required.
These types of facilities exist already, but many are in need of enlargement or modernisation, and there may well be decisions to build new facilities that will serve wider areas. They should not cause problems in the communities involved if well designed and sited. Issues that may involve CPRW in combating siting, nuisance and ecological damage include developments that are :-
Inappropriately sited on greenfield or brownfield sites in green belts or green wedges or the open countryside
Detrimental to landscape – highly visible in the topography
On sites that are ecologically rich (maybe brownfield sites - disused quarries)
Adjacent to sensitive existing uses (eg houses, schools, etc), causing nuisance and possible danger, health concerns, fears over property values
On sites that generate traffic in country lanes, villages or residential areas.
Summary
It is suggested that CPRW branches and members:-
Keep abreast of local authority waste management proposals, and especially consultations
Question what the proposals actually mean in terms of new facilities
Take particular note of new transfer stations, MRF, MBT, composting and similar facilities
If they are not sited in existing industrial estates, ask why.
Question whether the proposals will limit local recycling
Ask whether an environmental assessment has been carried out, particularly if transport of green waste from long distances is involved
Talk to local objection groups – but don’t offer assistance without consulting Head Office. CPRW must be consistent and legal, and not raise false hopes.
assessment process produced six options of dealing with waste, with varying mixtures of recycling / composting, incineration, mechanical and biological treatment (MBT) and landfill. All three regions have chosen the option with most recycling. The plans are now at the ‘recommended final plan’ stage, having been approved by members’ panels, and awaiting ratification by each local authority. The exercise is virtually complete. 