Alternatives for Kents waste
Over the last
few years the Kent County Council (KCC) has had to move away from
landfill as a solution to Kent's waste problems. The KCC insists
that the only alternative to landfill is incineration as this allows
them to pass the waste problems to the private sector. This has
been sold to us as a neatly packaged 'off the shelf' solution. However,
this 'solution' is merely politically convenient, is a short-term
quick fix, and is economically and environmentally very expensive.
At present, less than 10% of all Kent's domestic waste is produced
by the Maidstone and Aylesford area. Yet, the current proposals
show the incinerator will destroy around 30% (200,000 tonnes) of
all Kent's domestic waste (720,000 tonnes). Do not forget, a further
300,000 tonnes of commercial and industrial waste will be burnt
and therefore destroyed by the incinerator.
There ARE alternatives to incineration. In order to oppose incineration
as the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) we must propose
an economically and environmentally viable alternative. Let us not
forget that our elected representatives and paid council employees
should already have properly considered all the alternatives. Once
properly arriving at the BPEO they are required to put contracts
out to tender.To the best of our knowledge this has not been done.
Of the several alternatives to landfill, incineration is only one.
Here is a list of the waste management options considered in this
webpage
• Reduction and Reuse
• Recycling and Composting
• Integrated Recycling Plant
• Landfill
• Incineration
Recycling, composting, reduction and reuse offer the best long-term
solutions. These solutions will take time to develop. However, Integrated
Recycling Plants may offer the best short to medium-term practical
solution. This option maybe best received as an alternative by the
KCC and the Department of the Environment, although it is not as
cheap or effective as recycling, composting, reduction and reuse.
What do these other options involve and why are they better than
incineration?
REDUCTION
AND REUSE
Far too much packaging is used today. Most has little value except
to the producers. And we do not have a choice. Why do businesses
use so much? Although we have little control over how much packaging
is foisted on us, plastic bags and bottles can be reused, saving
on the amount thrown away. Avoid any unnecessary packaging and wrapping
offered.
There is a Statutory requirement on producers and retailers to reduce
and recycle by the year 2000. However, like recycling and composting,
this waste management option will still require major changes in
attitudes and approach. For this reason as an overall policy and
approach it is not likely to be seen as a practicable option by
the KCC and the Dept. of Environment in the short term.
Nevertheless, in the long run, this is the cheapest, most sustainable,
and least environmentally damaging solution to our waste management
needs.
RECYCLING
AND COMPOSTING
Recycling where possible and making compost from organic wastes
would be even less environmentally disruptive than the IRPs. Local
collections can create employment and can cost less to process than
any other waste management option.
However, this method of waste management requires local commitment
and major changes in the attitudes of local authorities and we,
the public. Therefore, although Aim-Klean supports local initiatives
for community-based recycling and composting schemes, we are aware
that they are difficult to implement. They represent a best option
for the environment, but unless we act now and recycle and compost
our own waste, it may not be regarded as Practicable by the authorities!
We can all recycle our waste. We can all build a compost in our
gardens. And non-profit community schemes are cheap, create local
employment and a sense of community spirit.
INTEGRATED RECYCLING PLANTS (IRPs)
These plants maximise the recycling and composting of waste, minimising
landfill requirements. Since, unlike most incinerators, the plastics
are removed there is no atmospheric pollution. The composted waste
can be sold to farmers as a fertiliser. The cost of IRP waste processing
is between £20 & £25 per tonne, which is around
45% cheaper than incineration. IRPs have only half the landfill
requirement of incinerators.are a local solution to waste management
dealing with local waste. IRPs employ ten times more people than
incinerators, many of them local employees. IRPs can economically
process as little as 50,000 tonnes of domestic waste. IRPs also
generate less traffic than incinerators. IRPs are commercially viable
and in the hands of an efficient private company can make good profit.
Integrated Recycling Plants reduce landfill, create local employment,
are cheap to run and cause no atmospheric pollution. We believe
they would be accepted as the Best Practicable Environmental Option
in the short to medium-term by the KCC.
LANDFILL
This is the waste disposal option that Kent County Council and the
government wish to move away from. It has several major disadvantages.
Kent is running out of viable landfill sites. Landfill also attracts
vermin, creates excessive traffic, employs few people, recycles
nothing at all, and gives off the greenhouse gas methane. It pollutes
the ground and the water table from which drinking water is obtained.
Landfill is in most ways the Worst Environmental Option and cannot
be sustained into the next millennium.
INCINERATION
In Europe and the USA, incineration (often called 'Waste to Energy')
is now seen as a hazardous and expensive method of waste management.
A number of counties in the UK are banning further incinerators,
and a consortium of London Boroughs have decided to avoid incineration
as a waste option while they consider the alternatives.
Incineration requires twice as much landfill space as IRPs. To be
profitable it requires a large catchment to supply the massive quantities
of waste needed to feed it . If less waste is produced locally,
more waste will need to be imported from elsewhere. Incineration
creates more traffic pollution. Incineration is a lot more expensive
than any other option. It creates little employment. It creates
atmospheric pollution in the form of dioxins, particulates, heavy
metals (like mercury and arsenic), sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides,
and carbon monoxide. It destroys natural resources forever.
In January this year 3 French sites were closed down due to the
unacceptable levels of dioxins in milk from the cattle in the neighbouring
farms.
Incineration is close behind landfill as the Worst Environmental
Option. It is expensive, dangerous to health and increases already
high levels of air pollution.
