People in the North-east have the chance to make their views known on incineration, recycling and other methods for dealing with the area’s rubbish. Homes and communities in Grampian produce over 800,000 tonnes of waste each year. With landfill space running out all over Scotland, there is now a consultation exercise taking place to work out the best alternatives.

The consultation process is led by the North East Scotland Waste Strategy Group which includes SEPA, Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire Council, Moray Council, Grampian Enterprise and Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey Enterprise.

It has published a document called the ‘Waste Issues paper’ setting out five options for managing the North-east’s rubbish:

1. maximise composting and recycling

2. incineration (with energy recovery), recycling and composting

3. thermal treatment (with energy recovery), recycling and composting (thermal treatment means heating, rather than burning)

4. anerobic digestion, recycling and composting (anerobic digestion is a special type of composting)

5. export, recycling and composting (export means paying for other areas to take the waste).

Peter Olsen of SEPA, who is co-ordinating the group’s work, says a good response from the public is essential: “Each of the proposals will go through a rigorous selection process to work out which is the best practicable environmental option. However, we must get as wide a range of opinions as possible so we can have a proper debate about the issues.”

The Waste Issues paper will be launched at a business breakfast in Aberdeen on Tuesday 5 March. The support of the business community in providing the facilities and resources for waste management is vital. The paper will also be distributed throughout the North-east. It is available by emailing newasteresponses@sepa.org.uk, going to the consultations section of SEPA’s website - www.sepa.org.uk, or by phoning SEPA on 01224 248338.

The European Union requires that every member state produces a waste strategy. Scotland is split into 11 waste areas, each of which has to produce a plan detailing how waste will be managed in that area for the next 20 years.

ENDS

Note to editors

JPEG photos of waste and parts of the waste management process are available by email from Stewart Argo.