| |
Foreword by Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway Waste Strategy Area Group Chair
I am very pleased to present the first Area Waste Plan for Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.
Not least because this document has been prepared as part of a pioneering collective approach
to the development of an Area Waste Plan which aims to achieve the objectives of the National
Waste Strategy for Scotland (NWS:S). The geographical area covered by this plan matches the
local authority boundaries for North Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, South Ayrshire and Dumfries and
Galloway Councils. The membership of the group developing the plan, therefore, aimed to
reflect the social, economic and political responsibilities of that area.
The development of this plan has taken place during a period of radical change. Scotland,
with its abundance of cheap landfill, has a poor record in its use of waste resources which
have until now, mostly been consigned to landfill sites at the end of their useful life.
European environmental policy seeks to change this through the reduction of waste to landfill
by using waste in recycling, composting and energy recovery. It is likely there will be a
financial cost associated with this change. It is hoped, however, that local people will see
that these additional costs are outweighed by the long-term benefits, including a cleaner and
healthier environment. Certainly the response to consultation on the draft plan was extremely
supportive of the proposal put forward. In particular people want to see more recycling and
want to see the provision of suitable facilities that will allow them to recycle.
The local authorities are responding positively to the challenges we face in moving towards a
more sustainable form of waste-management. The comments received in the consultation and the
support given by the public, have allowed us to seek to address the issues involved in
advance of the legislative implementation dates. They are looking to reduce our position of
high reliance on landfill – some 95% in 1998 to 28% by 2020. During that period
recycling is set to rise to at least 52%.
The plan acknowledges the need to raise public awareness of the issues surrounding waste and
the need to educate everyone on how they can make their personal contribution to the
realisation of the plan by reducing the quantity of waste generated and by participating in
recycling schemes.
All of us, as waste producers, have a responsibility to ensure the successful delivery of
this plan and the shift to more sustainable waste-management practices. The large and
extremely positive nature of the response to the consultation augurs well for the future.
Alastair Dewart
Local Authority Liaison Unit Manager, SEPA
Chair Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway Waste Strategy Area Group
|
|
