1.3 Developing an Integrated Plan

The AWP seeks to adopt an integrated approach which:

• ensures that all waste streams are considered together and the solutions chosen for individual waste streams are considered in the light of how they impact on the management of others
  

• considers Waste prevention, reuse, recycling, energy recovery, disposal, promotion and education and local market development in a coherent and planned way
  

• ensures consistency with adjoining areas and national integration of the plan within the National Waste Strategy: Scotland.

The Orkney and Shetland AWP currently focuses on the management of household and commercial waste. It has not been possible to take the fully integrated approach as suggested in SEPA's BPEO Decision Making Guidance. This is largely because of issues associated with data availability on the quantity, sources, and composition of local non-MSW streams, and independent approaches currently being developed by relevant local non-MSW producing sectors. These sectors (e.g. fish and oil-related) have been approached and consulted as part of process of developing the Orkney and Shetland BPEO, but no concrete proposals for new non-MSW initiatives have yet been developed. Development of a fully integrated plan for Orkney and Shetland that addresses non-MSW streams will require on-going dialogue with local non-MSW producers. A number of action points to take this forward are set out in this plan (see Section 4).

Action 1
Develop an AWP for Orkney and Shetland that fully integrates all waste streams.

When completed and integrated across Scotland, the 11 AWPs will require to collectively satisfy national legislative requirements. In order to achieve consistency of approach across the Waste Strategy Areas a broad methodology and guidance for determining BPEO for non-MSW (non-municipal solid waste) has been established through the following key documents: "Supporting Guidance for AWPs" and "BPEO Decision Making Guidance". An important element was to seek the involvement of all key stakeholders (waste industry, local authorities and the general public) at various stages of the process. Consistency between adjoining areas is also important. For Orkney and Shetland, this potentially means integration with the Highlands and North East areas in particular, although no specific development requirements have been identified within the current AWP timeframe.

This AWP must be seen not in isolation, but as part of a wider drive towards environmental and community awareness, and sustainable development objectives. The AWP will influence and in turn be influenced by a raft of other policy documents and initiatives, and has a key role in integrating the investment programmes and other plans, strategies and initiatives developed by central and local government, partner agencies and the waste industry generally. A list of potential linked documents is summarised in Annex 3.