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 minimisation, 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 Western Isles AWP currently focuses on the management of household and commercial waste. While it has not been practicable to take the fully integrated approach as suggested in SEPA’s BPEO Decision Making Guidance, local non-MSW producers have been actively engaged in the consultation process, and BPEO decisions have borne their needs in mind. The BPEO for non-MSW has great potential to accommodate important local non-MSW streams in future, such as wastes from aquaculture and fish processing, and agricultural activities. Development of a fully integrated plan for all the area’s waste will require continued dialogue with local non-MSW producers, and a number of action points to take this forward are set out in this plan (see Section 4).

It is recognised that there is a need for an integrated approach to collecting and managing data to meet the many demands that currently exist. Data is required for European reporting requirements, policy planning, reviewing performance, assessing the impacts of new legislation, regulating effectively, aiding research and communicating with stakeholders. As part of this process, regular annual surveys of MSW and waste
management licensed sites are being brought forward by SEPA. In addition, work is ongoing to improve the quality of data on special waste, priority waste streams and general industrial wastes. Significant improvement will need to be made to the quality of data on waste arisings if the shift to an effective resource management culture in Scotland is to be achieved.

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 the BPEO for non-MSW 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 Western Isles this means integration with the Highlands area in particular, and continuing dialogue with other neighbouring WSAGs such as Argyll and Bute.

Action 1
Develop an AWP for Western Isles that fully integrates all waste streams.

The AWP establishes a broad approach to waste management in the Western Isles area. However, it must not be seen in isolation, but part of a wider drive of moving to environmental and community awareness and sustainability objectives. The AWP will therefore 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.