3.10 Integrating the Western Isles BPEO into the National Context

While the 11 AWPs and their BPEOs have set out a response to the management of wastes locally, each AWP will contribute to the overall National Waste Strategy for Scotland. This, in turn, will contribute to the UK government’s response to the requirements of the EU Framework Directive and sustainable development.

Although each AWP establishes an Action Plan, there may be opportunities for partnership working across waste strategy area boundaries delivering more cost-effective and robust solutions. In order to identify these opportunities, the 11 BPEOs were evaluated as part of an integration process. The main conclusions from this process are as follows:

• Large scale facilities do not necessarily bring significant economies of scale and this scale of facility can be more difficult to deliver and a loss of flexibility can result
  

• Composting should be undertaken on a waste strategy area basis or smaller scale
  

• The Western Isles WSAG should communicate with neighbouring WSAGs when planning new waste management facilities
  

• There are benefits in terms of access to markets and price commanded in accumulating as large a mass as possible of the highest possible quality of recyclate.
  

These conclusions will be taken into account when carrying out detailed implementation planning in the Western Isles.