4.4 Specific Local Waste Streams

The framework described above will be applied nationally and locally to develop plans and best practice for dealing with non-MSW wastes. There are certain wastes that are likely to be particularly strategically important in the Western Isles. These include the following:

• Fish wastes
  

• Agricultural wastes.

Fish wastes form by far the biggest single industrial waste stream. Agricultural wastes (e.g. pesticide residues) are soon to be subject to regulatory control under waste management licensing arrangements, and this will have a major impact on crofters and smallholdings throughout the isles.

It is crucial that the WSAG develops the AWP ahead of regulatory changes in such a way as to take proactive measures to prevent, minimise and recover these wastes, and ensure their safe, cost-effective disposal in the long term.

Action 22
Apply national guidance on BPEO assessment for non-MSW, with priority on fish wastes and agricultural waste.

In addition to these locally important wastes, there are a number of other wastes on which we have better data and information. These data and information have come from specific SEPA-initiated ‘priority waste stream projects’ (PWSPs).

4.4.1 Priority Waste Stream Projects (PWSPs)

Waste streams of national significance, which may require national solutions, will be subject to a priority waste stream project. This initially involves data and information collection that are then reported. Of the 13 identified PWSPs for Scotland, construction and demolition wastes, tyres, newsprint, and end-of-life vehicles have now reported. The conclusions of these initial reports are summarised over. Reference should be made to the full reports for the full set of conclusions.

4.4.2 Construction and Demolition (C&D) Waste

The C&D priority waste stream study identified that nationally around 37% of the landfilled C&D Waste could be recycled. Realising some of this potential locally would create further aggregate materials that could replace virgin aggregate currently used for construction in Western Isles. Information on the current infrastructure for this waste stream can be found within the SEPA Priority Waste Stream Report (availability in Annex 4) or can be located on the CIRIA Internet Register of Recycling Sites (http://www.ciria.org.uk).

Through improved resource management of the construction industry, preventing or reducing the production of waste will have the maximum positive environmental impact, through reduced resource use, lower emissions and energy consumption. A full set of recommendations is detailed in the Construction and Demolition Priority Waste Stream Project Report – Data, Best Practice and Recommendations (see Annex 4 for availability). Action 28 in chapter 5 requires development plans to identify suitable sites for waste management facilities required by the BPEO. This includes any further requirements, such as new landfill sites, identified in future years as the AWP develops to address non-MSW as well. It is expected that fiscal measures, such as landfill tax and aggregates tax, will provide further incentive to increase the reuse and recycling of this waste stream and reduce the quantities being landfilled.

4.4.3 Tyres

The national data study on tyres collected data from the companies making up the tyre industry in Scotland. Nationally, around 3% of tyres are reused, 13% recycled (via retreading and silage clamps/landfill engineering), and 49% landfilled. It should be noted, however, that since 1999 the situation has become less bleak in that very few tyres arising in Scotland are now being landfilled direct.

Implementation of the Landfill Directive will see a ban on whole tyres to landfill by July 2003 and shredded tyres by 2006. CNES is currently re-using tyres as bunding material at Bennadrove landfill through an exemption to waste management regulations.

4.4.4 Newsprint

Newsprint is a significant component of municipal and commercial waste streams. This project examined newsprint in the context of its suitability for recycling, its quantity and the potential to stimulate large-scale industrial investment in Scotland, through the manufacture of newsprint from recovered materials.

The total newsprint waste arisings in Scotland in 1999 were estimated to have been approximately 240,000 tonnes – comprised of 6% printers waste, 11% over issue to sales outlets and 83% post consumer (based on sales data). Recovery of newsprint is estimated at 75% printers waste, 100% of over issues and 14% of post-consumer newsprint arisings for the whole of Scotland.

4.4.5 End-of Life-Vehicles (ELVs)

There are two different categories of this waste stream:

• Premature ELVs - processed by insurance companies, end of life determined by damage as a result of an accident, fire, flood or theft.
  

• Old ELVs - processed by local authorities and private owners/vehicle retailers, determined when a vehicle comes naturally to the end of its life, when it is between 10 and 14 years old.

The report identifies Best Practice under the requirements of the End-of-Life Vehicle Directive that includes:

• Design of vehicles
  

• Recycling/recovering component parts before shredding
  

• Recycling/recovering material from shredder residue.

CNES has a mobile car baler purchased to assist in the implementation of the ELVs Directive. At present, ELVs are de-polluted at Bennadrove landfill site and exported, and discussions are underway to secure contractual arrangements to do so at locations in Barra and Benbecula.