Major's draft strategy is not radical enough
Boris Johnson's draft municipal waste strategy did not go far enough, says industry
28 Jan 2010
The draft municipal waste strategy published last week by London mayor, Boris Johnson, did not go far enough, according to some in the waste industry.
Dr Adam Read, practice knowledge leader - waste management & resource efficiency at AEA, said: “I fully commend Boris Johnson for wanting to make London a great world city in terms of its resource flows and carbon footprint and for addressing the significant challenges posed in managing the capital’s waste. However, in many respects the strategy has not been as radical as one would have predicted, continuing to support industry wide themes like the growth of AD to treat food waste, delivering ‘new and emerging’ technologies for residual wastes and focusing on London becoming a ‘zero waste to landfill’ city by 2031.”
Dr Read went on to add that: “However, his clear lack of support for thermal treatment (in particular incineration type technologies) does leave me to wonder just what he has planned for London given the development of facilities like Belvedere in the coming year or two. We should not be ruling out sound technologies at this stage of a 20-year strategy.” Nor is Dr Read alone in this view.
Rebecca Eatwell, head of waste & resources at communications consultancy, PPS Group said: “The Mayor has rejected a role for new incineration facilities, with all such facilities seemingly classed as ‘mass burn’, a term with negative connotations beloved of anti-energy from waste (EfW) campaigners.
“This will disappoint those who have worked hard to improve the image of EfW, and demonstrate the complimentary role it can play in managing waste in partnership with recycling and waste minimisation initiatives.”
Apart from Boris Johnson’s conspicuous lack of support for thermal treatment that predictably was applauded by the Green Party, Dr Read wondered where the finances are coming to come from to fund the mayor’s ambitious recycling targets (namely, 80% recycling by 2031).
“The London Waste and Recycling Board has £84m to spend from 2009-2012, but what about the money needed to pump the shift required for the longer term strategy up to 2031?
“I would like more in place to support the infrastructure and behavioural change needed to make these targets a reality. And do we really think that some of London’s boroughs will really be able
to meet these targets, given their historically poor performance? Just what is it that will make this a reality and where is that identified in the strategy?”
Martin Grundon, managing director of West London Composting was also concerned about the issue of funding the mayor’s proposed initiatives: “While the idea of ‘on the go’ recycling bins is a great one, it would have to be subject to an enormous public education and awareness campaign to ensure the receptacles are used properly. If not, the initiative could cause more trouble than it’s worth for facilities like us.
“Incentivising the public to recycle efficiently, would be great news and could impact on the quality of material that is not only brought into us here at West London Composting, but also into other much needed future sites that may be rolled out across London.”