An independent review of the role of incineration in Scotland, which recommends a cap on future incineration capacity, has been welcomed by the Circular Economy Minister.
Friends of the Earth Scotland have also welcomed it’s findings but say a clear exit strategy is still needed.
The report, which was authored by waste sector expert Dr Colin Church, reviews the role of incineration in the waste hierarchy, with a focus on aligning national capacity with Scotland’s waste reduction targets.
The report makes 12 policy recommendations for the Scottish Government, local authorities and the wider waste industry, including:
- no further planning permission should be granted to incineration infrastructure within the scope of this Review, unless balanced by an equal or greater closure of capacity.
- developing an indicative cap that declines over time for the amount of residual waste treatment needed as Scotland transitions towards a fully circular economy.
- to strengthen community engagement and trust before, during and after development.
The Scottish Government will set out its initial response to the Review in June.
Public consultations on a Circular Economy Bill and a Waste Route Map will launch this month.
Dr Colin Church said: “The evidence I received shows that, whilst well-regulated incineration does have a role to play in managing unavoidable residual waste in Scotland, the capacity currently being proposed is likely to be more than needed, so a lot of it should not be built.
“For the proportion that is developed, the level and quality of engagement with local communities needs to be excellent, which unfortunately has not always been the case to date.
“There is also more that must be done to reduce the climate impacts of waste incineration, and I look forward to revisiting my provisional recommendations in this area in due course.”
Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “I would like to thank Dr Church for delivering this work, which will play a pivotal role in shaping Scotland’s future waste policy.
“We want to create a circular economy, where materials stay in use for as long as possible, and nothing is wasted. Only by increasing reuse and recycling can Scotland meet its net zero targets, and we will be publishing ambitious proposals to achieve this soon.
“It is clear from the review that although incineration has a role to play in managing Scotland’s unavoidable, unrecyclable residual waste in a safe way, that role is inevitably limited. As we transition to a circular economy, Scotland will need significantly less incineration capacity than is currently projected and it is vital that we do not have more capacity than we need.
“Dr Church has proposed some valuable recommendations and outlined some important considerations for how we can align the management of residual waste in Scotland with our net zero ambitions. We will consider the recommendations carefully and provide an initial response in June.”
Environmental campaigners have also welcomed the independent report which calls for an immediate ban on new incinerators – but say a clear exit strategy from incineration is still needed.
The report from an independent review has been published today (10 May), and shows the scale of the nation’s incineration problem. The report makes 12 policy recommendations for the Scottish Government, local authorities and wider waste industry.
Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “This report shows that the alarming rise in incineration in Scotland must be stopped immediately – rapid action is needed to prevent the loss of valuable resources and stop the climate-wrecking emissions being caused by burning plastics.
“A ban on new incinerators is the first step in turning Scotland’s waste management system around, but it’s only half of the solution. The report makes it clear that more must be done to minimise waste and recycle as much as possible.
“Our current incinerators are some of Scotland’s biggest polluters so they must be phased out if Scotland is to meet its climate goals. It is concerning that the report does not include a detailed carbon assessment, given the direct threat of incinerators to our climate goals.
“Burning plastic releases more carbon than coal and the only way to cut emissions from incineration for good is to stop burning waste. We need to value resources properly, rather than taking from nature, using once then burning or burying the waste.”
The capacity analysis from the report shows that in five years time (2027) Scotland will have more incineration capacity than there is available waste to burn.
One of the first major actions undertaken by Lorna Slater, Minister for the Circular Economy, was to initiate an independent review of incineration of waste. Scotland now joins Wales, which banned incineration in 2021 and has the third highest recycling rates in the world.
Over 1,000 people supported Friends of the Earth Scotland’s calls for an immediate ban of new incinerators and of plastics being sent to incinerators, and a phase out of those already operating.
