Incinerators: New plans to limit burning rubbish for energy

The new proposals, which the government terms a crackdown, will require future plants to reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfill.

They will also need to demonstrate that they will be built ready to capture carbon that is emitted during burning, and to use heat generated for local heating or industry. Only nine of the 52 major incinerators in the UK currently export their heat in this way.

“For far too long, the nation has seen its recycling rates stagnate and relied on burning household waste, rather than supporting communities to keep resources in use for longer,” said Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh.

“That ends today, with clear conditions for new energy from waste plants – they must be efficient and support net zero and our economic growth mission, before they can get the backing needed to be built.”

The new plan suggests that the UK is already close to capacity when it comes to the amount of rubbish we can burn and that there is a “limited need” for future plants.

Today’s proposal includes projections that the UK will have enough energy from incinerators to deal with 18.8 million tonnes of residual waste by 2035. The government believes that the UK will only need to manage 17.6 million tonnes by 2042.

It also suggests that local concerns will be more fully considered when deciding on these new developments.

Government sources recognise that there will still be an ongoing requirement for energy from waste incinerators especially in areas of England where recycling infrastructure is not well developed.

However campaigners believe the government’s acknowledgement that there is already enough capacity to cope means it is unlikely that any new incinerators will be built.

“It is clear that the age of waste incineration is over,” said Shlomo Dowen, who is the national co-ordinator of the UK Without Incineration Network (UKWIN).

“We hope that the government’s latest announcement will result in the abandonment of incineration schemes currently being proposed. This would free up funds to invest in the top tiers of the waste hierarchy, including the creation of many new jobs in the repair, reuse, redesign and recycling sectors.”