Scots in a hole over landfill target failures

27 September 2007
 
Scottish landfill targets are unlikely to be met because of slow progress in developing waste-treatment facilities, according to a new Audit Scotland report.

The report urges action to deliver facilities for waste treatment, despite recycling rates rising almost four fold since 2001. Around one-quarter of municipal waste is now recycled, compared with 7% in 2001/02.

Councils were praised for achieving a ‘rapid rise’ in recycling rates, but were called on to standardise recycling schemes and use best value reviews to ensure greater consistency and value for money.

Isabelle Low, deputy chair of the Accounts Commission for Scotland, said: ‘Councils have done well to achieve a rapid rise in recycling more, but successes in the next phase will be harder. The Scottish Government recycling targets will be difficult and costly to meet, due to the need to recycle more types of waste, extend access to hard-to-reach area such as tenements and rural communities, and because the value of additional materials collected will fall.’

The report estimates councils’ expenditure on waste management will need to reach an estimated £580M in 2019/20.

It recommended the Government and its agencies look at further opportunities to develop secure, sustainable, long-term markets to accommodate the planned increases in recycling, as well as undertaking research with councils to assess the contribution that direct charging for waste management could make to waste reduction. Ministers should also examine ways of reducing barriers to ensure adequate competition for residual waste treatment contracts.

Caroline Gardner, deputy auditor general for Scotland, said: ‘Decisions on how landfill volumes will be reduced need to be taken as a matter of urgency.’

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