{"id":1694,"date":"2022-06-08T14:35:07","date_gmt":"2022-06-08T14:35:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/?p=1694"},"modified":"2022-06-20T08:22:28","modified_gmt":"2022-06-20T08:22:28","slug":"is-incineration-a-good-investment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/2022\/06\/08\/is-incineration-a-good-investment\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Incineration a Good Investment?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>UK Incineration Overcapacity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The UK already has more incineration capacity existing and under construction than we will have genuinely residual waste to burn (especially if the Governments adopts its residual waste reduction targets). Even if incineration were the best way to deal with genuinely residual waste, then this does not justify new capacity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Government Policy: Burn less, recycle more<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The Environment Act is now law<\/li><li>England has a target to recycle 65% of municipal waste by 2035<\/li><li>UK Government is proposing to halve incineration and landfill by 2042, which they say would represent a recycling rate of around       70-75%<\/li><li>This could not only reduce the profits from incineration but could also be expected to free up existing capacity, as Councils will want to avoid the tax and therefore send less waste to incineration<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/consult.defra.gov.uk\/natural-environment-policy\/consultation-on-environmental-targets\/ \" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"594\" src=\"http:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Residual-Waste-slide-Luton-2-1024x594.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1715\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Residual-Waste-slide-Luton-2-1024x594.png 1024w, https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Residual-Waste-slide-Luton-2-300x174.png 300w, https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Residual-Waste-slide-Luton-2-768x445.png 768w, https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Residual-Waste-slide-Luton-2.png 1305w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theccc.org.uk\/publication\/sixth-carbon-budget\/ \" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"590\" src=\"http:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/High-carbon-slide-Luton-2-1024x590.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1717\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/High-carbon-slide-Luton-2-1024x590.png 1024w, https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/High-carbon-slide-Luton-2-300x173.png 300w, https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/High-carbon-slide-Luton-2-768x443.png 768w, https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/High-carbon-slide-Luton-2.png 1315w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/consult.defra.gov.uk\/natural-environment-policy\/consultation-on-environmental-targets\/ \" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"640\" src=\"http:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Direction-of-travel-slide-Luton-2-1024x640.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1718\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Direction-of-travel-slide-Luton-2-1024x640.png 1024w, https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Direction-of-travel-slide-Luton-2-300x188.png 300w, https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Direction-of-travel-slide-Luton-2-768x480.png 768w, https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Direction-of-travel-slide-Luton-2.png 1230w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u2018Only six more\u2019 EfWs needed in the UK<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The latest UK Energy from Waste (EfW) Statistics \u2013 2021 were published by specialist consultancy Tolvik in May 2022. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tolvik.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Tolvik-UK-EfW-Statistics-2021_Published-May-2022.pdf\">https:\/\/www.tolvik.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/Tolvik-UK-EfW-Statistics-2021_Published-May-2022.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>We are clearly in the latter stages of the development profile for EfW plants. [But] we estimate that only six more are needed if the UK wants to be a sensible market<\/p><cite>Adrian Judge, Tolvik director, told MRW (Materials Recycling World)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The report notes that EfW data remains patchy in three areas: CO2 emissions, net calorific value and the application of the correct units in reporting the use of consumables. It says: \u201cWith the increased focus on carbon emissions, over time the first two metrics are likely to become increasingly important.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mrw.co.uk\/news\/only-six-more-efws-needed-in-the-uk-06-05-2022\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"https:\/\/www.mrw.co.uk\/news\/only-six-more-efws-needed-in-the-uk-06-05-2022\/  (opens in a new tab)\">https:\/\/www.mrw.co.uk\/news\/only-six-more-efws-needed-in-the-uk-06-05-2022\/ <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>New UK Government Target <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>\u201chalving the waste that ends up at landfill or incineration by 2042\u201d<\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>New, long-term environmental targets announced by the UK Government on 16 March 2022, are a cornerstone of the government\u2019s Environment Act, which passed into law in November 2021. They will drive action by successive governments to protect and enhance our natural world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/news\/delivering-on-the-environment-act-new-targets-announced-and-ambitious-plans-for-nature-recovery\">https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/news\/delivering-on-the-environment-act-new-targets-announced-and-ambitious-plans-for-nature-recovery<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>As 2042 is within the operational lifetime of the proposed Horsham and other incinerators, this proposed target is highly relevant to the question of whether or not the capacity proposed is needed and its economic viability.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Government makes clear on pages\n28\u201330 of their \u2018Consultation on Environmental Targets\u2019 document that reducing the\nincineration of waste is desirable, stating: &#8220;Tackling residual waste\nreduces the environmental impacts of treatment, including air, soil, and water\npollution, and unnecessary energy use. It is more sustainable to prevent waste\ncompletely and, where waste is unavoidable, to recycle it&#8230;The proposed target\ncan drive both waste minimisation and recycling of unavoidable waste&#8230;\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The significance of this target can be clearly seen by comparing English waste incineration capacity (existing and under construction) with anticipated municipal waste arisings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"438\" src=\"http:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Waste-1024x438.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1698\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Waste-1024x438.png 1024w, https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Waste-300x128.png 300w, https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Waste-768x329.png 768w, https:\/\/ni4h.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Waste.png 1124w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Halving residual waste by 2042 would reduce &#8216;black bag waste&#8217; arisings to less than 15 million tonnes. There is already nearly 19 million tonnes of English incineration capacity that is either operational or under construction.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Source: UKWIN 18 March 2022 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Incinerators proposed in Horsham and elsewhere  require re-evaluation, in light of Government ambitions to reduce residual waste arisings to a level well below current levels of incineration capacity.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">United Kingdom Without Incineration Network (UKWIN) <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> \u2022 Founded in 2007<br> \u2022 UK-wide network supporting local anti-incineration campaigns<br> \u2022 Currently working with around 50 local groups<br> \u2022 With our members, we helped prevent more than 100 incinerators<br> \u2022 Working to inform waste and resource policies<br> \u2022 Countering greenwash with fact-based evidence<br> \u2022 Maintain a website at https:\/\/ukwin.org.uk\/ <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">See Other Ni4H Posts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Environment Agency Issued Draft Documents for Public Comment by 26 June 2022 11.59pm  (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"http:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/2022\/05\/18\/environment-agency-issued-draft-documents-for-public-comment-by-26-june-2022-11-59pm\/\" target=\"_blank\">Environment Agency Issued Draft Documents for Public Comment by 26 June 2022 11.59pm <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Is Incineration a Good Investment? (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"http:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/2022\/06\/08\/is-incineration-a-good-investment\/\" target=\"_blank\">Is Incineration a Good Investment?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/2022\/05\/19\/english-waste-incineration-overcapacity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"England - Waste Incineration Overcapacity! (opens in a new tab)\">England &#8211; Waste Incineration Overcapacity!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/2022\/05\/19\/scotland-good-news\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Scotland - Good News!  (opens in a new tab)\">Scotland &#8211; Good News! <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>UK Incineration Overcapacity The UK already has more incineration capacity existing and under construction than we will have genuinely residual waste to burn (especially if the Governments adopts its residual waste reduction targets). Even if incineration were the best way to deal with genuinely residual waste, then this does not justify new capacity. Government Policy: [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1664,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1694","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1694"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1694\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1728,"href":"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1694\/revisions\/1728"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1694"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1694"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ni4h.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}