The nine-year ditch
by Simon Handby in At home on 14.11.07
We were a bit worried to read this week that the UK might run out of landfill space within nine years. The claim accompanied statistics released on Monday by the Local Government Association, which show that the UK sends more rubbish to landfill than any other EU country – a hefty 22.6 million tonnes in 2005.
Despite the gloomy headline, there is some good news. Across Europe, the amount of rubbish is going down, and recycling continues to increase. There’s still work to be done, though. The LGA says that up to 40% of “a regular household shopping basket” can’t be recycled, and calls on manufacturers and retailers to make bold reforms to products.
One thing that nobody seems too clear on is what exactly happens if and when we do run out of landfill space. Are incinerators, which typically generate electricity from the waste they burn, actually a more sustainable way to dispose of rubbish?
Not according to Friends of the Earth, at least. The charity says that incineration causes pollution and that it can encourage the burning of recyclable waste. It points out that the Netherlands and Germany both manage to recycle about 60% of their household waste, against around 25% in the UK.
FoE says that around 80% of our household waste could be recycled or composted. Its website has some useful recycling tips, and lists other ways you can support the waste reduction campaign. We’d add kitchen waste digesters to the list.
IMAGE by Flickr user D’Arcy Norman
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