The landfill directive and the challenge ahead: demands and pressures on the UK householder

Abstract

Despite its lowly position on the waste hierarchy, landfill remains the predominant method of disposal in the UK. It currently accounts for disposal of 85% of municipal solid waste, despite the presence of national policies and targets to increase recycling and divert waste from landfill. However, the implementation of the EU Landfill Directive into the UK legislation in 2001 will place increasing pressure on the householder to participate in more sustainable waste management practices. This research will consider the different approaches available at a local level to meet one of the more pressing targets in the Directive — to reduce ultimately the disposal of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) in the UK to 35% of 1995 levels. Significant changes in practice are required if the targets are to be met. This will require an increase in the availability of alternative options such as recycling and composting and place greater pressure on the householder to respond positively. At present there is little incentive for the householder in the UK to divert waste from disposal, as there is no penalty for non-participation in recycling schemes, and ease of disposal has generated apathy towards more time consuming alternative management options. International case studies have shown that direct charging is one approach that can produce dramatic results in terms of increased recycling and waste minimisation. Pay-as-you-throw (PAYT) schemes place responsibility on the householder to manage their waste in a more sustainable manner, with economics being the motivator. Reluctance to incorporate such an approach, and its applicability in the UK, form the focus of discussion and alternatives are considered with respect to changing behaviour, increasing participation and meeting the BMW waste targets.

Introduction

Environmental policy makers in the UK are increasingly under pressure to integrate sustainable rhetoric into practice; none more so than those involved in waste management. The last decade has seen an influx of European legislation aimed at promoting integrated waste management strategies. Once incorporated into national legislation, the role of the Local Authority and actions of the householder are paramount to the success of sustainable waste policies.

However, while waste continues to receive the attention of environmental policy makers, it remains to be perceived negatively by the general public. Householder requirements are focussed mainly on the removal and disposal of waste from source with minimal effort or demands placed upon them. Current practice certainly supports this and despite its lowly position on the waste hierarchy landfill is the predominant method of waste disposal in the UK, accounting for 85% disposal of municipal solid waste (MSW) (Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions, 2000). Targets that have been in place since 1990, to encourage alternative management of household waste, have made little impact, with the current recovery rate (recycling, composting or incineration with energy recovery) being 14% for MSW (Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions, 2000). UK is facing one of the greatest challenges in waste management that is set to change the face of the waste industry in a relatively short period of time — the implementation of the European Landfill Directive. As a member of the European Union, the UK has a predetermined amount of time to implement Directives into national legislation. The targets of the Landfill Directive have to be satisfied but the approach that individual member states take to achieve those targets is not prescribed in the Directive. In the UK, if attempts are made to meet the targets set out in the Directive, then there will be significant changes in the way specific elements of the waste stream are handled over the next two decades.

While the Landfill Directive contains a number of different targets, this paper will focus on one of the more challenging aspects in terms of demands on the householder, and that is to ultimately reduce biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) being sent to landfill to 35% of the 1995 level by 2016 (Table 1).

A number of issues make this target extremely difficult to meet:

• annual growth in waste arisings;

• lack of market availability and stability;

• inadequate funding and infrastructure for alternative options.

It is at present unclear as to how these targets are to be achieved. However, it is clear that legal action is likely to be taken by the European Union if the targets have not been reached by the deadlines stipulated in the Directive.

This paper will critically consider the role of the householder in meeting the targets and will discuss the implications different approaches may have on the perception, behaviour and participation.