New Delhi: The UK government has announced new planning rules for waste incinerators, requiring them to meet stricter environmental and local conditions. This policy shift aims to tackle England’s stagnant recycling rates and encourage a move towards a circular economy. The government’s decision comes as almost half of all waste collected by local authorities in 2022/23 was incinerated, with just 40% recycled.
Under the new rules, incinerator projects will need to demonstrate their contribution to reducing non-recyclable waste sent to landfill or replacing older, less efficient plants. They must also show how they will utilize the heat they produce, including exploring options for generating fuels for other sectors like aviation. Additionally, new incinerators must be built Carbon Capture ready and comply with existing high standards for air pollution and other environmental impacts. The Environment Agency in England closely monitors and regulates these impacts.
These stricter requirements are based on new evidence indicating that they will not negatively impact the country’s waste processing capacity and should reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. The government’s goal is to ensure that new energy-from-waste plants are efficient, support net zero, and contribute to economic growth.
Mary Creagh, Circular Economy Minister, stated, “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. That ends today.” She emphasized that these new conditions will pave the way for a circular economy, maximizing resource utilization and benefiting communities. This will help us fulfill our Plan for Change over a decade of national renewal.
The Environmental Services Association (ESA) acknowledged the need for careful balance in developing Energy-from-Waste (EfW) facilities, aligning with current and future capacity needs. Charlotte Rule, Head of Climate and Energy Policy at ESA, highlighted the importance of increasing recycling rates, developing carbon capture, and expanding district heat networks to support the sector’s decarbonization targets.
Projections indicate that by 2035, existing energy-from-waste plants will have the capacity to process 18.8 million tonnes of residual waste. However, with the implementation of government reforms such as Simpler Recycling and the Deposit Return Scheme, the country is expected to only need to manage 17.6 million tonnes of non-recyclable waste by 2042. This suggests a limited need for new incinerator plants. The government will examine how to ensure new plants can export heat from day one and are encouraged to do so quickly after starting operation.
Despite the move away from incineration, the government recognizes its role in waste management, particularly as it provides around 3% of the UK’s total energy generation and contributes to decarbonizing heating. The focus will now be on ensuring that new plants are equipped to export heat efficiently and contribute to the UK’s Clean Energy Superpower Mission.