Recycling vs Recovery

Is burning household waste the dirtiest way to generate power? This was the title of the article from the BBC article on the 15th October labelling Energy from Waste (EfW) as “dirty”.

The report claimed that its research found that EfW produces the same amount of greenhouse gases for each unit of energy as coal power.

Following on from the industry response on Let’s Recycle we agree that EfW remains a critical component in managing waste in the UK. EfW helps divert waste from landfills, reducing methane emissions – a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide.

Reading the statements and the findings on the report, along with the Environmental Services Association, we emphasise that recovering energy via EfW is now a “predominant means of treating residual waste in accordance with the waste hierarchy, which dictates that recovery is prioritised over disposal methods such as landfill.”

The waste hierarchy is a framework that prioritises waste management options based on what’s best for the environment, starting with prevention as the most preferential, going on to reuse, recycle, recover (which is where EfW sits) and finally disposal.

Devon-based Coastal Recycling provides sustainable waste solutions to their 1600 clients over the region. Coastal is committed helping our customers and community reduce the amount of waste they generate, increase recycling rates, reduce the volume of waste heading to EfW and educate on developing a culture of reduce, reuse and recycle.

We continually collaborate with our customers to improve their recycling targets. When onboarding a new customer or at one of our regular account review meetings, we audit their waste arisings. From this we gain valuable insights into their waste generation patterns and help identify areas for improvement. Our aim is to maximise recycling rates, manage waste responsibly which in turn reduces waste costs.

As an example, we helped a local client boost their recycling rates and reduce the amount of waste heading for incineration. Working in collaboration on segregating their waste at source, colour coded bin signage and essentially simplifying the process, they’ve seen a 35% rise in recycling rates and a 14% reduction in general waste heading to EfW.

While EfW helps manage non-recyclable waste and provides a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels, Coastal Recycling believe to meet emission targets we need collaboration across multiple sectors:

• Government: To set policies and regulations to promote sustainable practices.
• Businesses and manufacturers: To adopt circular economy models, design eco-friendly products, and support recycling systems.
• Waste management industry: To innovate in waste collection, processing, and recycling infrastructure.
• Not-for-profits and educational organisations: To raise awareness and encourage behaviour change around waste reduction and resource conservation.
• Consumers: To make conscious choices to reduce waste and ensure they are correctly recycling.

We need to work together we can drive systemic change to ensure a more sustainable future.