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National Strategy on Biodegradable Waste

The National Strategy on Biodegradable Waste was published in April 2006 and sets out measures to progressively divert biodegradable municipal waste from landfill in accordance with the agreed targets in EU Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste.  Council Directive 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste (known as the Landfill Directive) requires Member States of the European Union to reduce their dependence on the landfill of municipal waste in favour of more environmentally sound alternatives.  Article 5 of the Directive specifically requires each Member State to prepare a National Strategy on Biodegradable Waste which will set out measures aimed at the separate collection, recovery and recycling of biodegradable waste.  The Directive also sets out targets in relation to the progressive diversion of biodegradable municipal waste from landfill.  

The Strategy is based on the integrated waste management approach established as Government policy since the publication of Changing Our Ways in 1998.  The preferred options for dealing with BMW are:

  • prevention and minimisation – avoiding generating the waste
  • recycling – mainly of paper and cardboard but also of textiles
  • biological treatment – mainly of kitchen and garden waste including composting
  • residual treatment – thermal treatment with energy recovery or by way of mechanical-biological treatment.

The Strategy sets specific objectives for the contributions that each of these measures will contribute to the achievement of the 2016 target for diversion of BMW from landfill.   It proposes that, by 2016, recycling (principally of paper and cardboard waste which cannot be reused) will divert 875,371 tonnes (38.6%) from landfill with biological treatment (mainly food and garden waste) contributing 442,129 tonnes (19.5%) to the overall target with thermal treatment diverting 499,762 tonnes (22%) of residual waste. 

 

 

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