THE Scottish Government should move quickly to develop a series of regional resource networks as part of its UN COP 21 Climate Change response.
That was the key finding of a policy paper published today (10th December 2015) by leading resources, recycling and renewable energy company, Viridor – launched at a major Scotland 2020 international conference in Edinburgh.
The report, presented by Viridor at the ‘Scotland Day’ event at the Edinburgh Centre for Climate Change, highlights the steps needed to be taken by Scotland to address country recycling rates of 42.8 per cent and move to a more circular economy which has the potential to deliver vital growth to Scotland’s economy.
‘Scotland Day’, an one-day event co-sponsored by Viridor and Highlands & Islands Enterprise, showcases the collaborative approach taken by Scotland with its partners including the Scottish Government, SEPA and others, to tackle climate change and drive a low-carbon economy.
The key findings of Viridor’s report state that:
- Scotland stands at a cross-roads – current resource management systems are no longer fit for purpose.
- Local authorities need to focus more on the value of resources to the Scottish economy.
- Collection and processing systems will need to operate on a more aggregated model to meet the needs of quality-focused reprocessors and manufacturers.
- Fully-integrated Resource Networks should look to Europe’s largest public/private resource partnership in Manchester which has attracted inward investment from manufacturers and contributes significantly to decentralised energy provision.
- Resource Networks offer the next steps for Scotland’s resources policy and align with the EU’s circular economy agenda.
Dan Cooke, director of External Affairs, Viridor said: “Scottish recycling policy remains largely based on outdated assumptions about resources which reinforce expensive resource management systems that were designed in a different age for a bygone era when collections were based on geographic areas and an overall objective of reducing transport costs.
“Therefore, even now, decisions about collections, contracts and infrastructure are still often based on arbitrary political boundaries by authorities not focused on the value of resources to the Scottish economy.
“This situation is made worse by the current pressures on local authority funding which mean that even existing recycling systems are being undermined. There is therefore no doubt that the current resource management systems are no longer fit for purpose.
“The report recognises the solid progress that Scotland has made towards reaching the goals of the circular economy in terms of improved recycling and resource management.
“We applaud the excellent leadership shown by the Scottish Government towards the green economy.
“But the report points out where more could be done such as developing fully-integrated Resource Networks focused on the availability of high-quality materials.
“There is a significant opportunity for Scotland’s political parties to commit to the adoption of Resource Networks that would position the country as the leader in European resource management.”
Viridor has called on the Scottish Government to consider:
- Recognising, as part of national infrastructure and resilience policy, the economic opportunity of Scotland’s resources and move to establish a new, economy-wide model, setting mandatory common standards for collections by councils.
- Piloting standard collections on specific materials such as glass or ewaste.
- Extending the discussion with local authorities on how their duties are currently defined as Waste Disposal and Collection Authorities and fund research through CoSLA and the Scottish Cities Alliance on the viability of new collection authorities able to take advantage of size and scale, and better able to meet the resource needs of city-regions.
- Developing a Scottish Resource Networks Innovation Fund to allow councils or new collection authorities to bid for finance to realise the opportunity of the ‘Household Recycling Charter’ and to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefit of an aggregated services model.
- Innovating and driveing the above through the creation of a Scottish Resource Council (a Scottish OfRes) to strengthen the Government’s ability to respond strategically to resource supply threats.
Scotland’s circular economy continues to moves forward in a positive direction.
In September this year, Viridor opened a £25m Scottish Glass Recycling facility in Newhouse, Lanarkshire, in the presence of Scottish Cabinet Secretary, Richard Lochhead MSP.
The recycling centre, the most advanced in the UK, is able to recycle 200,000 tonnes of glass per year, representing 150 per cent of all glass packaging collected in Scotland.
The Newhouse facility encapsulates Scotland’s vision of the circular economy by translating Scottish Government policy into practice.
The glass recycling centre contributes directly to the Scottish economy by recycling glass for the country’s whisky industry.
With Newhouse, the finished recycled glass product will achieve up to 99 per cent purity with 97 per cent of input materials being recovered.
The service provided by the centre will boost local authority recycling performance whilst supporting local collection flexibility.
DOWNLOAD A COPY OF THE FULL REPORT AT:
https://blog.viridor.co.uk/2015/12/10/viridor-calls-for-scottish-resource-networks-as-part-cop-21-resopnse/
ENDS
Notes to editors:
VIRIDOR: TRANSFORMING WASTE
- Part of the FTSE 250 Pennon Group, Viridor’s purpose is to give the world’s resources new life.
- Every day, Viridor takes what British homes and businesses throw away and transforms it into essential quality materials, resources and energy for customers across the UK and globally.
- Viridor works in partnership with over 150 local authorities including 96 per cent of Scottish councils. It supports public bodies including NHS Scotland, National Museums of Scotland, Scottish universities and colleges and supports Scotland’s leading businesses including Scottish Power, RBS, BAE Systems and Coca Cola Enterprises.
- The company is investing £1.8bn in vital low carbon infrastructure and has the UK’s largest network of 327 advanced recycling, energy recovery and landfill diversion facilities.
- In addition to its £100m Scottish network of recycling-led technologies, the company has announced £357m of Scottish investment in the last 24 months including:* £177.4m Energy Recovery Facility (ERF), Oxwellmains, East Lothian* £154m Glasgow Recycling & Renewable Energy Centre (GRREC)* £25m UK’s most advanced Glass Recycling Facility, Lanarkshire* £300,000 flat-screen TV recycling line at its £23m E-Waste Recycling Hub, Perth
* £180,000 Dry mixed recycling upgrade at its £11m Materials Recycling Facility, Bargeddie
- Viridor embodies the circular economy, managing over seven million tonnes of recyclates and resources each year, of which 2.4 million tonnes are recycled. With seven energy recovery facilities and four more under construction across the UK city-regions, Viridor currently produces enough energy to power over 330,000 homes.
- Viridor makes a substantial contribution to the green economy through investment in people and skills, employing over 3,200 people at 318 facilities. In addition to professional, fast-track graduate, skilled, apprentice and new entrant programme, the company operates a foundation management degree and delivered 5,887 training days in 2014/15.
- Viridor leads technology and innovation in the sector, investing in progressive opportunities such as the DECC sponsored Viridor and Highview Power energy storage project and the UK’s most advanced glass recycling facility, using technology to give resources new life.
- Viridor is a leading member of the Green Alliance Circular Economy Task Force, the All-Party Sustainable Resources Group and holds a three star ranking in the Business in the Community Corporate Responsibility Index.
- Viridor has won a series of national and international awards including the National Recycling Award for Local Authority Innovation; Best Private Sector Initiative at the Scottish Resources Awards; CIWM Award for the Best Run UK Waste Management Facility; the Industry Award for Excellence for Design of a Recycling or Waste Management Facility and the CIWM Resource Learning & Development Award for Education.
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Viridor contact details…
Contact: Martin Grey
Phone: 07717797133
Email: mgrey@viridor.co.uk
Website: http://www.viridor.co.uk
