Highland waste management strategy favours localised solutions

Proposals for a joint waste management strategy between Highland and Moray Councils have been given the green light by members of The Highland Council’s TEC Services Committee.

Members approved a development option providing locally based solutions for dealing with waste. The chosen option comprises the development of three efficient recovery of energy from waste (EfW) plants in Highland, one in Moray and in-vessel composting (IVC).

The Highland EfW plants would be located at Caithness, Skye and Inverness. In-vessel composting plants would be located in Lochaber, Caithness and Inverness.

The proposals still have to go before Moray councillors for consideration.

Dr Colin Clark, Highland Council’s Head of Waste Management informed members that the proposal to develop and EfW plant on Skye would link in well to current proposals for a district heating scheme on the Island.

Councillor John Laing, Chairman of the Council’s TEC Services committee said: “The joint waste management strategy will enable Highland and Moray to meet targets set by the Scottish Government under its policy for zero waste. The strategy also supports Highland’s commitment to increase the amount of waste recycled to 40% by 2010 and put measures in place to reach 50% recycling by 2013.

“Our officers will continue to work with Moray Council to identify opportunities that enable both authorities to meet the Government’s targets for zero waste.”

Further reports detailing capital and revenue costs and a programme for the locally based developments proposed will be brought back to a future TEC Services committee.

For further information please contact: Dr Colin Clark, Head of Waste Management, The Highland Council, TEC Services tel: 01463 702527

Notes to editors: In-vessel composting is an industrial way of composting biodegradable waste that generally takes placed in enclosed tanks or bunkers in which air flow and temperature can be controlled to enable decompostion.