Is residual waste treatment better than landfill?
Landfill capacity in Wales is fast running out and it is widely recognised that this is not a sustainable option. The full WRATE carbon footprint assessment shows that managing residual waste through landfill alone generates the highest carbon impact. When waste decomposes in landfill in the absence of air, methane is produced which is one of the main contributing factors of climate change. Although landfill regulations state that the methane should be collected to generate energy, the collection rate is at best only 10%. Residual waste treatment reduces the need for landfill. Although there are residues from the variety of treatment options, the amount of waste sent to landfill will significantly reduce.
Related Questions
- If we create a hazardous waste that will not end up in a landfill, but will be discharged through our wastewater treatment system, do we still have to comply with land disposal restrictions (LDRs)?
- Aren’t landfill operations a cheaper way to deal with residual waste?
- Is residual waste treatment better than landfill?
