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Earlier chapters have examined the existing and future strategy for the management and disposal of the various categories of waste that occur or are likely to occur on the Isle of Man. The growth of population and commercial and industrial activities inevitably brings about an increasing volume of waste. Major development schemes, such a urban renewal programmes, exert additional pressures on the scarce resources available for the disposal of municipal and other wastes.
The emphasis of the Isle of Man Government's strategy should be to provide a secure long term disposal route for the growing quantity of wastes produced by the community, together with the provisions to prevent environmental problems associated with waste collection and disposal. After implementation of that strategy, further strategies should be developed to limit the amount of waste generated and to encourage resource recovery and re-cycling.
The more affluent a society becomes the larger the per capita waste generation. Excessive waste generation, apart from the fact that valuable resources are wasted, also exacerbates the waste disposal problem. To reverse the increasing trend of waste generation, there is a need to educate the public to encourage a change in attitude towards waste generation. The industrial and commercial sectors should also make serious efforts in reducing waste generation by better housekeeping and process control, by changes to their existing practices and the adoption of clean technology. Contributions from the services sector can include the exercising of stricter control measures by, for example, restriction on the free distribution of plastic bags and tighter stock control of those consumer products with limited shelf life. The use of environmentally desirable packaging for consumer products would also contribute towards waste minimisation and resource conservation.
At present, with the exception of the animal by-products plant (Litts), recycling activity is mainly export orientated with recovered glass, paper and metals being transported to the United Kingdom for processing. It is unlikely that this situation will change in the foreseeable future, due to the finite size of the Isle of Man as a waste generating unit.
It is recognised that much of the material presently deposited within landfill sites may have a comparatively low recovery value in commercial terms or may require more elaborate re-processing and marketing efforts for the re-cycled products. This is particularly true for resources recovered on the Isle of Man, where the cost of transport to a suitable reception centre may be greater than the market value of the resource. It is, therefore, unlikely that the private sector will undertake recovery and recycling schemes for less valuable commodities without Government support and assistance.
The participation of the private sector in resource recovery and re-cycling is important and direct participation by Government is not fully appropriate. With its greater degree of flexibility and marketing ability, the private sector is better placed to embark on resource recovery ventures based on innovative technology, and Government support should complement the industry which has the necessary knowledge and flexibility required for viable re-cycling developments.
There is scope for promoting waste separation at source so as to facilitate waste re-cycling. However, any such arrangements would require public participation and co-operation and education would be an essential component of any related promotion campaign. The schemes that have been set up within the United Kingdom are still in their infancy and many lessons have yet to be learned as to the most appropriate collection mechanism. However, such schemes will undoubtedly play an important part in any strategy for the management of waste in the twenty first century.
The provision of a refuse incineration plant presents further opportunities for resource re-cycling by the utilisation of waste heat. The networking of other heat sources, e.g. Pulrose Power Station, would be of significant benefit in increasing the available heat load for distribution within a district heating network and, hence, the viability of the scheme. Significant advantages may be gained by the reduction in fossil fuel imports to the Island. Of major benefit would be the reduction in air pollution caused by the reduction in the uncontrolled burning of fossil fuels by domestic premises. However, the development of a district heating distribution network is costly and identification of markets and sources of heat during the planning stages is of fundamental importance.
It is generally accepted that in the past a great deal of landfilling has been carried out to a very poor standard. The problems arising from poorly engineered and abandoned sites are still coming to light. A recent survey carried out by the Environmental Safety Centre at Harwell, on United Kingdom landfill sites, indicated that a majority of surveyed sites still fall short of an acceptable standard of control for dealing with leachate, gas and waste input.
It is apparent that this state of affairs will not be allowed to continue in the long term. Increasing pressure is being brought to bear in the United Kingdom and Europe to ensure that landfilling practices are brought up-to-date. A major step in this direction will be taken when the new United Kingdom Environmental Protection Bill is enacted later this year and further landfill legislation is already under consideration by the European Community.
The main results of this trend of increasing regulation would appear to be:
As regulation and monitoring of sites increases the costs to the operator will rise. Inevitably this cost will be passed on to the users of the site. Price increase in the order of 100-500% have been mentioned.
Due to the increasing burden of responsibility on site operators the days of small, owner-operator sites are numbered. More and more of the new sites coming on stream are large, multi-million pound developments operated by major waste disposal companies or the waste disposal section of county councils. These sites are almost exclusively designed to completely contain waste, leachate and gas with no reliance on natural attenuation processes.
Unless there is a major reversal of European Community policy the dilute and attenuate philosophy will soon be restricted to a diminishing number of existing sites.
In response to the increasing costs of landfill and general public concern, direct landfilling of crude waste will become more and more unacceptable. Any re-cyclable elements will be removed, resulting in a change in the refuse composition at landfill, which may affect the landfill practices.
Although there is little indication that landfilling as a primary waste disposal method is about to be phased out by the European Community, major changes to landfill practice are inevitable over the next 5-15 years.
E.C. and U.S.A. Policy in Waste Management
In March 1990 the EC Council adopted a waste strategy resolution.
There are five waste management priorities:
This strategy is based upon the principles of the Basel Convention convened by the United Nations Environment Programme.
So far as final disposal is concerned there is a proposal for a directive on landfill. The aim is to harmonise standards throughout the community.
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