Statistics on waste
Stirling's population is increasing. Every new household adds around 1.2 tonnes to the municipal waste stream every year. So, even though we're recycling very well for the moment (around 40%), the extra waste produced by additional households gives us a more difficult task for the future.
In 2001-02, Stirling Council’s 34,000 households produced a total of 41,000 tonnes of waste.
By the end of this past year (2007-08), the number of households had grown to 38,660 and the amount of household waste had grown to 45,200 tonnes per annum.
Adding commercial waste to that amount, 56,100 tonnes of Municipal Waste was produced in 2007-08. One good sign of the progess being made is that the percent recycled/composted vs. landfilled has changed significantly. In 2001-02 92% of that Municipal Waste was landfilled and only 8% was recycled or composted. Last year, on the other hand, only 60% of our Municipal waste (33,700 tonnes) was sent for disposal, with 40% being recycled or composted. (22,400 tonnes).
The big change largely was made possible by adoption of the Forth Valley Area Waste Plan in 2003. As one part of the National Waste Strategy: Scotland, it requires Stirling Council to work closely with neighbouring Falkirk and Clackmannanshire Councils to co-ordinate waste disposal/recycling/composting strategies in the Forth Valley in line with the EC Landfill Directive. This requires the UK to meet statutory waste diversion targets specifically aimed at removing the biodegradable fraction of waste from landfill.
The requirements of the Landfill Directive still underpin everything we do. Additionally however, in February 2008, the Scottish Government announced a new set of targets relating to recycling and landfill as follows:
Percentage of municipal waste being recycled or composted:
- 2010 - 40%
- 2013 - 50%
- 2020 - 60%
- 2025 - 70%
Percentage of municipal waste used for energy:
- 2010 - 4%
- 2013 - 14%
- 2020 - 25%
- 2025 - 25%
Percentage of municipal waste going to landfill:
- 2010 - 56%
- 2013 - 36%
- 2020 - 15%
- 2025 - 5%
Every Local Authority in Scotland now has been set yearly limits on the amounts of biodegradable waste it can landfill. Sanctions for not achieving these targets are financially severe (~£150-200 per tonne).
We believe will be possible to achieve our targets,if we continue with the good start we've made, but it will not be easy. It will only be done with full cooperation and participation of everyone living and working in the Stirling Council area.
