Burning rubbish could heat half a million homes, report says

Burning household rubbish could produce enough energy to heat half a million homes, according to a new report that has been welcomed by the Department for Environment.

Turning the country’s 27.5m tonnes of non-recyclable waste into energy would be a more eco-friendly option than sending it to landfill or for overseas export, says the report from think tank Policy Connect, which was backed by 12 cross-party MPs.

Energy-from-waste plants release carbon emissions and create air pollution, but the process also eliminates the potent methane emissions that are released from landfill, saves on the carbon emissions required to ship waste overseas, and can displace fossil fuels when turned into energy.

With the addition of carbon capture technology - in which the emissions are captured and stored for other uses - and ensuring plastics are removed and recycled, the report’s authors say burning rubbish is the “safest, cheapest and most environmentally responsible solution”.

They calculate that the UK will avoid 4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually by 2030 if we send 80 per cent of our residual waste to be incinerated for energy.

The industry could also divert some of the £280m spent by the UK shipping ‘non-recyclable’ waste abroad to domestic infrastructure investment and jobs around the country, the report says.

Jonathan Shaw, Chief Executive of Policy Connect, said: “To hit our Net Zero emissions targets we cannot afford to let the rubbish in our wheelie bins go to waste.” He called for a more ‘Scandinavian’ approach to rubbish; Sweden sends less than 1 per cent of its household waste to landfill. In the UK, 40 per cent of non-recyclable waste is sent to landfill. Meanwhile ecycling rates have largely plateaued around 45 per cent in recent years.

There are currently 48 rubbish-burning plants in the UK and 10 more under construction, but less than a quarter of them have the capacity to turn the waste into energy.

The report highlights the example of the Eastcroft plant in Nottingham, which provides heat and power to 34,000 local homes and businesses including an ice rink, Nottingham Trent University, and a shopping centre.

Commenting on the report, environment minister Rebecca Pow said: “Now more than ever, it is crucial we move from a ‘throw away’ society to one that always looks at waste as a valuable resource.

We want to be a world leader in tackling this challenge, which is why we’re transforming our waste system to ensure products are built to last and easier to recycle or repair.

We will consider the recommendations in this report as we drive forward our ambitious waste reforms and meet our net zero emissions goals.”