Government tightens rules on waste incinerators

The government has announced that new waste incinerators will only receive planning approval if they meet strict new local and environmental conditions.

According to statistics, recycling rates in England have stalled over the last 14 years. 49 per cent of all waste collected by local authorities in 2022/23 was incinerated, with just 40% recycled. 

The new rules will mean that projects will need to maximise efficiency and support the delivery of economic growth, net zero and the move to a circular economy.

Developers will have to demonstrate that their projects will help lower the amount of non-recyclable waste sent to landfill or enable the replacement of older, less efficient plants.

New projects will have to demonstrate how they are carbon capture ready and show how they will make use  of the heat they produce.

Circular economy minister Mary Creagh said: “For far too long, the nation has seen its recycling rates stagnate and relied on burning household waste, rather than supporting communities to keep resources in use for longer.

“That ends today, with clear conditions for new energy from waste plants – they must be efficient and support net zero and our economic growth mission, before they can get the backing needed to be built.

"This is another vital step on the pathway to a circular economy, where we reduce waste to landfill and boost the economy, while also ensuring those facilities maximise the benefits to communities. This will also help us deliver on our Plan for Change in a decade of national renewal.”

Charlotte Rule, head of climate and energy policy at the Environmental Services Association (ESA), said: “The ESA’s long-held view is that recovering energy and materials from waste left over after recycling is an important part of a circular economy but development of Energy-from-Waste (EfW) facilities must be carefully balanced against current and future capacity needs, which this new Residual Waste Infrastructure Capacity Note supports.

“Increasing recycling rates, and developing carbon capture as well as district heat networks across the UK’s EfW fleet, will all play a role supporting our sector’s target to decarbonise by 2040 and contribute to UK net-zero goals, so we welcome Government’s support in these areas.”