Highland Council set to meet Scottish Government landfill ban for biodegradable waste three years ahead of the deadline after making a £58 million deal to dispose of household and commercial residual waste
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- Council awards Viridor with £58 million residual waste contract
- Around 72,000 tonnes of waste will be treated by Viridor annually
- The deal means the local authority will meet the 2026 landfill ban deadline
- Electricity from Viridor's Energy from Waste Plant will go into the National Grid
Highland Council will meet the Scottish Government’s landfill ban for biodegradable waste three years ahead of the deadline after making a £58 million deal to dispose of household and commercial residual waste.
Viridor Dunbar Waste Services Limited won the five year contract which will start on January 1, 2023 with the option of three year extension and will process and treat the waste.
The council will deliver residual waste to Viridor’s facility in East Lothian so landfilling biodegradable municipal solid waste can end in advance of the government imposed deadline of January 1 2026.
Despite additional transport requirements the new contract will lead to lower carbon emissions from the council’s waste management activities.
That is because the company's Energy from Waste plant – the electricity generated will be exported to the National Grid – has significantly lower emissions than landfill.
The volumes to be processed through the contract will vary over time. The authority will progressively direct waste from its own facilities into the contract as existing contract arrangements expire and landfill capacity in Aviemore and Caithness is used up.
The council estimates up to 72,000 tonnes of residual waste will be treated by Viridor each year, providing the local authority with medium-term security of waste disposal.
From headache to waste disposal security
Dealing with waste has been a major and expensive headache for the council for years and the contract allows sufficient time to to develop its plans, which include response to the Scottish Government’s review of the role of incineration.
Greens MSP and Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity Lorna Slater effectively banned the development of new energy from waste plants. The council had already been investigating the potential for such a facility.
Allan Gunn, ECO Communities and Place said: “This is an extremely positive and important step for Highland. This contract provides the Council with medium-term security of waste disposal outlets within Scotland. It will also result in lower carbon emissions from the Council’s waste management activities.”
Contingency in place after Aberdeen recycling facility fire
Meanwhile the fire at the Altens Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Aberdeen has led to issues dealing with the council’s contractor Suez though these are now being dealt with according to contingency plans.
A Highland Council spokesman said: “Altens MRF had a major fire incident over the weekend. Through a contractual arrangement an element of Highland Council’s co-mingled recycling is normally processed through this facility.
“The contractor is now providing Highland council with planned contingency arrangements for processing recycling. The contractor (SUEZ) is keeping the council updated, there is currently no disruption to the service provided.”
