Mr. Lochhead,
I am writing to express support for your Zero Waste goal. I hope that you
will follow in the footsteps of New Zealand and South Korea, as the first
2 countries on earth to adopt Zero Waste as a goal.
However, I urge you to adopt the only peer-reviewed, internationally
accepted definition of Zero Waste that is published on the website of the
Zero Waste International Alliance at:
http://www.zwia.org/standards.html. That definition means NOT
to include burning of wastes as part of any Zero Waste policy or
program.
If you would like more information on Zero Waste programs being
implemented by businesses and communities around the world, see the
references I have attached.
Thank you again for your support of Zero Waste! By copy of this
letter to our Zero Waste network, I am encouraging others to send you
information that highlights the many successes of Zero Waste around the
world.
Gary Liss
Zero Waste consultant
Loomis, CA USA
At 05:52 PM 1/21/2008, Gary Liss wrote:
Apologies for
Cross-postings
Scottish Government set
to reveal direction for waste policy
21-01-2008
The Scottish government has said it
will announce more detail on its intentions for national waste policy
this week.
The move follows consultations with local
authorities and regulators held over the autumn and winter, and a report
from the Sustainable Development Commission on the use of
energy-from-waste.
SEPA believes
that the recovery of energy from appropriate wastes, given the inherent
value of waste which can be lost in landfill, is fully compatible with
zero waste.
John Ferguson, SEPA
Since the Scottish Nationalist Party
won a slim majority in the Scottish Parliament in May 2007, Scottish
ministers have provided little detail on the Party's manifesto aim to
move towards a "zero-waste society"
(see letsrecycle.com
story).
But a spokesman for the Scottish Government
confirmed on Friday (January 18) to letsrecycle.com: "Our future
policy direction on waste will be unveiled next week."
Energy-from-waste
A key question for local authorities
seeking to meet national landfill diversion targets will be whether the
"Zero Waste" intention of the SNP-led government will allow
them to use incineration to deal with waste left over after recycling has
taken place.
The original "Zero Waste" movement
has been seen as against the use of incineration.
However, commissioned by the Scottish
government to provide advice on the issue over the winter, the
Sustainable Development Commission Scotland has backed the use of
energy-from-waste technology - provided that key criteria in the use is
met.
In a report published last month, it said:
"The overall conclusion of our review is that energy from waste may
be, in the right circumstances, compatible with sustainable development
and a move towards a Zero Waste Society."
The Commission suggests energy-from-waste
systems should be evaluated on their ability to reduce carbon emissions
to meet government commitments to cut emissions by 80% by 2050.
It also states that plants should recover
energy to a minimum efficiency level of 60% and stresses that
consultation should take place with communities and stakeholder.
"Appropriate" wastes
Both the Convention of Scottish Local
Authorities (COSLA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
have also backed the recovery of energy from "appropriate"
wastes.
John Ferguson, manager of SEPA's waste and
resource strategy unit said: "SEPA believes that the recovery of
energy from appropriate wastes, given the inherent value of waste which
can be lost in landfill, is fully compatible with zero waste, provided
there is a significant and targeted commitment to waste prevention and
recycling."
A COSLA spokesman said that while recycling
was its preferred means of reducing waste sent to landfill, it was not
enough to meet European targets for landfill diversion in 2013 and
2020.
The spokesman continued: "The SDC's
report recognises the role of energy-from-waste in a comprehensive
strategy aimed at diverting waste from landfill - one which COSLA looks
forward to working on alongside Scottish Government partners.
"Energy-from-waste is a safe, tried and
tested way to deal with waste that cannot be recycled, and is commonly
used across Europe. Energy from waste is not an alternative to recycling
- it is just one component of a sensible and practical waste
strategy."
Recycling
The Sustainable Development Commission
report also looked at wider issues when it comes to waste, and hailed the
bid to achieve Zero Waste as a means to shift policy towards
"resource efficiency".
It explained: "Government has struggled
to shift its attention from recycling to waste prevention. Without a
change of focus to prevention, many stakeholders will not have confidence
that energy-from-waste is being used as part of the solution, rather than
instead of wider action.
"The adoption of the framework of Zero
Waste should give government a clearer direction."
The Commission also urged the Scottish
Government to review recycling targets and push them above and beyond 55%
by 2020, stating this "would certainly be possible".
However, it was critical of some local
authorities which it claimed were failing to take seriously the need to
recycle and reduce waste.
Related links
It said: "While some local
authorities are making good progress on recycling, it is clear that
others are finding this difficult and do not see recycling or activities
further up the waste hierarchy as a core part of their waste management
duties."
The Commission also called for ministers to
integrate measures for tackling business waste into its new policy, as
well as a more joined-up approach to planning, economic development and
energy policies.
Gary Liss
Gary Liss & Associates
4395 Gold Trail Way
Loomis, CA 95650-8929
916-652-7850
Fax: 916-652-0485
gary@no.address
www.garyliss.com
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