Conference review


be passive and wait to be told what to do, but instead to take the initiative.


Industry panel debate A panel debate took place which examined the following questions: Will the UK generate best value from its waste? Are current structures and strategies sufficient to generate further growth in the low carbon economy? Chairman John Ferguson started the ball


rolling. “We’ve made enormous progress, but we have a way to go. We have to make that journey towards a system that regards materials as resources. “With population pressure, we have to


make a start on the circular economy. The critical issue is infrastructure, but with the right kind of technology, the right scale and the right location. “We have moved away from mass burn


to an intelligent way of treating waste with thermal treatment. Now the industry needs to gain the trust of the public. Added to which we must try to de-centralise as well as solve the issue of industrial/commercial waste.” Rolf Stein, CEO of Advanced Plasma


With population pressure, we have to make a start on the circular economy


Power asked whether it makes sense to lock into long term technologies: “We need to decarbonise our heating which accounts for 30% and transport which is responsible for 20% of our carbon emissions. Waste is an excellent source of fuels and the Renewables Obligation offers good support. Landfill tax is working but it’s a shame to see RDF going abroad. The access to funding also remains a challenge and we eagerly await the impact of the GIB whose purpose is to promote efficiency and alternative outputs.” Stuart Hayward-Higham from SITA UK


said the UK needs a resource policy to tie up with the carbon policy. “There is a policy gap. The heat should have been there in the start. The fact we’re still talking about heat means we’ve lost 10 years. Plus, we’re technology fixated. Do I care if it’s gasification or a grate burner? They all have positives and negatives. We have to stop looking back. We have to look forward in a consistent way.” Dr Colin Church, director of climate, waste


and atmosphere at Defra told the conference that a waste prevention plan is to be finalised by the end of the year. “There is a need to improve the quality of


recycling materials. If we are to have more manufacturing, recycled materials must be of a higher quality.” Church predicted the UK is going to see a greater interest in C&I waste and stressed the importance to be able to adapt as the country goes forward. John Ferguson said that matters were not


helped by the fact: “We don’t learn from each other as much as we should, namely Scotland, Wales and England.” According to Chris Oldfield, MD of


UNTHA UK speaking from the floor: “It seems to me the general public has a poor perception of our industry. We’re not getting out a positive message nor do we seem to have a champion. We need a Michael Heseltine.” Church added: “We’re at a difficult


transition stage. It doesn’t mean we have to stop trying. I have legislation on my desk to sort out and you have piles of waste to treat. Everyone has a part to play. Energy from waste is still part of the answer.” Stuart Hayward-Higham pointed out that


the energy market reform (EMR) can provide a mechanism and de-risk the feedstock side.


The ‘f’ words Following the panel debate, Alban Forster, director of SLR Consulting, examined the ‘f’ words in waste, namely ‘feedstock’


Recycling & WA S T E W O R L D


From right to left: John Ferguson, conference chairman; Professor William Powrie from University of Southampton; Rolf Stein, CEO of Advanced Plasma Power; Stuart Hayward-Higham from SITA UK; Jonathan Davies from SKM Enviros and Dr Colin Church, director, climate, waste and atmosphere, Defra


Over 200 people attended the 9th Energy from Waste Conference at Westminster in which the networking sessions were regarded as one of the event’s highlights


and ‘financing’: “Waste management is an uncertain industry, however we should be seeing the waste industry as part of industry itself,” he said before adding: “In terms of forecasting, the figures have gone down mainly. 100kg per person per year is being lost in the waste stream. It gives you some idea of how much has gone through effective resource management.” With regard to waste growth forecasting


he told the conference that data on commercial and industrial waste (CIW) is limited with only three surveys since 1998. Current CIW diversion levels are reportedly over 54% in England. “Abroad municipal


waste is considered to be anything generated by the municipality rather than the slender interpretation in the UK. MSW targets need now to extend beyond 2020 for England while it makes a lot of sense to align CIW targets with municipal,” suggested Forster. On the second day of the conference,


David Palmer-Jones, CEO of SITA UK, addressed the issue of achieving more from waste; the challenge to increase efficiency and generate greater value from waste at all points of the waste stream. Palmer-Jones pointed out that the western world is stuck in its post industrial consumption. “We are stuck in a linear model of resource consumption and the pressure on resources


is mounting with volatility and resource depletion a fact of life.” The CEO told the conference that a more subtle shift in attitude is required. “We need to recognise that the secondary


raw materials have a real intrinsic value along with a greater social awareness around this shift. We need to change our language, our culture. We’re in the middle of a revolution (we used to call it an evolution) from landfill to a world that requires a new infrastructure. We can’t afford to destabilise markets. Our business runs completely through legislation. It is good, but you need strong compliance to give the stability to market. “The UK’s aggressive


landfill tax is the envy of the rest of Europe, but it is one thing, the collection of a landfill tax at the right level is another thing. The public has a part to play and must begin to accept and achieve more from extracting value


from waste.” The CEO urged everyone to use their


time to convince politicians of the advantages of the circular economy. “Politicians struggle to comprehend


the advantages. Instead they default to the position of their constituents and put their bins out of their front door every week. “We need to adopt a circular economy


and to highlight the potential. Give the waste industry a strong framework and a long term vision that is not changed every five years.”


www. r e c y c l i n gwa s t ewo r l d . c o . u k


Labour unveils waste policy review Appropriately, Gavin Shuker, shadow minister for water and waste, was next up on the podium and announced that Labour is going to launch its own waste policy review in the coming months. “My colleague, Hilary Benn, is working


hard to develop a coherent strategy to handle our waste. Politicians are not all saints, but we try to make decisions for the benefit of all and sometimes we need help, the planning system should require a clear framework, responsibility should be shared along with the benefits.” The shadow minister called on the energy


from waste industry to think about what they can do to improve the UK’s position. “Our own policy review will drive


performance. The present UK targets are merely about scraping the bar while other countries send no waste to landfill. “Aligning our recycling targets with other


parts of the UK would bring us nearer to achieving our targets while the potential of the waste industry to create jobs is huge.” Shuker posed the question as to whether


the government needs an office of resources in DECC to promote economic growth. “Ours is an unapologetic approach to


increase jobs, setting ambitious targets for waste, whether an office for resource scarcity can play an important role as well as how recycling can be made more ethical and reprocessing more local,” stated the shadow minister.


RWW


• To purchase a copy of the presentations from the conference, contact Julia Pugh- Cook on 01722 717024 or email her at julia. pugh-cook@markallengroup.com


March 7 2013 9


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