England
During 2010 regulated waste facilities in England and Wales managed nearly 140 million tonnes of waste. Of this:
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45.9 million tonnes were landfilled
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41.4 million tonnes were transferred, before final disposal or recovery
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32.4 million tonnes were treated
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14.7 million tonnes were handled through metal recycling facilities
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5.9 million tonnes were incinerated
Waste to landfill has decreased minimally between 2009 and 2010. It fell by less than two per cent between 2009 and 2010 and has fallen by around 46 per cent since 2000. One of the principal reasons is the implementation of the Landfill Directive. Many older landfill sites that did not meet the stringent requirements of the Directive, had to close by July 2009 and diversion targets for biodegradable municipal waste to landfill increase, year on year. Also the slow down in economic growth in 2010 is associated with the minimal decrease in waste generated.
Remaining capacity at landfill sites fell by just over two per cent during 2010. Overall since 2000 landfill capacity has fallen by 21 per cent.
During 2010, 3.7 million tonnes of hazardous waste were managed in England and Wales, a decrease of 30% since 2004.
Inputs through permitted transfer facilities decreased by one per cent between 2009 and 2010.
Overall inputs through permitted treatment facilities have increased by over 18 per cent. The main increase was through sites for physical and biological treatment. There was also an increase of around two per cent (81,000 tonnes) in the waste going through composting plants.
South West
Site Input
During 2010 regulated facilities in the South West managed over 11.6 million tonnes of waste, 8% of the waste managed in England and Wales. Of this:
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3.9 million tonnes of waste were disposed of in landfill sites;
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6.5 million tonnes went to transfer and treatment facilities;
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1 million tonnes were handled by metal recycling sites;
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23 thousand tonnes were incinerated
Overall the region has reduced the amount of waste sent to landfill, by nearly 5% (204 thousand tonnes) in 2010. However, only 2 of the region's counties (Devon and Dorset) reduced waste inputs to landfill in 2010.
There are 42.6 million cubic metres of landfill capacity available in the South West. The region had nearly 6 years of landfill life for non hazardous wastes remaining at the end of 2010, based on 2010 input rates.
Transfer and treatment facilities handled nearly 6.5 million tonnes during 2010; 11% less than the 7.3 million tonne peak, handled in 2006. Inputs to transfer facilities fell by 129 thousand tonnes (3%) whereas inputs to treatment facilities increased by 457 thousand tonnes (20%) in 2010, compared to 2009.
Permitted incineration facilities handled 23 thousand tonnes; 8 thousand tonnes less than 2009 and the lowest of all the English regions. However, the region has the lowest permitted capacity.
Metal recycling sites handled around the same amount of waste in 2010, as in 2009, at 1 million tonnes throughput.
Hazardous Waste
The South West was a net exporter of hazardous waste in 2010, importing 123 thousand tonnes of hazardous waste, but exporting 150 thousand tonnes.
In total 371 thousand tonnes of hazardous waste was managed and 345 thousand tonnes was deposited in the region (10 thousand tonnes less was deposited in 2010, compared to the previous year).
The largest hazardous waste stream managed in the region was oil/oil water mixtures. This accounted for nearly 30% (110 thousand tonnes) of all hazardous waste types managed by the region and nearly a third deposited in the region.
The Environment Agency is required to monitor registered hazardous waste movements. The data published here is a summary of these movements. The same waste may be moved between multiple facilities and each separate movement is recorded. This double counting should be taken into account when using this information.
For more information and to download the data tables, please go to Environment Agency Waste Data & Statistics pages.
