ENERGY FROM WASTE ASSOCIATION
- 154 BUCKINGHAM PALACE ROAD
SW1W 9TR LONDON
Phone: 020 7824 8882
Fax: 020 7824 8753
E-mail: Send messagewww.esauk.org
Short profile:
Energy-from-waste (EfW) is the recovery of renewable energy in the form of electricity and/or heat from the controlled incineration of residual waste. Every municipal EfW plant in the UK recovers value from the waste treated. All twenty facilities recover energy while a number also recover heat, metals and other materials which can be safely recycled and used in construction.
In 2005/06 2.8 million tonnes (8%) of municipal waste was treated in EfW facilities in the UK. [1] The Government’s Waste Strategy for England 2007 anticipates that EfW activity will increase in the future, estimating that it will account for 25% of municipal waste treatment in England by 2020.
Detailed description:
In 2006, EfW generated the equivalent of 776, 000 tonnes of oil [2] - generating enough power for over ¼ million homes. Recovering energy from waste displaces emissions that would otherwise be emitted by fossil fuel power stations and helps increase the UK ’s own security of fuel supply. Waste Strategy for England 2007 [3] states that “Recovering energy from waste which cannot sensibly be recycled is an essential component of a well-balanced energy policy.”
Across Europe EfW is considered to be a valid alternative to landfill for dealing with waste. Countries such as Denmark and Switzerland, which have achieved far higher recycling rates than the UK, also rely much more heavily on EfW.
EfW plants operate to the highest design specifications and emissions are stringently monitored for compliance with European Union standards by the Environment Agency in England and Wales, and SEPA in Scotland . Emission control standards are reviewed regularly, and the Waste Incineration Directive [4] has set stricter standards to be met by all plants since 2005.
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