News081106

A Waste study claiming Notts could run out of tip space for household rubbish in just three years is wrong, according to figures supplied by the company running the county's landfills.

The public is being consulted on waste plans for the city and county designed to last until 2021.

Notts only has enough space for about four million tonnes of household rubbish, which could be filled by 2009, claims a 36-page 'issues' report accompanying the consultation.

The figures in the public document are estimates based on previous known levels.

But figures taken from the last few months, supplied by Waste Recycling Group (WRG), the company which runs county landfill sites, paint a different picture.

The firm's latest estimates show around 5.5million cubic metres of landfill space left in the county, meaning some sites might still be in use well into the next decade.

Today the county council acknowledged that WRG's figures were probably more accurate and likely to be incorporated into the next round of public consultation on the new waste plan, set for next spring.

A spokeswoman said figures in the report up for informal public consultation until December 8 had been a "best estimate" at the time it was written.

She did not feel public opinions on waste issues would be skewed by the need to update the figures later.

"The next stage of the process is the formal consultation where we can include any updated figures," said the spokeswoman.

The county council's waste issues report does stress that landfill will remain a rubbish disposal option even in 2021, despite expected reductions in rubbish levels and increased recycling.

Its study forecasts that Notts will, at the very least, need enough extra waste facilities to be able to:

More than double the amount of household garden and vegetable waste composted by 2015, from 60,000 tonnes a year to around 150,000

Almost double the amount of rubbish sent through Notts' 40 waste transfer sites - where paper, card, metals and other materials with re-sale value are processed - from 600,000 tonnes a year to 1.1m tonnes by 2021

Possibly find a site for 'hazardous' materials such as asbestos, batteries, oils, clinical and medical waste. Notts has no such site.

The councils' consultation report does not say exactly where new facilities should be but suggests they should be near major urban centres such as Nottingham and Mansfield.

Suggested sites for new waste facilities have already received a rough ride.

On Monday, the Post reported that a planning application for old colliery site Bentinck Void, near Selston, which Notts County Council sees as the best option for more landfill, is likely to face stiff local opposition.

Nottingham City Council, joint architect of the new waste master plan, recently rejected a £50m proposal to extend Eastcroft Incinerator.

Owner WRG's appeal against that decision is unlikely to be determined until 2008.

Jon Beresford, who speaks for Nottingham Against Incineration and Landfill (Nail), a group of environmentalists and residents opposed to the Eastcroft plan, considers the latest waste consultation is unambitious in suggesting landfill and incineration could not be phased out in future.

"This is like accepting failure," he said. "It's estimated that about 80% of what's in your bin could be recycled."

The Post has also reported that Veolia Environmental Services - the private firm on a 26-year contract to manage the county council's waste - wants to build a new incinerator at Rufford Colliery, near Rainworth, capable of burning 180,000 tonnes of waste a year.

Villagers Paul and Sue Cullen oppose the proposal. Mr Cullen said: "Incineration still means there is leftover material that has to be sent to landfill."

The Government has previously floated the idea of environmental, or 'green', taxes.

"If those come in they should go towards creating a zero waste policy," said Mr Cullen.

Veolia also plans new or improved recycling or waste collection facilities in Newark, Worksop and Broxtowe borough.

The deadline for comments on the initial strategy is December 8. Copies are available from council offices, libraries and on 0115 977 2108 or at www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk

They should be sent to: Minerals and Waste Policy Team, Communities, Notts County Council, Trent Bridge House, West Bridgford, NG2 6BJ.