to read the full report - Ecolateral by Peter Jones

Evaluation of Opportunities for Converting Indigenous UK Wastes to Wastes and Energy
AEA/ED45551/Issue 1
4.3.4 Future Arisings
Three surveys of arisings of construction and demolition (C&D) waste in England have been conducted
since the year 2000. The findings are summarised in Table 16.
Table 16: Estimated arisings (million tonnes) of construction and demolition waste in England
2001 2003 2005
Recycled aggregate and soil 43.3 45.4 46.4
Landfilled at landfill sites 23.2 29.1 27.8
Used at Registered Exempt sites 22.4 16.4 15.4
Total 88.9 90.9 89.6
A comparison of the estimates for 2001, 2003 and 2005 shows that the total arisings of C&D waste are
similar. The amount of C&D waste which is recycled has increased from 49% in 2001 to 52% in 2005,
but this increase is not statistically significant. The amount of material used on Registered Exempt sites
has fallen by 7 million tonnes since 2001, and the amount of waste landfilled at landfill sites has increased
by 4.5 million tonnes since 2001. 45
The data in Table 16 show that there has been little growth in C&D arisings since 2001. Another
projection estimated an average annual growth rate of 0% per annum for construction and demolition
waste in the South East from 2005 to 2020. Consequently, an average growth rate of 0% per annum has
been used to estimate future arisings of this stream.
4.3.5 Conclusions
Construction and demolition waste is the largest of the three controlled waste streams, with the UK
producing an estimated 118.6 million tonnes in 2005.
The majority of the waste is mineral, bricks, concrete, etc, and as such can be crushed and used to
displace virgin aggregate. A significant proportion will be soil, which can be reused as soil or also used to
displace virgin aggregate. However this waste stream will also contain a proportion of wood and plastics
that could be used for energy production. Although it is possible to recycle or recover many of these
materials, in practice this is not often done due to the level of contamination and the diverse nature of the
sources.
Data on arisings of this waste stream is currently very limited, however this situation should improve in the
near future with the reporting requirements of the PPC becoming widespread.
4.3.6 Predicted Future Arisings for MSW, C&I and C&D
Table 17 gives the summary arisings of Municipal Solid Waste, Commercial and Industrial Waste and
Construction and Demolition Wastes by country in the UK. For all countries in the UK significantly more
construction and demolition waste is produced than any other waste stream, while MSW waste arisings is
the smallest waste stream of the three controlled categories.
45 Sites exempted under the terms of Paragraphs 9A(1) and/or 19A(2) of Schedule 3 to the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994 as
amended by the Waste Management Licensing (England and Wales) (Amendment and Related Provisions) (No.3) Regulations 2005 (SI
No.2005/1728); ‘Paragraph 9A(1) sites’ are registered exempt sites where exemption holders are permitted to spread up to 20,000 m³/ha of certain
specified waste materials including soil, rock, ash, some sludges, dredgings or C&D waste for land reclamation /restoration / improvement purposes or
agricultural improvement. Paragraph 19A(2) sites are registered exempt sites where exemption holders are permitted to use certain specified waste
materials including C&D waste, excavation waste, ash, clinker, rock, wood or gypsum in connection with recreational or infrastructure projects,
excluding land reclamation.
43