London Wider Waste Strategy - London - Greater London Authority

wastes to London are the closest, i.e. the South East (9,900 tonnes) and the East of
England (9,600 tonnes) (2002 figures). Exports from all other regions are relatively
insignificant.
6.36. Hazardous waste imports and exports cannot be broken down further into waste
categories as the 2002 data is currently only available as summary sheets and cannot be
analysed in more detail using the Environment Agency Waste Interrogator.
6.37. As an aid to gaining an understanding of London’s current hazardous waste treatment
industry, import data from the Environment Agency hazardous waste interrogator was
analysed. The assumption was that any hazardous waste being imported into London -
although the amounts are relatively small (as outlined above in paragraph 6.33) - would
give an indication of the types of hazardous waste treatment facilities in London. The
information below is based on 2001 data, the most recent data available for
interrogation.
6.38. The total amount of hazardous waste imported by London in 2001 was recorded as
45,312 tonnes. Note this is significantly different from the 18,700 tonnes reported by
the EA in Table 6.1. Of this, 14,455 tonnes were treated in London, with three EWC
categories making up the majority of the treated waste. Table 6.2 indicates that if the
import and treatment correlation assumption is correct, then London has a significant
treatment capacity for Oil and Oil/Water Mixtures.
Table 6.2: Breakdown of Hazardous Wastes imported into London for
treatment
EWC Waste Type Tonnes % of total
05 Petrol, Gas & Coal Refining 946 6.5
12 Shaping/Treatment of Metals & Plastics 3,283 22.7
13 Oil & Oil/Water Mixtures 10,127 70.1
Other 99 0.7
Total: 14,455 100
Waste Disposal
6.39. Although London produced 458,579 tonnes of hazardous waste in 2002, only 56,364
tonnes were disposed of in the London region (including imports). The major fates for
London’s hazardous wastes are presented below in Figure 6.3 from which it can be
seen that the majority are either treated (43%, 23,970 tonnes), landfilled (36%, 20,509
tonnes), or recycled/reused (13%, 7,373 tonnes).
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