London Wider Waste Strategy - London - Greater London Authority

Waste Growth
6.41. Overall, the Environment Agency has reported no growth in consigned hazardous waste
arisings for England and Wales between 1998/99 to 2002, with construction and
demolition and asbestos, and oil and oil/water mixtures comprising the majority of the
hazardous waste throughout.
6.42. However, although there has been no growth in consigned hazardous waste in England
and Wales, the pattern of arisings in London over the last 4 documented years is rather
erratic, with annual fluctuations of up to 45%. This is shown in Table 6.3 which
indicates that there was a decline by nearly 50% between 1999 and 2000, a significant
increase between 2000 and 2001, and a small decline between 2001 and 2002.
Table 6.3: Summary of hazardous waste arisings in London since 1999 (SWaT)
1999 2000 2001 2002
Waste Arisings 652,814 360,983 497,056 458,579
% Annual Growth Not known -44.7% 37.7% -7.7%
6.43. The reasons for the fluctuations in the annual arisings of hazardous wastes in London
are not known at present and may possibly be a result of poor understanding of the
waste recording and reporting requirements. These recorded changes in consigned
hazardous wastes in London are unlikely to represent a true reflection of actual changes
in hazardous waste arisings. Rather, the fluctuations are likely to result from the data
validity uncertainties over the consignment note system discussed earlier and reflect the
complexity of the reporting system (which often results in the over reporting of waste)
and confusion on the part of waste producers.
Landfill Capacity
6.44. Quoted figures for the landfill disposal of hazardous wastes vary from around 2 million
tonnes (Environment Agency, 2002, England & Wales) to 2.5 million tonnes (the
Hazardous Waste Forum, UK total). Based on Environment Agency data, landfill
disposal is currently the main fate of hazardous waste in England and Wales at 39%,
with around 25% of the total being treated, 20% recycled and 5% incinerated.
6.45. In 2000, 71% of the hazardous waste exported from London was sent to landfill
(Enviros, 2003) and it is reasonable to assume that a similar proportion of the 441,700
tonnes of waste exported in 2002 (i.e. 313,600 tonnes) was also landfilled. Using this
assumption, a total of 334,100 tonnes (~73% of London’s total hazardous waste
production) was landfilled in 2002, including hazardous waste landfilled in London
(20,500 tonnes). It is likely that the majority of this waste went to landfill untreated.
6.46. Recent figures on the types of landfill site in England and Wales (published by the
Environment Agency in 2003) identify a total of 83 landfills accepting hazardous waste
only and a further 286 which are co-disposal sites. Under the Landfill Directive, codisposal
of hazardous waste with non-hazardous waste will be banned from 16 th July
2004, and treatment standards will be set for hazardous waste prior to landfill.
Therefore, only hazardous waste landfills will be able to accept hazardous waste and the
number of available sites will be reduced.
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