London Wider Waste Strategy - London - Greater London Authority

7.19. There is only limited compositional data on C&I wastes (based on 14 Standard Industry
Code groupings). This indicates that more than 60% of the C&I waste arisings in
London are generated by activities such as administration, retail hotels, education etc.
that produce wastes similar in composition to municipal wastes. In this regard there may
be the potential for a greater degree of integration between the Mayor’s municipal
waste strategy and that for wider wastes. In particular, the types of waste management
facilities developed to process municipal wastes would also be suitable for processing
these commercial and industrial waste arisings.
7.20. Our evaluation of the available compositional data on commercial wastes suggests that
some 75% (i.e. 2.6 million tonnes/annum) is likely to be potentially recyclable. Of the
potential recyclables, 50% is estimated to be paper (1.3 million tonnes) and 20%
cardboard (530,000 tonnes), 14% glass (370,000 tonnes), 11% putrescible (284,000
tonnes) and 4% plastic (93,000 tonnes). It should be noted that a higher amount of the
plastic wastes are considered to be non-recyclable (222,000 tonnes).
Findings from Consultations with Waste Management Companies
7.21. There are a wide range of waste management companies operating in London, some
with transfer stations and materials recovery facilities within London. These companies
typically collect, bulk up and transport C&I wastes for disposal to landfill outside of
London, or for incineration. The responses to the consultation process indicated that
while some recycling of C&I wastes is carried out, the bulk of C&I wastes (estimated as
65%-70%) is landfilled and that London currently lacks the recycling capacity and
markets necessary to stimulate recycling of C&I wastes, particularly for paper,
cardboard, timber, plastics.
7.22. All the waste management companies with whom we had detailed discussions operate
formal environmental management systems (EMS) or are in the process of developing
them. Compliance with ISO14001 is a useful tool to encourage supply chain
management.
7.23. Our consultations with the reprocessing industry that serves the London region
identified an increasing range of activities in London being carried out by both
national/regional reprocessors and local London companies. However coverage is
currently patchy – both geographically and by material type - and there remains a lack
of information available to waste producers about the recycling / reprocessing routes
that exist. Both WRAP and London Remade are developing initiatives that are designed
to stimulate reprocessing/recycling markets in London. A study carried out on behalf of
the London Development Agency by Brook Lyndhurst consultants (2002) identified a
series of barriers facing the London waste reprocessing sector, as well as primary
development opportunities. The key ones were WEEE (waste electrical and electronic
equipment) and ELVs, (end of life vehicles), while materials-specific ones included
plastics, glass, paper and wood.
Findings on Water and Rail Transportation
7.24. The Port of London Authority report that the River Thames is currently used to
transport around 800,000 tonnes per annum of municipal waste, where containerised
wastes are loaded onto barges at four waste transfer stations and shipped to two waste
transfer stations in Essex for offloading for landfill disposal at Cory’s Mucking Landfill
and Cleanaway’s Rainham landfill. The Authority also indicated that the river has
significant additional capacity for waste transportation but that this is currently
constrained by the capacity of their existing riverside transfer stations and that they are
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