Draft Business Waste Strategy PDF - london.gov.uk - Greater ...

2 Mayor of London
Making waste work in London The Mayor’s Draft Business Waste Management Strategy
1 The challenge ahead: 18 million tonnes
of waste, one London
Introduction
1.1 London produces over 18 million tonnes of waste every year and this
is forecast to rise to 23.6 million tonnes by 2020 1 . The quantity and
rate at which London is using resources and producing waste is
unsustainable. Just a little over half the total waste is recycled, largely
as a result of high levels of construction waste recycling (Table 1).
The Mayor believes that ’if London is to catch up with the remainder
of the country then it is necessary to move faster than anyone else‘ 2 ,
inaction will lead to a worsening environment that will harm London’s
businesses and communities.
1.2 London is a dynamic world city. As a result of its population size, density,
affluence and economic influence, London has a great opportunity to
innovate and take action. This strategy shows that its position can be
strengthened in a way that is environmentally, economically and socially
sustainable through better managing its business waste.
Table 1 Total waste produced and disposal method, London 2003
Source of waste Quantity Disposed Recycled Incinerated Other
produced at landfill (%) (%) (%)
(millions
of tonnes)
(%)
Municipal solid waste 4.3 70 11 ** 19 0
Commercial and industrial
(estimated)
6.6 40 44 5 11
Construction, demolition
and excavation (estimated)
7.2 15 85 0 0
TOTAL * 18.1 37 53 6 4
* of which hazardous waste 0.3 62 4 1 32
Source: The London Plan Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London: Housing Provision
Targets, Waste and Minerals Alterations, Greater London Authority, December 2006
** Note: This is the most recent data available for commercial and industrial and construction,
demolition and excavation waste, from the Environment Agency. However, more recent
data is available for municipal waste, for example showing that 20 per cent was recycled
in 2006/07.
1.3 Climate change is now recognised as an international problem that the
world can no longer ignore and the Mayor has made it his top priority
for London 3 . The Mayor’s Climate Change Action Plan sets a target of
stabilising London’s (and the UK’s) emissions at 60 per cent below 1990