Landfill Waste
However, the UK has a substantial shortfall of recycling and Energy from Waste infrastructure, meaning that landfill disposal still plays an important waste management role that helps the economy function.There are also substantial volumes of residual waste that are not recyclable or suitable for fuel use, and which will always need to be safely disposed of by landfill, along with the residue from waste treatment and recycling facilities themselves.
Biffa is one of the main operators of landfill services in the UK. In the last year, we handled around 3 million tonnes of waste through our 9 remaining operational landfill sites, which have a total remaining void of 40M cubic metres. We also manage 62 closed landfill sites in the UK.
Landfill Restoration
Most of our landfill waste sites host regular liaison meetings with local community representatives and stakeholders to help explain operations and address any concerns. Once our landfills are full and stop taking waste, they are capped and restored. This is done in accordance with the Planning Permission and Environmental Permit requirements, typically for after-uses such as agriculture, nature conservation, woodland, or public amenity, or combinations of those uses. We also carry out long-term environmental monitoring and aftercare management in accordance with our Environmental Permit requirements.
The supporting role of landfill in the Waste Hierarchy
Biffa supports the principles of the Waste Hierarchy that are aimed at maximising waste prevention at the top of the hierarchy and minimising waste disposal at the bottom. But it’s important to remember that it is a hierarchy with levels that all serve a vital role. Whilst landfill disposal now has a much-reduced role, it still provides an essential support function that cannot be completely avoided.
Current UK landfill resources need protection and need replacement when exhausted. For some specific businesses “zero landfill” may be possible, but for most (and for the UK as a whole) it is not. Landfill disposal infrastructure is still required for non-combustible, non-recyclable wastes. Recycling and residual waste treatment facilities still need landfill outlets for process residues and for contingency during their annual maintenance downtimes.
Waste Management
In terms of its Waste Management function, the role of landfill can be considered at three broad levels:
- Specialist: Dealing with specialist and difficult wastes for which disposal by landfill is the most appropriate means of disposal, e.g. asbestos and asbestos contaminated wastes, industrial sludges and filter cakes, contaminated soils, and various inert wastes.
- Supporting: Dealing with process residues and fines from energy recovery and recycling plants, acting as general waste back-up during treatment plant down times, and assisting with flexible and localised waste management solutions where other options are unavailable.
- Bridging: Helping to bridge the current and continuing waste treatment infrastructure capacity gap in the UK, bridging the difference between residual waste and available non-landfill waste treatment capacities.
If you have any further questions or wish to get in touch with a member of the team please fill out the short enquiry form here.
