Question reference: S6W-23752
- Date lodged: 8 December 2023
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Current status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 19 December 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish details of any developments that it has made in relation to an indicative cap for declining incineration capacity, which it accepted as recommendation 5 of the independent review of the role of incineration in June 2022, and, if so, when.
Answer
To support future planning decisions, we accepted the review’s recommendation to develop an indicative capacity cap. It is important that any indicative cap is as robust as possible and developing such a cap is a significant piece of work.
For that reason, we are undertaking work to improve the quality of data on waste to support the development of an indicative cap. This includes, working with other governments of the UK to implement mandatory Digital Waste Tracking from April 2025, which will provide a step-change in the quality of Scottish waste data, and engaging with partners, including ZWS and SEPA, to draw together key waste composition, carbon and environmental impact data insights. In addition, the Strategic Research Programme 2022 to 2027, Theme C: Human Impacts on the Environment includes work on the circular economy. As part of this, a mapping exercise of the waste flows in Scotland is being undertaken by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).
Together, these initiatives will provide invaluable data to support the accurate forecasting of Scotland’s waste infrastructure needs and the development of an indicative cap.
Further information on these developments can be found here:
Digital Waste Tracking Consultation Response.
Outcome of the Household Waste Composition Analysis.
Information on the Strategic Research Programme 2022 to 2027.
Our draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map, due for publication shortly, will set out further detail and associated timescales on the steps we will take to minimise the environmental and climate impacts of waste, including the development of an indicative capacity cap.