It was repoted in the Independant Newspaper earlier this week that Britains Landfill sites could run out within just eight years. The UK sends more than 57 million tonnes a year of waste to landfill, with almost 19 million of these coming from Britains households. Under current plans, taxpayers could face fines of up to £180 million in order to lower the levels of waste being sent to landfill and meet common EU targets.
So why is the UK so far behind when it comes to its waste management schemes? According to government statistics, as a nation, only 12% of our household waste is recycled or composted, this is very low compared to other countries in Europe such as Switzerland where over half all waste is recycled and Germany where 48% gets reused.
The reasons for these shocking UK figures are simple, as at present, landfill is simply the cheapest option for waste disposal. Whilst households and industry have few incentives to recycle or to create less waste then these worrying trends will continue.
What can you do as a consumer? Firstly there is the option of choosing products with less packaging. Millions of tonnes of waste are created annually through unnecessary and bulky packaging. Secondly, it is important that you are recycling as much as possible, by using the services provided by the council and even composting in your own backgarden. However, perhaps even more important than recycling is reducing the overall amount of waste you create. This is the principle way to slow the filling of landfill sites in and around the UK and should be more heavily stressed by Government and local councils alike.
Sustainable waste management is being advocated widely by the EU and with the current targets being put in place, Britain should be able to reduce the amount of waste it sends to landfill dramatically over the next 10 years. However, we will all need to do our part as citizens and consumers to ensure that these new rules and regulations make a difference, not just to avoid the costly fines that will come with them, but also to ensure the protection of the UK’s landscape from the degredation that accompanies the creation of landfill sites.
Tags: recycling my rubbish