Waste as a resource
Most of the household waste in the UK has historically been landfilled. This has long been the cheapest and easiest way of disposing of it. However, European and national statutory targets now compel local authorities to find alternative ways of managing waste.
Local authorities are therefore now urgently considering how best to treat their non-recycled rubbish as a resource and extract value from it, rather than simply sending it to landfill.
Improvements in waste management technology over recent decades have made it easier to extract valuable outputs from the waste that for many years was sent straight to landfill. The higher the calorific value of waste, the more energy can generally be extracted from it, although the energy potential of waste depends upon factors such as the mix of materials contained within it and its moisture content. Nevertheless, if treated correctly, ordinary household waste of the type currently sent to landfill and business waste which cannot be recycled, can be used to create a number of alternatives to fossil fuels, which can be used to heat and power homes, businesses and industry.