Well, it turns out that I was utterly wrong, at least according to DEFRA. They say...
Dear Mr Kouros,
COMPOSTING AND LANDFILLING
Thank you for your letter of 5 May about composting and landfilling. I have been asked to reply and apologise for the delay in doing so.
Any potential benefits from landfilling biodegradable waste would be small compared to the benefits of composting and diverting waste from landfill. Composting waste that would otherwise go to landfill also reduces landfill methane emissions, which account for 3% of total UK greenhouse gas emissions. Composting will play an increasingly important role in diverting biodegradable waste from landfill in line with the Government's sustainable waste management objectives.
Composting is supported by a range of measures that promote sustainable waste management: including the Waste and Resources Action Programme's support for home composting, and statutory recycling and composting targets for local authorities.
The amount of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) being landfilled continues to fall: from 13.9 million tonnes in 2004-05 to 12.4 million tonnes in 2005-06. To meet our EU Landfill Directive targets, the amount of BMW the UK sends to landfill needs to fall to 11.2 million tonnes in 2010, 7.46 million tonnes in 2013 and 5.22 million tonnes by 2020.
I hope that this letter addresses your concerns.
Defra - Customer Contact Unit
Although I am now left with the concern that the methane emissions will be diverted from the landfill to composts. Where does that 3% go? Will we be forced to reduce our compost emissions by 2020?
6 comments:
The only way to save the planet is to half the global population and every one live in caves, or houses made out of compost. Probably
I htink if you compost stuff properly and aerobically the methane given off is less. Might be wrong though.
If methane *is* given off then I'd've thought it would be better to collect it all at once at a landfill site where it could be tapped off and used as fuel rather than from a gazillion compost heaps around the country. Put that to your DEFRA mates.
I will. Would you mind approaching your BBC mates? I tried, but they won't talk to me. :(
Does that mean BMW cars are a load of old guff?
You sayin' my car's a pile of crap? LOL :0)
well it must be, they don't even want them at landfill sites!
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