Re: GREEN GLASGOW
Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2010 1:35 amHerald
Glasgow offers £100m to firm that can end its landfill shame
29 Nov 2010
Glasgow has launched a massive tender for the right to dispose of its rubbish.
The city, in a move that effectively makes it the biggest environmental battleground in Britain, is offering £100 million to a firm that can solve its shameful record on landfill and recycling.
Its leaders will now have to decide between highly controversial ways of shifting at least 150,000 tonnes of waste every year.
The Herald understands that, at a time of unprecedented pressure on their budgets, councillors and officials will have to choose between a series of unpalatable options, including giant incinerators or energy-from-waste plants.
Council officials have kept quiet about the tender, launched earlier this year, fearing anti-incinerator campaigns would begin even before they narrowed down their options.
What the city could do with the waste left over after recycling
Bury it
Glasgow could continue to bulldoze most of its rubbish into landfill. But its only existing site, at Cathkin, is nearly full. And landfill taxes are set to rise.
Verdict: A near no-no, landfill would be the most expensive and least environmentally friendly solution.
Ship it out
Another authority could build a facility to handle it. Or waste could be sent to England.
Verdict: A new facility outside Glasgow is feasible but the city is keen to come up with its own solution. Sending rubbish to England would be very difficult politically.
Burn it
The city could revert to incineration, years after it shut down its last facility of the kind. Experts insist incineration is cleaner than ever before – but environmentalists are unconvinced.
Verdict: Incinerators would face opposition from Greens and those living near the facilities.
Burn it for heat or electricity
Modern incinerators can be adapted to generate heat or electricity.
Verdict: Energy-from-waste plants are also possible, but face same opposition as incinerators.
Steam it
Glasgow has previously signalled its support for autoclaving. The technology, however, is new and said to be relatively expensive.
Verdict: Glasgow would have opted for autoclaving were it not for the financial crisis. The system has to prove it is affordable
Glasgow offers £100m to firm that can end its landfill shame
29 Nov 2010
Glasgow has launched a massive tender for the right to dispose of its rubbish.
The city, in a move that effectively makes it the biggest environmental battleground in Britain, is offering £100 million to a firm that can solve its shameful record on landfill and recycling.
Its leaders will now have to decide between highly controversial ways of shifting at least 150,000 tonnes of waste every year.
The Herald understands that, at a time of unprecedented pressure on their budgets, councillors and officials will have to choose between a series of unpalatable options, including giant incinerators or energy-from-waste plants.
Council officials have kept quiet about the tender, launched earlier this year, fearing anti-incinerator campaigns would begin even before they narrowed down their options.
What the city could do with the waste left over after recycling
Bury it
Glasgow could continue to bulldoze most of its rubbish into landfill. But its only existing site, at Cathkin, is nearly full. And landfill taxes are set to rise.
Verdict: A near no-no, landfill would be the most expensive and least environmentally friendly solution.
Ship it out
Another authority could build a facility to handle it. Or waste could be sent to England.
Verdict: A new facility outside Glasgow is feasible but the city is keen to come up with its own solution. Sending rubbish to England would be very difficult politically.
Burn it
The city could revert to incineration, years after it shut down its last facility of the kind. Experts insist incineration is cleaner than ever before – but environmentalists are unconvinced.
Verdict: Incinerators would face opposition from Greens and those living near the facilities.
Burn it for heat or electricity
Modern incinerators can be adapted to generate heat or electricity.
Verdict: Energy-from-waste plants are also possible, but face same opposition as incinerators.
Steam it
Glasgow has previously signalled its support for autoclaving. The technology, however, is new and said to be relatively expensive.
Verdict: Glasgow would have opted for autoclaving were it not for the financial crisis. The system has to prove it is affordable
