ENVIRONMENTAL CODE OF PRACTICE
The costs of disposing waste
For every tonne of useful product made in the UK, around 10
tonnes of other resources – raw materials and energy – are
consumed.
Significant cost savings can be made by managing materials more
effectively, to reduce waste within operating systems.
Waste is expensive to dispose of and becoming more so. More
efficient use of materials can reduce the quantities sent for
disposal via landfill or other methods. Due to the Landfill Tax,
waste contractors are currently charged to dispose of waste to
landfill sites and these costs are passed on to their
customers.
Government is committed to an increase of the landfill tax to
£48 per tonne by 2010/11, with two thirds of the revenue going to
increase waste reduction, re-use and recycling. By reducing the
amounts of waste sent to these sites, businesses are not only
saving themselves money, but they are also helping to prolong the
lifespan of landfill sites. Companies missing out on any
opportunity to make cost savings are also missing out on an
opportunity to increase their competitiveness.
It is estimated that industry and commerce annually produce
70-100 million tonnes of waste, of which 35% is recycled or re¬used
and around 50% goes to landfill sites.
As the landfill sites which take most of this waste become full,
industry will have to look at other means of disposal, particularly
as disposal costs are likely to rise in line with increasing
scarcity, it makes sense for companies to look at alternatives as
soon as possible and consider all options.