Where there’s muck there’s brass

This Environment Committee report reveals that London’s rubbish could be used to generate electricity for up to two million homes and heat for up to 625,000 homes.

The capital produces about 22 million tonnes of waste per year, most of which is taken outside of London and buried in landfill sites, but this is no longer sustainable. The report says it is time London had an alternative strategy for managing its non-recyclable waste – in the form of waste to energy conversion. Converting London’s non-recyclable waste to energy and heat – through non-thermal technology, anaerobic digestion, mechanical biological treatment or thermal technologies including pyrolysis and gasification – has clear environmental benefits, set out in the report. It also highlights a number of barriers preventing the widespread use of non-incineration waste to energy technologies and priorities for Mayoral action.

The committee acknowledges two significant areas for concern: potential health impacts caused by air pollution and the dangers of reducing recycling rates. It calls on the Mayor to publish evidence on climate impacts and health effects of each waste to energy technology.

Where there's much there's brass - report

Where there's much there's brass - report

Mayoral response

This work contributed to the drafting of the Mayor's Municipal Waste Management Strategy. Policy 2 of the draft Strategy recognises the importance of this issue and the Mayor is exploring opportunities for greater use of waste to energy technology.

Mayor's draft Municipal Waste Management Strategy