Waste Planning
Waste Planning Processes
Devon currently has three landfill sites accepting household waste, at Broadpath, Deep Moor and Heathfield.
However, it is recognised that this method of disposal is unsustainable, and current policy aims to minimise the proportion of waste going unsorted and untreated to landfill sites. A “hierarchy” of methods of disposal has been adopted both nationally, and as part of Devon’s Waste Local Plan. From the most to the least sustainable method, this hierarchy is shown below:
| 1. | Waste Reduction | For example, by reducing packaging |
| 2. | Waste Re-use | For example, the use of returnable bottles |
| 3. | Composting and Recycling | Currently, about a fifth of Devon’s waste is recycled. To avoid too much reliance on landfill, this proportion will have to rise |
| 4. | Energy Recovery | Either by incineration, or utilising alternative methods such as gasification or pyrolysis |
| 5. | Final Disposal | Burying in landfill site. Whilst there will always be residues that can only be landfilled, these must be kept to a minimum |
There are a number of other principles that apply to all waste management processes:
| Environmental Protection | To minimise any adverse effects on the environment |
| The Precautionary Principle | To ensure that damage does not occur to the environment (or to human health) as a result of a lack of scientific knowledge |
| The Proximity Principle | To ensure that waste is disposed of as close to its source as possible |
| Regional Self Sufficiency | To ensure that as much of Devon’s waste as possible is disposed of in Devon or the South West |
As Waste Planning Authority, Devon has produced a Waste Local Plan. The First Draft Deposit Version was published in January 2003, and will be re-deposited in 2005 under a new set of regulations. This document is a land use plan which seeks to provide clear guidance to both the public and the waste industry regarding the land use policies which govern the location of waste management facilities in Devon. The Plan sets out detailed criteria against which planning applications are assessed, and seeks to identify sufficient sites to accommodate the expected demand for facilities within the Plan period.
Proposals for how the Local Authorities in Devon intend to manage the collection and disposal of municipal waste are set out in the Municipal Waste Management Strategy for Devon, first published for consultation in May 2003.
