Latest news with #wastemanagement
Telegraph
14 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
SNP may delay landfill ban to stop rubbish being sent south
The SNP could delay a ban on landfill in Scotland to prevent up to 100 truckloads of rubbish a day being moved to England. John Swinney said it was 'not acceptable for a large amount of waste to be transported' south of the Border when the ban comes into force at the end of this year. The First Minister said 'several options' were being explored to avoid this in discussions with local authorities and waste management firms. Pressed directly, he refused to rule out a further delay to the ban, which was originally scheduled to come into force in 2021. It emerged earlier this week that the SNP's ban on 'black bag' waste being buried in landfill is expected to lead to 600,000 tons of rubbish being transported to England in the first year. Industry experts warned that this was the equivalent of 80 to 100 trucks of waste per day being moved south of the Border. Scotland does not have enough incinerators to handle the rubbish. BBC Scotland's Disclosure programme reported that councils and commercial waste companies have been approaching rubbish handling operators in England to negotiate 'bridging contracts'. However, most incinerators have very little spare capacity, meaning much of Scotland's excess waste is expected to be landfilled in England. Among the rubbish barred from landfill in Scotland will be non-recyclable black bag municipal waste, wood, textiles, paper and food. Some inert material, such as ash from incinerators and building rubble, will still be allowed at landfill sites. Mr Swinney told First Minister's Questions: 'I do not think that it is acceptable for a large amount of waste to be transported from Scotland to England. The landfill ban will be a significant step in reducing methane emissions in Scotland. 'Methane is a greenhouse gas that is around 28 times more potent in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period. Preparations have already been made for the ban coming into force and the vast majority of councils have solutions in place.' He added: 'We are working closely with the waste sector and exploring several options to ensure that we are reducing any environmental impacts as much as possible.' Earlier this week, SNP ministers ruled out a further delay to the ban but Mr Swinney failed to repeat this when asked directly. He said 'options' were being 'explored' with councils and waste management firms to avoid the 'scenarios' of waste being moved to England. Asked a second time if the landfill ban could be delayed, he said: 'We're looking at steps that could be taken to make sure that we avoid the situation.' Maurice Golden, a Tory MSP, said the SNP Government's 2013 recycling targets 'remain unmet' and pointed out that the ban would mean £75 million of landfill tax revenue going to the UK Treasury instead of the Scottish Government. He told MSPs that the ban would also result in tens of millions of pounds in costs to small and medium-sized businesses, adding: 'It's the ultimate farce.' Liam McArthur, a Liberal Democrat MSP, challenged Mr Swinney: 'How would the Scottish Government respond if hundreds of truckloads of waste from England were dumped in Scotland daily?' The Scottish Government originally planned to impose a ban on sending biodegradable waste to landfill from January 2021 but the deadline was pushed back five years after industry leaders warned the country was not ready. A lack of waste treatment capacity at the time prompted warnings that a million tons would have to be disposed outside of Scotland, with the majority of it simply shifted across the border to England. This prompted a rush to build more incinerators but SNP ministers decided to curtail the number of developments over concerns there would be overcapacity. There are currently eight operating in Scotland.
Zawya
a day ago
- Business
- Zawya
Waste management reform expands with private sector involvement: Egypt's minister
Egypt's Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, announced on Wednesday that the country's solid waste management system has witnessed significant progress in recent years, driven by close coordination between the government, parliament, and private sector. She revealed that Egypt's recycling rate has risen from 10% in 2018 to 37% in 2024, with plans to reach 60% by 2027. Speaking during a session of the Local Administration Committee in Parliament—chaired by MP Ahmed El-Sigini and attended by key ministers and officials—Fouad credited the Waste Management Law (Law 202/2020) as a cornerstone for introducing circular economy practices and expanding private sector involvement. 'When we began, there were only two private contracts in the recycling sector. Today, we have 36 contracts across the value chain—from collection and transportation to processing and recycling,' Fouad noted. She highlighted the growing role of the private sector in waste-to-energy projects, including landfill gas recovery and sludge-to-power generation. A government-approved feed-in tariff, coordinated with the ministries of electricity, housing, and local development, is expected to further incentivize investment in this area. Among the key projects mentioned were the landfill gas recovery initiative at the Salam landfill site and the sludge-to-energy conversion project at the Abu Rawash wastewater treatment plant. Addressing funding challenges, Fouad called for the full activation of financing mechanisms embedded in the law, including allocations from property taxes, surpluses from the Local Development Fund, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes. She pointed to the launch of Egypt's first EPR initiative in February, initially targeting single-use plastic bags and eventually expanding to packaging materials and metal products. These measures, she said, are expected to provide a consistent revenue stream for the waste management system. Fouad also highlighted the financial turnaround of the Waste Management Regulatory Agency, which has become an economic authority and recorded a surplus of EGP 45m. The minister reviewed progress in the signing and execution of waste collection and recycling service contracts across Egypt and addressed critical infrastructure needs in Giza and Qalyubeya governorates. Committee Chair El-Sigini congratulated Fouad on her recent appointment to a prominent international environmental post and praised her leadership in tackling Egypt's longstanding waste challenges. 'Parliament has been a committed partner in this journey since 2015,' he said, underscoring the importance of consolidating and expanding the gains achieved to ensure long-term sustainability.
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Angola Environmental Serviços (AES) Seeks Partnership Opportunities, Joins Angola Oil & Gas (AOG) 2025 as Silver Sponsor
Waste management company Angola Environmental Serviços (AES) will return to the Angola Oil&Gas (AOG) conference and exhibition in 2025 as a Silver Sponsor. Operating at the intersection of the environmental and hydrocarbon sectors, AES strives to become a leading national company providing integrated waste management services. As Angola expands its portfolio of exploration and production projects, these services will play an instrumental part in preserving the natural environment while ensuring optimal oil and gas operations. AES promotes environmental sustainability through the deployment of world-class technology, working closely with upstream operators across both the onshore and offshore markets. The company's AOG 2025 sponsorship reflects its commitment to supporting oil and gas projects, creating new opportunities for greater collaboration across the industry as a range of major projects advance in the country. AOG is the largest oil and gas event in Angola. Taking place with the full support of the Ministry of Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas; the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency; the Petroleum Derivatives Regulatory Institute; national oil company Sonangol; and the African Energy Chamber; the event is a platform to sign deals and advance Angola's oil and gas industry. To sponsor or participate as a delegate, please contact sales@ In recent years AES has invested heavily in its infrastructure and human capital, with aims to position itself as the partner of choice for oil and gas operators. Through its two waste management facilities – situated at the SONILS base in Luanda and the Kwanda base in Soyo – the company deploys a range of services, from thermal desorption to incineration to landfill services, tank cleaning and cargo transport units. The strategic location of these bases positions AES at the center of Angola's upstream and logistics industries, with close proximity to active and upcoming projects in the Kwanza and Lower Congo basins. AES' suite of clients further underscores its role in the country's oil and gas sector. These include TotalEnergies, Azule Energy, Chevron, ExxonMobil, Sonangol, Etu Energias, Angola LNG and many more. The company has also worked closely with international service and technology firms, including SLB, Halliburton, Aker Solutions, among others. As major operators expand their presence in Angola amid a $60 billion investment pipeline planned for the coming five years, partnerships with AES will serve to advance the environmental and operational efficiency of oil and gas developments. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Zero waste: turning vision into action
Zero Waste Foundation is a Business Reporter client In a world increasingly choked by waste, the international Forum on Zero Waste Living, to be held in Istanbul from 17 to 19 October 2025, marks a pivotal moment in global efforts to curb waste at its source. Organised by the Zero Waste Foundation, which was established in Turkey in 2023, this landmark event brings together leaders, activists, innovators and communities under the unifying theme of 'Zero Waste in Action: People. Places. Progress.' The forum is urgently needed. The world currently generates over 2 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste each year – a figure projected to rise to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050, unless immediate action is taken. Waste pollution not only threatens ecosystems and human health but also exacerbates the triple planetary crisis: climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Beyond waste management: a cultural shift Unlike traditional conferences on waste management, which often focus on recycling and disposal technologies, the Zero Waste Forum aims to tackle the consumption patterns and lifestyles that generate waste in the first place. It is a forum for the 'doers' – city leaders, grassroots innovators, researchers, private sector pioneers and policy makers – who are shaping real-world solutions. 'This is not just another gathering,' says Samed Agirbas, President of the Zero Waste Foundation. 'It's a space for those who refuse to accept inaction as an option.' Agirbas, an Istanbul native, brings a personal and professional passion to the initiative. A former advisor to UN-Habitat and an architect and urban planner by training, his journey to environmental leadership began in youth activism. 'Coming from a working-class background, I know first-hand why it is important to live within your means – and more importantly, how to do it,' he explains. His vision for zero waste living is shaped by professional expertise, as well as by his personal experience. To Agirbas, zero waste living is more than a strategy – it represents a cultural and behavioural shift. 'It redefines our relationship with materials, consumption and the environment,' he says. 'It calls for individuals, households, and entire communities to adopt lifestyles that reduce waste at its source.' Practical outcomes from a living laboratory The forum will serve as a living laboratory – not just discussing ideas but sharing practical insights into how different human activities can reduce waste generation. Participants will explore practical solutions such as how to translate zero waste policies into action at the local level and how to mobilise finance for inclusive, community-driven initiatives. To support these aims, the forum's organisers are committed to managing the event's own waste footprint, using it as an opportunity to showcase practical approaches to waste minimisation. During the event, there will be opportunities to build partnerships across sectors and geographies. Scale-up innovations, especially from the global south, will be on show. And there will be exhibitions, interactive workshops and co-design sessions involving representatives from civil society, startups, municipal governments, NGOs and international agencies. The event will be streamed online so that people from around the world can participate. In this way, the forum will serve as a global platform to translate zero waste policies into concrete local actions and promote practical solutions that reflect the realities of both high-income and resource-constrained settings. Celebrating progress One of the forum's highlights will be the presentation of the inaugural Zero Waste International Awards, recognising outstanding contributions to zero waste living. The awards are designed to celebrate successful zero waste practices worldwide, and to honour leadership and innovation. This is timely as zero waste has been identified as a key thematic area by the President of the UN-Habitat Assembly in Nairobi last month. Three core awards will be presented: innovative Ideas that promote zero waste living; projects that have demonstrated zero waste impact over at least 24 months; and sustainable practices that have been maintained over a decade or more. Special citations will be given in recognition of individuals who have contributed exceptionally to the field. And there will also be a special category that reflects the annual theme of International Zero Waste Day. 'The Awards are not just about recognition,' says Agirbas. 'They're about setting a global benchmark for what's possible when we align innovation, tradition and social justice in pursuit of a better future.' Building lasting impact The forum will affirm zero waste living as a critical pathway to environmental and social resilience. Priority areas for multilateral collaboration will be identified: these will include policy reform, financing mechanisms and knowledge exchange. International partnerships will be strengthened. Practical solutions will be developed and shared. This matters. As climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution intensify, zero waste thinking offers a hopeful alternative. It rejects the notion that waste is an unavoidable consequence of modern life. Instead, it empowers individuals and communities to develop and offer scalable, culturally appropriate and environmentally sound solutions. The Forum on Zero Waste Living provides a means to break the cycle of waste by addressing its root causes and empowering communities to lead the transition. It's a call for solutions that go beyond technical fixes; solutions that are socially just and economically viable. By gathering a broad coalition of actors in Istanbul, it will reaffirm global solidarity and accelerate the transition towards a world where waste is no longer inevitable but preventable. In a world where waste is growing faster than populations, the message from Istanbul will be clear: the future is not in waste management, it's in waste prevention.
Zawya
2 days ago
- General
- Zawya
Egypt advances integrated waste management city in 10th of Ramadan with World Bank support
Egypt's Minister of Environment, Yasmine Fouad, and Minister of Local Development, Manal Awad, convened a joint meeting to review the progress of Egypt's first fully integrated waste management city, currently under construction in 10th of Ramadan City. The project is a key component of the World Bank-financed 'Cairo Greater Air Pollution and Climate Change Management Project.' The meeting, held at the Ministry of Environment headquarters in the New Administrative Capital, brought together senior officials from relevant ministries, World Bank representatives, and technical teams from the Ministries of Housing and Urban Communities. Fouad described the project as a 'model city' designed to handle all types of solid waste generated in the East Nile region, including Cairo, Qalyubeya, and surrounding new urban communities. She noted that the site is expected to serve as a strategic environmental facility for the next 30 years and is being developed in accordance with international best practices and governance standards. She added that over 65% of the project has been completed to date, with infrastructure construction—carried out by a private-sector contractor—reaching 80%. Once complete, the facility will be managed by the private sector. Minister Awad underscored the project's national and regional significance, calling it 'the first of its kind in Egypt and the Middle East.' She commended the World Bank for its financial and technical support and emphasised the importance of maintaining construction timelines while ensuring strong private sector participation in waste treatment and landfill operations. Spanning 1,228 feddans, the site will include specialised zones for various types of waste: 212 feddans designated for municipal waste from Cairo, 106 feddans for Qalyubeya, and additional areas for medical, industrial, and construction waste. Supporting infrastructure includes internal roads, perimeter fencing, and utilities such as water, electricity, and telecommunications networks. The project forms part of Egypt's broader strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, enhance air quality across the Greater Cairo Region, and advance the objectives of the country's 'Egypt Vision 2030' sustainable development agenda. © 2024 Daily News Egypt. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
