How are we performing currently?
The framework below sets out the criteria against which the current status can be assessed. Aspirational objectives are then set to encourage progress towards the vision.
The framework below sets out the criteria against which the current status can be assessed. Aspirational objectives are then set to encourage progress towards the vision.
2021 Assessment
Where are we now and what else do we need to know?
The ZCB scenario shows that by moving to a circular economy (illustrated in Figure 1) and valuing waste as a resource, GHG emissions can be reduced by 75% and can contribute to the green economy.
The ZCB scenario shows that by moving to a circular economy (illustrated in Figure 1) and valuing waste as a resource, GHG emissions can be reduced by 75% and can contribute to the green economy.
For Dorset, only 1% (22,268 t CO2e) of GHG emissions are from waste treatment and disposal. Reducing the amount of waste produced and sending zero waste to landfill (which currently accounts for about 75% of the waste emissions) will help deliver a circular economy and at least a 75% reduction in waste GHG emissions.
Therefore, we have focused on two key concepts: buying better and waste nothing.
What does ‘buying better’ mean?
Buying better is looking at whether you need to buy something at all, and if you do, taking account of the cost, quality and environmental and social impacts of the product or service. The table below illustrates the type of considerations individuals can take. Underpinning this is the demand for manufacturers and suppliers to move their products towards these aims.
Therefore, we have focused on two key concepts: buying better and waste nothing.
What does ‘buying better’ mean?
Buying better is looking at whether you need to buy something at all, and if you do, taking account of the cost, quality and environmental and social impacts of the product or service. The table below illustrates the type of considerations individuals can take. Underpinning this is the demand for manufacturers and suppliers to move their products towards these aims.
What does ‘waste nothing’ mean?
Waste nothing seeks to retain the materials in use for as long as possible by following the waste hierarchy below.
Waste nothing seeks to retain the materials in use for as long as possible by following the waste hierarchy below.
What’s happening locally?
The Dorset Waste Plan covers the whole county and provides a vision for waste management to 2033. Sustainable waste management is based on the waste hierarchy, self-sufficiency and proximity. In 2015, Dorset (including Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) generated 1.6 million tonnes of waste.
The Dorset Waste Plan covers the whole county and provides a vision for waste management to 2033. Sustainable waste management is based on the waste hierarchy, self-sufficiency and proximity. In 2015, Dorset (including Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) generated 1.6 million tonnes of waste.
About a quarter of this was waste collected by the local authority (Note: Local authority collected waste is household, some commercial waste and waste from public recycling sites, street cleaning and litter control).
The amount of waste collected by the Councils over the past 4 years has dropped by just 2.6%, whilst the recycling rate has hardly changed (54.3% in 2019/20). In 2019/20 this waste produced about 30 kt GHG emissions, accounting for only 1% of Dorset emissions. Landfill accounted for three quarters of these emissions. There has, however, been a significant fall (37%) in the amount of waste sent to landfill over the 4 years, reflecting efforts to send more general waste for incineration with energy recovery (19% increase) and avoid landfill tax increases. Where our waste goes can be seen on-line for Dorset and with respect to recycling for BCP.
Worryingly, rather than reduce in volume, the Dorset Waste Plan predicts household waste will grow at 0.9% per year and so increase by 66,000 tonnes to 453,000 tonnes in 2033.
The amount of waste collected by the Councils over the past 4 years has dropped by just 2.6%, whilst the recycling rate has hardly changed (54.3% in 2019/20). In 2019/20 this waste produced about 30 kt GHG emissions, accounting for only 1% of Dorset emissions. Landfill accounted for three quarters of these emissions. There has, however, been a significant fall (37%) in the amount of waste sent to landfill over the 4 years, reflecting efforts to send more general waste for incineration with energy recovery (19% increase) and avoid landfill tax increases. Where our waste goes can be seen on-line for Dorset and with respect to recycling for BCP.
Worryingly, rather than reduce in volume, the Dorset Waste Plan predicts household waste will grow at 0.9% per year and so increase by 66,000 tonnes to 453,000 tonnes in 2033.
In England and Dorset household recycling rates have stalled; in 2019/20 only 11 English councils achieved over 60% recycling rates. Both BCP and Dorset household waste per person are above the English average. These results suggest there is room for improvement across Dorset for both increasing recycling rates and cutting the amount of waste thrown away.
The Dorset Waste Plan seeks to co-locate waste management facilities with complementary activities. This may include opportunities for co-location with potential users of low carbon energy and heat (see the Power Up Chapter), fuels, recyclates and soils, encouraging the use of waste as a resource, in support of a circular economy.
There is also the opportunity for wastes or by‐products of an industry or industrial process to become the raw materials to create another product. This is known as industrial symbiosis and the application of this concept allows materials to be used in a more sustainable way, contributing to the creation of a circular economy. Examples of industrial symbiosis are wide ranging and include the use of waste heat from one industry to warm greenhouses for food production, the recovery of car tyre shavings for use in construction materials, and the use of sludge from fish farms as agricultural fertiliser.
The Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has published a draft Industrial Strategy which includes a commitment to develop environmental and natural carbon initiatives, including using a circular economy approach to improve opportunities for local food, drink and construction material production. However, there does not appear to be any link to using such an approach to tackling waste. This is a missed opportunity.
The UK Government’s Resources and Waste Strategy, the commitments in the UK’s 25-year Environment Plan and the Industrial and Clean Growth strategies, are all designed to move us to adopt a more circular and zero-waste approach, which keeps resources in use for longer. In addition, these strategies aim to double resource productivity – making more from less and eliminating single-use plastics (SUPs). The aim is to de-couple economic growth from waste production.
To support the circular economy, the UK government introduced a right to repair law in summer 2021, so that products such as washing machines, TVs and fridges should become easier to repair and cheaper to run. Manufacturers are required to make spare parts for products available for the first time – helping extend the lifespan of products by up to 10 years and preventing them ending up on the scrap heap sooner than they should. In addition, new energy labels aim to drive up product standards.
WRAP, a charity set up in 2000 to work with governments, businesses and citizens to create a world where resources are sourced and used sustainably, is leading efforts to reduce waste and encourage reuse and recycling. They have targeted specific sectors, such as food, clothing and plastic packaging.
Food Waste
In the UK, we throw away 6.6 million tonnes of household food waste a year, almost three quarters is food we could have eaten[1]. Food producers, caterers and individuals can all take steps to reduce the amount of waste and any leftover food waste must be diverted from landfill. This is also critical for how we can feed a growing population and reduce the demand on land (see Land Use and Eat Well chapters).
Plastic Packaging
In the UK, 2.4 Mt of plastic packaging is placed on the market every year. WRAP launched the world’s first Plastics Pact[1] with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in the UK in 2018. This world-leading initiative has been the trailblazer for a network of global Pacts, all working towards a circular economy for plastics. Businesses are encouraged to reduce the amount of packaging used to protect products and along with local councils provide the recycling facilities to help prevent packaging escaping into the environment.
Fast Fashion
Fashion is a crucial part of the UK and European economies. Across the EU and UK, clothing is the eighth largest sector in terms of household spending. However, it is ranked fourth in terms of its impact on the environment. Only housing, transport, and food have greater impacts. An estimated £140m worth of clothing is sent to UK landfill each year. Fast fashion is recognised as being extremely damaging to the environment and to the people involved in making cheap, throw-away clothes.
Textiles 2030 is WRAP’s new ground-breaking, expert-led initiative, harnessing the knowledge and expertise of UK leaders in sustainability to accelerate the whole fashion and textiles industry’s move towards circularity and system change in the UK. The new voluntary agreement builds on the learning and success of the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP 2020) and aims to engage the majority of UK fashion and textiles organisations in collaborative climate action. Seventeen businesses, representing more than half of UK clothing and textile sales, have already signed up to Textiles 2030, committing to reducing their carbon impacts by 50% and water impacts by 30%; as well as working together to introduce more circular approaches to their business.
As noted above, the Dorset Waste Plan assumes that the amount of waste will continue to grow. However, taking a circular economy approach should see the amount of waste reduce and indeed a reduction in household waste has been seen in the last 4 years. Continuing to reduce household and commercial waste requires business, government and consumers to play their part. More durable, repairable products that can be easily reused or recycled will make it easier for people to make more informed buying choices. The two local councils need to provide waste services that make it easy for residents to put the right waste in the right bin. All residents must be able to recycle food waste. Education is key to help people to make informed choices, in particular in reducing the amount of food, packaging and clothing that gets thrown away. National initiatives, such as WRAP’s Love Food, Hate Waste campaign, are essential to support people to make better choices.
Current assessment
Having considered the current assessment documented above, the report contributors have assessed the county’s current category as:
The Dorset Waste Plan seeks to co-locate waste management facilities with complementary activities. This may include opportunities for co-location with potential users of low carbon energy and heat (see the Power Up Chapter), fuels, recyclates and soils, encouraging the use of waste as a resource, in support of a circular economy.
There is also the opportunity for wastes or by‐products of an industry or industrial process to become the raw materials to create another product. This is known as industrial symbiosis and the application of this concept allows materials to be used in a more sustainable way, contributing to the creation of a circular economy. Examples of industrial symbiosis are wide ranging and include the use of waste heat from one industry to warm greenhouses for food production, the recovery of car tyre shavings for use in construction materials, and the use of sludge from fish farms as agricultural fertiliser.
The Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has published a draft Industrial Strategy which includes a commitment to develop environmental and natural carbon initiatives, including using a circular economy approach to improve opportunities for local food, drink and construction material production. However, there does not appear to be any link to using such an approach to tackling waste. This is a missed opportunity.
The UK Government’s Resources and Waste Strategy, the commitments in the UK’s 25-year Environment Plan and the Industrial and Clean Growth strategies, are all designed to move us to adopt a more circular and zero-waste approach, which keeps resources in use for longer. In addition, these strategies aim to double resource productivity – making more from less and eliminating single-use plastics (SUPs). The aim is to de-couple economic growth from waste production.
To support the circular economy, the UK government introduced a right to repair law in summer 2021, so that products such as washing machines, TVs and fridges should become easier to repair and cheaper to run. Manufacturers are required to make spare parts for products available for the first time – helping extend the lifespan of products by up to 10 years and preventing them ending up on the scrap heap sooner than they should. In addition, new energy labels aim to drive up product standards.
WRAP, a charity set up in 2000 to work with governments, businesses and citizens to create a world where resources are sourced and used sustainably, is leading efforts to reduce waste and encourage reuse and recycling. They have targeted specific sectors, such as food, clothing and plastic packaging.
Food Waste
In the UK, we throw away 6.6 million tonnes of household food waste a year, almost three quarters is food we could have eaten[1]. Food producers, caterers and individuals can all take steps to reduce the amount of waste and any leftover food waste must be diverted from landfill. This is also critical for how we can feed a growing population and reduce the demand on land (see Land Use and Eat Well chapters).
Plastic Packaging
In the UK, 2.4 Mt of plastic packaging is placed on the market every year. WRAP launched the world’s first Plastics Pact[1] with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in the UK in 2018. This world-leading initiative has been the trailblazer for a network of global Pacts, all working towards a circular economy for plastics. Businesses are encouraged to reduce the amount of packaging used to protect products and along with local councils provide the recycling facilities to help prevent packaging escaping into the environment.
Fast Fashion
Fashion is a crucial part of the UK and European economies. Across the EU and UK, clothing is the eighth largest sector in terms of household spending. However, it is ranked fourth in terms of its impact on the environment. Only housing, transport, and food have greater impacts. An estimated £140m worth of clothing is sent to UK landfill each year. Fast fashion is recognised as being extremely damaging to the environment and to the people involved in making cheap, throw-away clothes.
Textiles 2030 is WRAP’s new ground-breaking, expert-led initiative, harnessing the knowledge and expertise of UK leaders in sustainability to accelerate the whole fashion and textiles industry’s move towards circularity and system change in the UK. The new voluntary agreement builds on the learning and success of the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan (SCAP 2020) and aims to engage the majority of UK fashion and textiles organisations in collaborative climate action. Seventeen businesses, representing more than half of UK clothing and textile sales, have already signed up to Textiles 2030, committing to reducing their carbon impacts by 50% and water impacts by 30%; as well as working together to introduce more circular approaches to their business.
As noted above, the Dorset Waste Plan assumes that the amount of waste will continue to grow. However, taking a circular economy approach should see the amount of waste reduce and indeed a reduction in household waste has been seen in the last 4 years. Continuing to reduce household and commercial waste requires business, government and consumers to play their part. More durable, repairable products that can be easily reused or recycled will make it easier for people to make more informed buying choices. The two local councils need to provide waste services that make it easy for residents to put the right waste in the right bin. All residents must be able to recycle food waste. Education is key to help people to make informed choices, in particular in reducing the amount of food, packaging and clothing that gets thrown away. National initiatives, such as WRAP’s Love Food, Hate Waste campaign, are essential to support people to make better choices.
Current assessment
Having considered the current assessment documented above, the report contributors have assessed the county’s current category as: