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As the amount of rubbish we bury in the ground increases and its effects take more and more of a toll on the environment, it becomes increasingly important that we change the way we manage the rubbish we all produce.

All Derbyshire authorities are committed to reducing the amount of household rubbish we bury (landfill) and need to get us all to think about things we can do to reduce the rubbish we produce.

With this in mind a Waste Management Strategy has been produced by Derbyshire County Council, Derby City Council and the eight district/borough councils. This document looks at how household rubbish will be managed over the next 20 years.

European Law says we have to dramatically reduce the amount of rubbish landfilled.

Where we are at and where we need to be going

Last year in Derby over 100,000 tonnes of household waste was produced ... one tonne per household.

Around 33% of household waste will be recycled and composted this year (2006/7) with about 80000 tonnes going to landfill.

By 2010 we will only be allowed to send 25,000 tonnes to landfill and with waste growing at the rate of 2,000 tonnes a year this means we will have to get rid of more household rubbish through recycling, composting and other means.

If we fail to meet these targets the Authority will have to pay significant fines which could mean an increase in the level of council tax Derby residents pay.

All local councils are working together to deliver a high profile waste awareness campaign which is linked to the national 'Recycle Now' campaign.

How we can control the waste mountain

A number of ways of dealing with the increasing rubbish have been looked at. They all require waste minimisation and kerbside collection initiatives. One of the main ways this is achieved is through separate kerbside collection schemes which is being introduced throughout Derby.

Three options for treating what is left were found to be the best environmentally and the most likely give long term solutions to managing household waste.

These options involve having a recycling/composting rate of up to 55% with the rest being:

• composted in a sealed tank without oxygen
• burned to produce energy and electricity
• sterilised using steam

The way forward

The way forward will be achieved through the following:

• introducing schemes to encourage everyone who lives in Derby to cut down on the amount of rubbish they produce to stop the growth in waste
• continuing to support and promote home composting and other schemes to cut down on rubbish
• supporting local and regional schemes which encourage and develop local recycling, composting and processing of rubbish
• continuing to introduce and expand the kerbside collection schemes for recyclable and compostable materials
• improving and increasing the number of household waste and recycling centres
• providing facilities where recyclable materials collected at the kerbside can be sorted and making good use of our new composting plant at Ashbourne
• developing more composting facilities
• providing enough facilities to treat left over waste
• providing enough landfill for rubbish that cannot be recycled.

To meet the targets and reduce the amount of rubbish we bury more facilities will be needed.

Mechanical/biological/steam processing

Sometimes referred to as MBT, the processes use mechanical treatment to remove certain materials such as metals and some plastics. The waste is sometimes also treated with high pressure steam which sterilises it and helps to break down the compostable parts. After the mechanical treatment the waste can be composted or processed to extract energy (heat and/or electricity) or disposed of in a landfill site.

Anaerobic digestion

The waste is put into a type of composting plant that has no air present. The waste rots and produces methane gas which can be used to generate electricity. The remaining material is sent to a landfill site.

Incineration and energy recovery

Burning waste to produce heat and electricity. Some metals are removed with magnets before taking the ash to a landfill site or using it in the construction industry.

Landfill Site

A piece of land, either an old quarry or other hole in the ground, that can be prepared to safely receive waste. The site needs to have a water tight base to prevent the liquids created during the rotting of waste from entering the ground and also a gas removal system to make sure that the methane produced by the rotting does not cause a danger. The methane can be collected and used to produce electricity. Sometimes the waste is placed on the surface and the ground level is raised. In this case the process is called "land raising".

For a full copy of the adopted Strategy select:

More information

   Waste Strategy  (962 KB)

   Technical Appendices     (1.04 MB) 

   Environmental Assessment   (101 MB)