| Teaser Text | Derek Monk, managing director of OTTO UK, explains how the UK’s European counterparts are realising the benefits of going underground
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ince the 1990s our European neighbours have been using underground waste systems (UWS) to store both their recyclable and residual waste. At the same time they have drastically improved their green credentials and collection facilities, and increased trends to recycle more waste.
In Finland, underground waste collection points first appeared along major roads, especially at rest and picnic areas. They’ve since spread to the suburbs and towns, installed for the collection of paper, glass and organic waste.
In the Netherlands it’s impossible to imagine a city centre or leisure park without underground waste systems in place. In Germany, interest and installations are both on the increase.
The UK still produces more waste per head of population than many of its European neighbours but it’s nowhere near top of the league. That position appears to go to Denmark (802kg according to 2008 figures) and then Ireland, Cyprus and Luxembourg. Malta, the Netherlands and Austria come in at between 600 and 700kg per head. The figures for Germany, Estonia, Spain, France, Italy, Finland and the UK are between 500 and 600kg per person.
Some 330m tonnes of waste is produced each year in the UK, a quarter of which is from homes and small businesses. We lag behind on the amount of waste recycled and the leaders in this appear to be the Netherlands.
Despite being one of the heaviest producers per person, it recycles a staggering 64.4 percent of waste. This is far higher than the 50 percent target set by the UK government for the year 2020.
So it’s not just about how much waste is created, it’s about how it’s stored, moved and managed. And it also requires a change of the public’s mindset, which must be achieved if councils are to meet their targets. |
