Scotland’s ambitious landfill ban on black bag waste, set to take effect on 31 December 2024, is expected to send up to 100 truckloads of waste per day to England, due to a major shortfall in domestic incineration capacity. The move, part of Scotland’s strategy to reduce methane emissions from biodegradable waste, will see non-recyclable materials such as food, textiles, and paper prohibited from landfill disposal.
Originally scheduled for 2021 but delayed by the Covid pandemic, the ban targets biodegradable municipal waste (BMW), which emits methane—a greenhouse gas 28 times more potent than CO₂. However, environmental experts and local councils warn that the country is unprepared, with a waste processing capacity gap estimated at 600,000 tonnes in the first year alone.
With only eight incinerators currently operational in Scotland and limited new facilities in the pipeline, councils and commercial firms are securing “bridging contracts” to send excess waste to landfill sites across Cumbria, Northumberland, and Greater Manchester.
Government Aims for Circular Economy Despite Short-Term Emissions Spike
Gillian Martin, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, defended the decision, describing the waste export plan as a temporary measure. She attributed the incineration gap to inflation and construction delays, adding that additional “energy-from-waste” schemes are scheduled to come online within three years.
While incinerators still emit greenhouse gases, studies show they are roughly one-third less polluting than landfills due to reduced methane output. They also generate electricity and heat, offering a partial environmental trade-off.
Public Frustration Mounts Over Recycling Stagnation and Incinerator Surge
Despite the landfill ban’s environmental goals, Scotland’s recycling rate has barely improved, rising from 41.6% in 2013 to just 43.5% by 2023. By contrast, Wales has reached 64.7%. Campaigners warn that long-term incinerator contracts discourage investment in recycling infrastructure.
Kim Pratt from Friends of the Earth Scotland criticised the surge in incinerator construction, calling the current waste system “out of control.” Meanwhile, campaigner Laura Young raised concerns about over-reliance on expensive waste-to-energy facilities that risk locking local authorities into waste-burning cycles.
Calls for Policy Clarity Ahead of Landfill Ban Deadline
Douglas Lumsden, net-zero spokesperson for the Scottish Conservatives, called on the Scottish government to clarify the point of the landfill ban if waste is simply redirected to England. He labelled the move a potential “failure” in the SNP’s net-zero strategy.
The Scottish government maintains that waste exports should be viewed only as a short-term fix and points to circular economy policies such as a ban on single-use vapes, upcoming disposable cup charges, and a planned deposit-return scheme for bottles and cans. It also stressed that the “vast majority” of councils have alternative solutions in place as the deadline approaches.
