Residual Waste Management in London, England: A Reality Check

Abstract

Residual waste is a key fraction of municipal solid waste generated, yet its management is poorly understood and has gained little attention over the past years. Using London as a case study, the study found that of the 5 Mt of residual waste reported to be managed in London, 3.5 Mt is managed via recovery operations, whereas 1.59 Mt of waste is managed via disposal operations, primarily landfills that take in 0.82 Mt of residual waste each year. Among the recovery options, incineration with energy recovery, a final treatment option, is the most prevalent recovery option, accounting for the management of 1.44 Mt of residual waste, highlighting a technological lock-in that could jeopardise UK’s ability to achieve its Net Zero Carbon ambition. This data depicts the movements of residual waste rather than its final treatment, hence, pointing to the presence of blind spots in the final fate of residual waste and double counting; both of which prevent decision- and policy-making. Transparency in data recording and monitoring and the creation of a level playing field for all stakeholders involved in residual waste management could gradually break reliance on destructive treatment processes, and instead, empower improved segregation of waste at source for enabling the better management of residual waste. Acknowledge that residual waste has a significant role to play in making the transition to a circular economy and therefore, is imperative to pave the way for future policy direction on residual waste management.