Energy from waste alliance forms

Resource Recovery UK is a new alliance of energy from waste operators who want their industry to fully realise their potential role in national decarbonisation.

The alliance has been founded by Cory, Encyclis, enfinium, Veolia and Viridor to champion the sector's role in a sustainable future.

Together, they are responsible for 24 energy recovery facilities across the UK.

Their Manifesto for a Sustainable, Circular Future outlines key steps to utilise the positive impact of the energy from waste sector.

Among other steps, they call for:

• A carefully sequenced expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to include waste incineration and energy from waste no earlier than 2028
• Measures to prevent waste exports and landfill becoming cheaper than energy from waste
• Policies to support energy from waste facilities’ ability to decarbonise key industries and communities
• Support for the development of heat networks in the UK

Resource Recovery UK (RRUK) says that the sector processes 15.32Mt of non-recyclable domestic and commercial waste that would otherwise be landfilled or exported, which generates 9,428GWh of baseload electricity - enough to power three million homes. The alliance says they also recover valuable materials, such as ash for reuse in construction aggregates.

RRUK Chair & Encyclis CEO Owen Michaelson says, '2023 is an important year for our sector, with key policy decisions to be taken that will shape the future of waste infrastructure and wider decarbonisation pathways. Our industry stands ready to work with others to ensure the opportunity is not wasted.'