APPENDIX seven

Glossary of Terms The Mayor’s municipal management strategy

Advanced conversion technologies: are in a generating station of which at least 98 per defined in the Reneables Obligation Order 2002 cent of the energy content (measured over a as meaning , gasification period of one month) is derived from plant or or pyrolysis. Such technologies may require animal matter or substances derived directly pre-treatment technologies such as mechanical or indirectly therefrom (whether or not such biological treatment (MBT) or autoclave to matter or substances are waste) and includes prepare waste for use in advanced conversion agricultural, forestry or wood or residues, technologies. and energy crops (provided that such plant or animal matter is not or is not derived Aggregates: granular material used in directly or indirectly from fossil fuel). construction. Aggregates may be natural, artificial or recycled. Biomass waste/biomass municipal waste: refers to materials derived from plant or animal Anaerobic digestion: this is the biological matter including wood, paper, card, and organic degradation of organics in the absence of waste (food and green garden waste). oxygen, producing (typical composition of 65 per cent methane and 35 per cent CO2) Borough/London boroughs: There are 32 and residue () suitable for use as a soil London boroughs plus the City of London. improver. The 32 London boroughs are administered by London borough councils which are elected Autoclave: is a steam sterilisation process to every four years. The boroughs are the principal treat and includes mechanical local authorities in London and are responsible components to separate out materials suitable for running most local services in their areas, for . The heat in the autoclave (up such as schools, social services, to 150 degrees Celsius) changes the physical and roads. characteristics of the waste. This can lead to greater recovery rates of higher quality Bottom Ash: burnt out residues from the recyclable materials than what can be achieved bottom grate of waste incinerators, which using mechanical biological treatment (MBT) represents between 20 and 25 percent of the technologies. Autoclave is also known as processed waste by weight. Ferrous metals can mechanical heat treatment (MHT). be removed by magnetic separation for recycling and bottom ash itself is being increasing used in : is defined in Council the manufacture of masonry blocks and in road Directive 1999/31/EC on the of waste construction. as meaning any waste that is capable of undergoing anaerobic or aerobic decomposition, Bring Recycling: refers to a recycling site, see such as organic kitchen and green garden waste, recycling site. Known as such, as the recycler has and paper and paperboard. A proportion of to ‘bring’ their materials to the site. textiles is deemed to be biodegradable for the purpose of implementing the Landfill Allowance Brownfield land: any land or premises which Trading Scheme (LATS) – see definition. has previously been used or developed and is not currently fully in use, although it may be Biomass: is defined in the Renewables partially occupied or utilised. The land may also Obligation Order 2002 as meaning fuel used be vacant, derelict or contaminated but excludes 3

parks, recreation grounds, allotments and land Carbon dioxide: is a naturally occurring gas where the remains of previous use have blended comprising 0.04 per cent of the atmosphere. It is into the landscape, or have been overtaken by essential to photosynthesis in plants and is also nature conservation value or amenity use. a prominent greenhouse gas. The burning of fossil fuels such as coal or gas, and some waste Business improvement districts: This materials including plastics, releases carbon concept was originally developed in the USA dioxide into the atmosphere. It is currently the for increasing investment within defined areas predominant scientific opinion that carbon of a city such as town centres. This is achieved dioxide emissions are the main cause of global through changes to local taxation, based on a warming, contributing to climate change. supplementary rate levied on businesses within that defined area. Carbon dioxide-equivalent: is the universal unit of measurement used to indicate the global Calorific Value: the calorific value of a warming potential (GWP) of greenhouse gases. substance, typically a fuel, is the amount of It is used to evaluate the impacts of releasing (or heat released during the energy conversion of a avoiding the release of) different greenhouse specified amount of fuel. The calorific value is gases. For example, the GWP of methane is a characteristic for each substance of the fuel. 21 times that of CO2, which has a GWP of 1. It is measured in units of energy per unit of the Sulphur hexafluoride has a GWP of 23,900. A substance. For the purposes of this document CO2-equivalent figure is used to represent the the fuel substances referred to are biomass and warming impact of greenhouse gases. See also non-biomass residual municipal waste used for definition of Global Warming Potential. energy generation. The calorific value of these substances is expressed in mega joules (MJ) Carbon intensity floor: is the CO2eq emissions per kilogram of residual waste treated. See also performance level set for electricity generated definitions of biomass waste, non-biomass waste from London’s municipal waste to achieve. and residual waste. The carbon intensity floor has been set at the level whereby any electricity generated from Capital Growth Programme: Capital Growth London’s municipal waste is to be no more is a partnership initiative between London polluting in carbon terms than the electricity Food Link, the Mayor of London, and the Big source it replaces. Refer to Policy 2 for more Lottery’s Local Food Fund. It is championed information on the carbon intensity floor. by the Chair of the London Food Board Rosie Boycott and aims to create 2012 new Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) plant: community food growing spaces across London A combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plan by the end of 2012. Capital Growth offers uses a gas turbine to generate electricity. The practical help, grants training and support also produced is used to make steam to groups wanting to establish community to generate additional electricity via a steam food growing projects as well as advice to turbine. This last step enhances the efficiency of landowners. These new food growing spaces electricity generation. along with existing allotments, city farms and community gardens could be the ideal location Combined heat and power: The combined for the by-products of composting facilities. production of electricity and usable heat is known as combined heat and power (CHP). The Mayor’s municipal strategy

Steam or hot water, which would otherwise be Construction, demolition & excavation rejected when electricity alone is produced, is waste: waste arising from the construction, used for space or process heating. repair, maintenance and demolition of buildings and structures, including roads. It consists : waste arising from premises mostly of brick, concrete, hardcore, subsoil which are wholly or mainly for trade, business, and topsoil, but it can contain quantities of sport, recreation or entertainment as defined in timber, metal, plastics and occasionally special Schedule 4 of the Regulations (hazardous) waste materials. 1992. Digestate: The nutrient-rich residues of Co-mingled: Co-mingled Recycled materials anaerobic digestion that can be used as a soil that are collected together and are recycled improver or fertiliser. following further sorting. Single stream co- mingled systems are where materials are Doorstep recycling collection services: collected in a single compartment vehicle with recycling collections services provided to the sorting of the materials occurring at a individual households where recyclable material Materials Reclamation Facilities. Two stream is collected from householder’s doorstep. partially co-mingled systems are where residents Householders receiving a doorstep collection are required to separate materials into two typically, but not always, will be provided with categories, usually fibres (paper/card) and their own container to store recyclables for containers (glass, cans and plastic bottles). collection. See also definition of communal Separate containers are provided for each recycling collection services. category the contents of which are loaded into separate compartments on a twin compartment Dry recyclables: refers to dry materials suitable collection vehicle. for recycling including paper, card, metals, plastics, textiles, and waste electrical items. Communal recycling collection services: Does not include organic waste (food and green recycling collection services whereby communal garden waste). recycling containers, typically 1100 litre bins, are provided for a number of properties to deposit East London Waste Authority: Waste their recyclable materials. Communal recycling Disposal Authority for the London Boroughs of collection services are generally provided to Newham, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham multi-occupancy properties on-site, where and Havering. door step recycling collections services are not suitable or easily provided. See also definition of Embodied carbon: The term ‘embodied carbon’ doorstep recycling collection services. refers to carbon dioxide emitted at all stages of a good’s manufacturing process, from the Composting: this is the biological degradation mining of raw materials through the distribution of organic materials, such as garden and kitchen process, to the final product provided to the waste, in the presence of oxygen producing gas consumer. Depending on the calculation, and residue suitable for use as a soil improver the term can also be used to include other (see anaerobic digestion, central composting greenhouse gases. and home composting). 5

Emissions Performance Standard (EPS): land and water) approach to environmental is typically a requirement that sets specific regulation and protection. limits to the amount of pollutants that can be released into the environment. While emission Fly tipping: the illegal deposit of waste on performance standards have been used to land. dictate limits for conventional pollutants such as oxides of nitrogen (NOx) this regulatory Fuel cells: acts like a constantly recharging technique may be used to regulate greenhouse battery, electrochemically combining hydrogen gases, particularly carbon dioxide (CO2). and oxygen to generate power. For hydrogen The EPS relating to this document is a non- fuel cells, water and heat are the only by- mandatory metric for London’s municipal waste products and there are no direct air or management activities to work towards. It noise emissions. They are suitable for a range of applies to the CO2eq emissions associated with applications, including vehicles and buildings. the collection, treatment and final disposal of London’s municipal waste. The EPS in this Functional Bodies: The Mayor has document is given in tonnes of CO2eq emissions responsibility for appointing members to, per tonne of waste treated. See also definitions and setting budgets for, four organsiations: of NOx and CO2eq. Transport for London (TfL), London Development Agency (LDA), London Fire and Energy generation: the generation of useful Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA), and energy in the form of heat, electricity or a Metropolitan Police (MPA). transport fuel from waste. Includes combined heat and power, combustion of and Gasification: is defined in the Renewables heat and electricity generated or transport fuel Obligation Order 2002 as meaning the produced using gas produced from anaerobic substoichiometric oxidation or steam digestion. Energy generation technologies reformation of a substance to produce a gaseous include , gasification, pyrolysis, and mixture containing two or all of the following: anaerobic digestion. oxides of carbon, methane and hydrogen. Gas fuels produced by gasification can be burnt Energy recovery from waste (EFW): to produce steam or used as a fuel for gas includes a number of established and emerging engines to generate energy. The gas fuels can technologies, though most energy recovery is also be used in hydrogen fuel cells to generate through incineration technologies. Many wastes renewable energy. are combustible, with relatively high calorific values – this energy can be recovered through General conformity: The GLA Act 1999 (for instances) incineration with electricity (Section 344) introduced the general conformity generation. statutory requirement to London by amending the 1990 Act. Under the new development Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA plan system introduced by the Planning and 90): a new regulatory regime that came into Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, the requirement force in 1990. It is designed to implement an for general conformity now applies to Local approach to prevent harm to human health and Development Plan Documents. Section 24(1) the environment by ensuring an integrated (air, of the Act specifies that local development documents must be in general conformity with The Mayor’s municipal waste management strategy

the spatial development strategy. This means same mass of carbon dioxide (whose GWP is by that at the point of adoption, local development definition 1). Methane has a GWP of 21. A GWP documents must be in general conformity is calculated over a specific time interval and the with the London Plan otherwise section 24(1) value of this must be stated whenever a GWP is is infringed. London’s waste authorities are quoted or else the value is meaningless. required to be in general conformity with the Mayors Municipal Waste Management Strategy Global warming: is the increase in the average when undertaking their waste functions. The temperature of the Earth’s near-surface air Mayor also has a power of direction under and oceans since the mid-20th century and section 356 of the Greater London Authority its projected continuation. Global surface Act, which he may use for the purposes of temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C between implementing his Municipal Waste Management the start and the end of the 20th century. The Strategy. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes that most of the observed The Greater London Authority Act was amended temperature increase since the middle of in 2007 and included changes governing the 20th century was caused by increasing waste. It requires waste authorities to notify concentrations of greenhouse gases resulting the Mayor of new waste contracts before they from human activity such as fossil fuel burning are advertised and requires waste authorities and deforestation, causing climate change. to act in general conformity with the Mayor’s Municipal Waste Management Strategy when Greater London (also referred to as undertaking their waste functions. London): The geographical area encompassed by the 32 London boroughs and the City of : or tipping fee is the charge levied London, representing most of the continuous upon a given quantity of waste received at built-up area of London and covering 1600 a waste processing facility. In the case of a KM2. landfill it is generally levied to offset the cost of opening, maintaining and eventually closing the Greater London Authority: The organisation site. It may also include any which is responsible for carrying out the functions set out applicable in the region. in the Greater London Authority Act, including the Mayor, Assembly and four functional bodies: GLA Group: The organisations known the London Development Agency, Transport collectively as the GLA Group - the Greater for London, the Metropolitan London Authority (GLA), Transport for London and the London Fire and Emergency Planning (TfL), the London Development Agency (LDA), Authority. There is a clear separation of powers the London Fire and Emergency Planning within the GLA between the Mayor – who has Authority (LFEPA) and the Metropolitan Police an executive role, making decisions on behalf of Authority (MPA) / Service (MPS). the GLA – and the London Assembly, which has a scrutiny role. Global Warming Potential (GWP): Is a measure of how much a given mass of Green 500: is a carbon mentoring scheme greenhouse gas is emitted to contribute to initiated by the Mayor of London, aimed at large global warming. It is a relative scale which London organisations across private and public compare the gas in question to that of the sectors. It is one of a number of LDA (London 7

Development Agency) initiatives, which aims to Act 1990. Household waste includes waste help cut CO2 emissions in the capital by 60 per from collection rounds of domestic properties cent by 2025. (including separate rounds for the collection of recyclables), street cleansing and Greenhouse gases: Greenhouse gases are collection, beach cleansing, bulky household gases in an atmosphere that absorb and emit waste collections, hazardous household waste radiation within the thermal infrared range. collections, household clinical waste collections, Increased amounts of anthropogenic greenhouse garden waste collections, Civic Amenity/ gases (derived from human activities such as and Recycling Centre wastes, drop-off/’bring’ burning fossil fuels and raising farm stock) systems, clearance of fly-tipped wastes, and deforestation are seen as the fundamental weekend skip services and any other household cause of the greenhouse effect causing waste collected by the waste authorities. climate change. The main greenhouse gases Household waste accounts for approximately in the earth’s atmosphere are water vapour, four-fifths of London’s municipal waste. ozone, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. In addition to the main greenhouse Home composting: can be made gases, others include sulphur hexafluoride, at home using a traditional compost heap, a hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons. purpose designed container, or a wormery. Although these gases are less prevalent in the earth’s atmosphere, they have very high global Incineration: normally refers to the controlled warming potential. Methane and carbon dioxide burning of waste in the presence of sufficient make up about 98 per cent of greenhouse gas air to achieve complete combustion. Energy is emissions from waste activities. usually recovered in the form of electric power and/or heat. The emissions are controlled under Green industries: the business sector that EU Directive 2000/76/EC. This Directive also produces goods or services which compared to applies to other processes other, generally more commonly used goods and such as pyrolysis and gasification, so the term services, are less harmful to the environment. incineration may be applied to a wider range of thermal processes. See also Gross Value Added: is the difference separate definitions of mass burn incineration, between output and intermediate (or average) pyrolysis, and gasification. consumption for any given sector/industry. That is the difference between the value of Indirect to landfill: is defined as waste to goods and services produced and the cost of raw landfill following some pre-treatment (such as materials and other inputs which are used up in mechanical biological treatment or autoclave) to production. remove any recyclable materials prior to landfill.

Household Waste: all waste collected by Waste : waste from any factory and Collection Authorities under section 45(1) of any premises occupied by industry (excluding the Environmental Protection Act 1990, plus mines and quarries) as defined in Schedule 3 of all waste arisings from Civic Amenity sites the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992. and waste collected by third parties for which collection or disposal credits are paid under : is defined in Council Directive Section 52 of the Environmental Protection 1999/31/EC on the landfill of waste as waste The Mayor’s municipal waste management strategy

that does not undergo any significant physical, Landfill: sites are areas of land in which waste chemical or biological transformations. Inert is deposited. Landfill sites are often located in waste will not dissolve, burn or otherwise disused quarries or mines. In areas where there physically or chemically react, biodegrade or are limited, or no ready-made voids, the practice adversely affect other matter with which it of landraising is sometimes carried out, where comes into contact in a way likely to give rise to some or all of the waste is deposited above environmental pollution or harm human health. ground, and the landscape is contoured. The total leachability and pollutant content of the waste and the ecotoxicity of the leachate Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS): must be insignificant, and in particular not The government’s key measure to meet the endanger the quality of surface water and/or demands of the European groundwater. in England, and began on April 1, 2005. The system set allowances on the amount of Integrated Waste Management: involves a biodegradable municipal waste local authorities number of key elements, including: recognising can send to landfill. In two-tier areas, this refers each step in the waste management process as to waste disposal authorities. These allowances part of a whole; involving all key players in the are tradable, so that high landfilling authorities decision-making process and utilising a mixture can buy more allowances if they expect to of waste management options within the locally landfill more than the allowances they hold. determined sustainable waste management Similarly, authorities with low landfill rates can system. sell their surplus allowances.

Joint European Support for Sustainable Landfill Tax: Landfill tax is paid on top of Investment in City Areas Scheme normal landfill fees by businesses and local (JESSICA): is an initiative of the European authorities that want to dispose of waste using Commission in cooperation with the European a landfill site. It is designed to encourage Investment Bank and the Council of Europe businesses to produce less waste and to use Development Bank, in order to promote alternative forms of waste management. There sustainable investment, and growth and jobs, in are two rates of tax: Europe’s urban areas. • the lower rate – £2.50 per tonne for inert waste such as rocks and soil and : any regular collection of • the standard rate – £48 per tonne from 1 April recyclable material from premises, which can 2010 and increasing by £8 per tonne each year include collections from commercial or industrial until at least 2014, when it will be £80 per premises as well as households. Excludes tonne. collection services delivered on demand.

Kerbside sort: systems are where materials Land Use Planning: the Town and Country are sorted by material type at the kerbside into Planning system regulates the development and different compartments of a collection vehicle. use of land in the public interest, and has an important role to play in achieving sustainable Kilowatt: A unit of electrical power. waste management. 9

Local authorities: see ‘London boroughs/ is typically achieved using waste with high boroughs’. biomass (for example food and green garden waste) composition and/or using highly efficient London: (see definition of ‘Greater London’) energy generation techniques, such as combined The geographical area encompassed by the heat and power. See definition of Combined 32 London boroughs and the City of London, Heat and Power. representing most of the continuous built-up area of London and covering 1600 KM2. Mass burn incineration/conventional incineration: is the controlled burning of waste London Assembly: The directly-elected in the presence of sufficient air to achieve London regional body comprising 14 complete combustion. Unsorted waste is fed constituency members and 11 pan-London onto a, usually inclined, grate and burnt as a members. A component of the Greater London red-hot mass as it moves through the furnace. Authority. For this reason the process is also sometimes referred to as ‘conventional incineration’. Plants London Waste and Recycling Board are generally large-scale, having an annual (LWARB): was formally constituted in capacity of 100,000 tonnes or more. The term September 2008 with funding of £73.4 million ‘mass burn incineration’ is used in this strategy from both central Government and the London to refer specifically to this type of processes as Development Agency, with the objectives of distinct from incineration of sorted waste, and using that fund in Greater London to promote distinct from other thermal treatment energy and encourage the production of less waste, generation processes such as pyrolysis, where an increase in the proportion that is reused or air is absent, or gasification processes. See also recycled, and the use of methods of collection, separate definitions of incineration, pyrolysis, treatment and disposal of waste that are more gasification, and Renewables Obligation beneficial to the environment. Certificates.

Lifecycle Assessment (LCA): Life Material Reclamation Facilities (MRFs a cycle assessment techniques measure the transfer station for the storage and segregation environmental and economic costs and benefits of recyclable materials. Also known as Material of products and activities (in this case waste) Recycling Facility or Material Recovery Facility. at every stage of its existence, from production to final disposal. Such techniques can provide Mayor’s Green Procurement Code: The a basis for making strategic decisions on the Mayor’s Green Procurement Code was launched ways in which particular waste in a given set of up in 2001 to support London’s businesses circumstances can be most effectively managed, and organisations to buy products made for example to reduce costs or greenhouse gas from recycled materials. Since its inception, emissions from waste activities. the Mayor’s Code aims to increase recycled content product procurement to stimulating the London Plan: see ‘Spatial Development development of markets for recycled materials. Strategy’. The combined purchasing power of Mayor’s Code signatories diverted 394,453 tonnes of Low carbon energy: is energy generated with materials from landfill and saved 175,000 tonnes a low production of carbon. Low carbon energy of CO2 emissions in 2005/06. Over £379 million The Mayor’s municipal waste management strategy

has been spent on recycled products through municipal parks and gardens wastes, council the Mayor’s Code, delivered by London Remade, office waste, Civic Amenity waste, and some since its launch in 2001. London organisations commercial waste from shops and smaller spent £158 million on recycled products in trading estates where local authorities have 2005/06 alone. waste collection agreements in place. It can also include industrial waste collected by a Mechanical Biological Treatment: systems waste collection authority with authorisation consisting of a mechanical stage, where of the . recyclables and rejects (batteries, tyres etc.) are separated to leave an organic fraction. This Non-biomass waste: refers to fossil-fuel based fraction is then sent, in the biological stage, waste materials including plastics, metals and for treatment using composting and digestion textiles. techniques. These systems provide a new generation of integrated waste management Non-household municipal waste: refers technology able to reduce landfill and mass to waste generated through local authority burn incineration and to increase recycling and activities including waste from local authority composting. premises, parks and gardens, and waste collected from businesses by local authorities. Methane: a greenhouse gas, 21 times stronger Non-household municipal waste makes up about as a global warming gas than carbon dioxide. 20 per cent of municipal waste. Methane is the predominant greenhouse gas from waste, mostly from biodegradable waste Non-recycled waste: refers to waste remaining decomposing in landfill. Methane emissions after waste recycling has taken place. from make up approximately 40 per cent of UK greenhouse gas emissions. North London Waste Authority: Waste Disposal Authority for the London Boroughs of Municipal Waste: see Camden, Islington, Hackney, Waltham Forest, (MSW) Haringey, Barnet and Enfield.

Municipal Solid Waste: for the purposes of Nitrogen monoxide (NO): formed from developing this strategy municipal solid waste nitrogen in the atmosphere during high is defined in section 360(2) of the Greater temperature combustion, and the main London Authority Act 1999, as `any waste in the constituent of NOx, commonly known as nitric possession or under the control of: oxide.

a a body which, or a person who, is a waste Nitrogen dioxide (NO2): formed in small collection authority in Greater London, or amounts in the atmosphere during high temperature combustion, but the majority b a body which, is a waste disposal authority is formed in the atmosphere through the in Greater London,municipal solid waste conversion of nitric oxide in the presence of includes all waste under the control of local ozone. authorities or agents acting on their behalf. It includes all household waste, street litter, New and emerging technologies: waste delivered to council recycling points, technologies that are either still at a 11

developmental stage or are recently operating Prevention: The Waste and Resources Action at a commercial scale. May include new Programme (WRAP), in developing their waste applications of existing technologies. In relation prevention toolkit, define waste prevention as to waste, these include anaerobic digestion, ‘minimising the quantity (weight and volume) mechanical biological treatment (MBT), and hazardousness of household-derived waste, autoclave, pyrolysis and gasification. generated in a defined community. Includes avoidance, reduction and reuse. On-the-go recycling: Is a way for commuters, tourists and visitors in London to recycle as Proximity Principle: dealing with waste as near they move around the city by ensuring there are as practicable to its place of production. adequate numbers of easily accessible recycling bins placed across the city on the streets, in Pyrolysis: is defined in the Renewables public buildings, key venues and at work. Obligation Order 2002 as meaning the thermal degradation of a substance in the absence of Organic waste: Organic waste consists of any oxidising agent (other than that which forms kitchen waste (e.g. potato peelings), waste food part of the substance itself) to produce char and (e,g, leftovers, spoiled fruit and vegetables from one or both of gas and liquid. markets), garden waste (e.g. grass clippings and hedge trimmings) and industrial waste (e.g. from Recovery: is defined in Waste Strategy agricultural and food processing factories). 2007 as meaning obtaining value from waste through reuse; recycling; composting; other Oxides of nitrogen (NOx): includes both NO means of material recovery (such as anaerobic and NO2 digestion); or energy recovery (combustion with direct or indirect use of the energy produced, Particulate matter (PM10): Particles with an manufacture of refuse derived fuel, gasification, equivalent aerodynamic diameter of ten microns pyrolysis and other technologies). In addition, or less and is small enough to penetrate the certain operations are defined as recovery lungs. operations in Annex IIB of Council Directive 91/156/EEC of 18 March 1991 amending Pre-treatment: for waste to be considered as Directive 75/442/EEC on waste. pre-treated it must comply with the three-point test for the definition of ‘treatment’. Treatment Recycling: involves the reprocessing of waste, must be physical, thermal, chemical or biological either into the same product or a different one. process which can include sorting that alter the Many non-hazardous industrial wastes such characteristics of the waste and do so in order to as paper, glass, cardboard, plastics and reduce its volume; reduce its hazardous nature; metals can be recycled. Special wastes such facilitate its handling; or enhance its recovery. as solvents can also be recycled by specialist One of the simplest forms of pre-treatment companies, or by in-house equipment. for general waste is categorising a proportion of each waste stream and segregating it Recycling Site: a group of containers for the for recycling, which could be done either collection of a variety of materials for recycling. manually or at a sorting facility. Pre-treatment Often located in supermarket or public building technologies include mechanical biological car parks or on street corners. Commonly treatment and autoclave. The Mayor’s municipal waste management strategy

referred to as ‘bring banks’ but usually collecting the generation of energy and/or materials or a variety of materials. Also see bring site. through disposal to landfill.

Reduction: achieving as much waste reduction Residues: are secondary waste materials as possible is a priority action. Reduction can be requiring further treatment or disposal following accomplished within a manufacturing process a waste recycling, composting or treatment involving the review of production processes process. For example, bottom ash following the to optimise utilisation of raw (and secondary) incineration of waste or contaminated recyclable materials and recirculation processes. It can be material from a Material Reclamation Facility. cost effective, both in terms of lower disposal costs, reduced demand for raw materials Reuse: can be practised by the commercial and energy costs. It can be carried out by sector with the use of products designed to householders through actions such as home be used a number of times, such as reusable composting, reusing products and buying goods packaging. Householders can purchase products with reduced packaging. that use refillable containers, or reuse plastic bags. The processes contribute to sustainable Regional self-sufficiency: dealing with wastes development and can save raw materials, energy within the region where they arise. Waste and transport costs. regional self-sufficiency is dealt with in more detail in the London Plan: ‘The Mayor’s Spatial Reuse and Recycling Centres (RRCs): sites Development Plan for London’. operated by local authorities where residents and local businesses can take their waste Renewable Obligation Certificates: are for reuse, recycling and disposal. RRCs are certificates issued when electricity is generated sometimes also referred to as Civic Amenity sites from renewable sources. The Electricity Act 1989 requires electricity suppliers to meet a certain Revenue-sharing contract: contractual percentage of their total sales from renewable arrangement where income generated from sources. Under the Renewable Obligation Order sale of waste materials and products (including 2002, only plants that generate electricity from recyclable products and energy generated from biomass will be eligible although the biomass waste) is shared between both local authority may be a waste. Plants processing wastes must, and waste contractor. however, use advanced conversion technologies in order to be eligible, and it is only the Social housing: is an umbrella term referring biomass component of the waste that will earn to rental housing which may be owned and Renewable Obligation Certificates or ROCs. managed by the state, by not-for-profit Advanced conversion technologies are defined organisations, or by a combination of the two, in the Order as anaerobic digestion, gasification usually with the aim of providing affordable and pyrolysis. housing.

Residual or ‘black bag’ waste: Residual waste Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF): also known as is that portion of the waste stream collected by refuse derived fuel (RDF) is a fuel produced by local authorities which is not re-used, recycled shredding and dehydrating solid waste using a or composted and remains to be treated through waste converter or treatment technology. The fuel is then typically used to generate energy 13

using a thermal treatment facility. SRF consists Third sector: Description for voluntary or not- largely of non-recycled waste including plastics for-profit organisations, charities, and social and biodegradable waste. SRF processing enterprises. facilities are normally located near a source of solid waste and, while an optional thermal Transport for London (TfL): a functional treatment facility is normally close to the SRF body of the Greater London Authority, production facility, it may also be located at accountable to the Mayor for implementing a remote location. SRF can be distinguished his Transport Strategy, with responsibility for from RDF in the fact that it is produced to the operation of buses, the Docklands Light reach a technical and/or emissions performance Railway, Croydon Tramlink, and in due course standard. the Underground, and for regulating taxis and private hire vehicles, and operation of the Source-separate collection: recycling Transport for London Road Network. collection schemes from homes or businesses where materials for recycling are collected Treatment: involves the chemical, biological, separately from other materials, either by or physical processing of certain types of waste different vehicle or at a different time to the for the purposes of rendering them harmless, ordinary household or collection. reducing volumes before landfilling, or recycling certain wastes. South East Region: the South East Region runs in an arc around London from Kent at Unitary authorities: a local authority, which the South East extremity along the coast to has the responsibilities of both Waste Collection Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth in and Waste Disposal Authorities. the South West, and then to Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire in the North. In total it Virgin materials: virgin materials are natural encompasses 19 counties and unitary authorities and have not previously been used (for example and 55 district authorities. (natural) wood, coal, gas or oil).

Spatial Development Strategy: the Mayor Waste: the strict legal definition of waste is is required by law (under the Greater London extremely complex but it encompasses most Authority Act 1999) to produce a spatial unwanted material which has fallen out of the development strategy for London, known as ‘the commercial cycle or chain of utility, which the London Plan’. London boroughs in developing holder discards, or intends to, or is required to their local development documents have to be in discard. ‘general conformity’ with the London Plan. Waste Arising: the amount of waste generated Thermal treatment – a term given to any in a given locality over a given period of time. waste treatment technology that involves high temperatures in the processing of the waste Waste authority: for the purpose of this feedstock for the purposes of generating heat strategy, the term waste authority is a collective and/or power. Thermal treatment is a generic term to include London unitary, collection, and term encompassing incineration, gasification and waste disposal authorities. pyrolysis. See also ‘treatment’ definition. The Mayor’s municipal waste management strategy

Waste Collection Authority (WCA): the Waste management: any activity associated authority responsible for arranging the collection with the collection, treatment, and energy of household waste in their area (in London this generation and final diposal of waste. is on a borough-wide basis) and commercial or industrial waste on request. Waste Management Industry: the businesses (and not-for-profit organisations) involved in Waste Disposal: this is defined by the list of the collection, management and disposal of operations that constitute disposal (for under waste. Part III of Schedule 4 of the Waste Management Licensing Regulations). This includes landfill, Waste Transfer Station: a site to which land raising, incineration, permanent storage waste is delivered for sorting prior to transfer etc. to another place for recycling, treatment or disposal. Waste disposal authorities (WDAs): the Authority responsible for arranging for the World City: a globally successful location for a disposal of waste collected in their area by the range of functions, particularly business, culture Waste Collection Authority. They also provide and tourism, and headquarters and government sites where householders can deposit waste free functions; currently applying to only a small of charge (Re-use and Recycling Centres). number of the world’s great cities – London, New York, Paris and Tokyo. Western Riverside Waste Authority: Waste Disposal Authority for the Royal Borough of : Waste Strategy 2007 defines Kensington and Chelsea, The London boroughs zero waste as ‘A simple way of encapsulating of Hammersmith and Fulham, Wandsworth and the aim to go as far as possible in reducing the Lambeth. environmental impact of waste.’ It is a visionary goal which seeks to prevent waste occurring, West London Waste Authority: Waste conserves resources and recovers all value from Disposal Authority for the London Boroughs materials. of Richmond upon Thames, Hounslow, Ealing, Brent, Harrow and Hillingdon.

Waste Hierarchy: suggests that the most effective environmental solution may often be to prevent or reduce the amount of waste generated; where further reduction is not practicable, products and materials can sometimes be used again, either for the same or a different purpose – reuse; failing that, value should be recovered from waste, through recycling, composting or energy recovery from waste; only if none of the above offer an appropriate solution should waste be disposed. 15

Abbreviations The Mayor’s municipal waste management strategy

AD Anaerobic digestion MGPC Mayor of London’s Green BIDs Business Improvement Districts Procurement Code BMW Biodegradable Municipal Waste MJ Mega joule BREW Business Resource Efficiency and MRF’s Materials Reclamation Facilities Waste MSW Municipal Solid Waste CCGT Combined Cycle Gas Turbine NI National Indicators C&I Commercial & industrial waste NLWA North London Waste Authority CHP Combined Heat and Power NO2 Nitrogen Dioxide CDEW Construction, demolition & NO Nitrogen Monoxide excavation waste NOx Oxides of Nitrogen CFWR’s Committed Food Waste Reducer’s PPS10 Planning Policy Statement 10

CO2 Carbon dioxide PM10 Particulate Matter 10

CO2/kWh Carbon dioxide produced per kilowatt RFL Recycle for London Campaign hour of electricity generated ROCS Renewable Obligation Certificates

CO2eq Carbon dioxide - equivalent SELCHP South East London Combined Heat DEFRA Department for the Environment and Power Food and Rural Affairs SLWP South London Waste Partnership EA Environment Agency SME Small to medium sized businesses ELWA East London Waste Authority TFL Transport for London EPS Emissions Performance Standard UA Unitary Authority EU UK United Kingdom FORS Freight Operator Recognition Service WDA Waste Disposal Authority FRN Furniture Reuse Network WLWA West London Waste Authority GHG Greenhouse gas WRAP Waste Resources Action Programme GLA Greater London Authority WRATE Waste and Resources Assessment GLC Greater London Council Tool for the Environment GVA Gross Value Added WRWA Western Riverside waste Authority Hhld Households JESSICA Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas scheme Kg Kilograms Kt Kilotonnes

Kt CO2eq Kiltonnes of carbon dioxide - equivalent KWh Kilo Watt Hour LA Local Authorities LATS Local Authority Trading Scheme LC London Councils LCRN London Community Resource Network LRN London Reuse Network LWARB London Waste and Recycling Board MBT Mechanical biological treatment