Cornwall Waste Local Plan March 2003 CORNWALL LOCAL WASTE PLAN i ii CORNWALL LOCAL WASTE PLAN Contents Contents Page Foreword v Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Chapter 2 The Context for the Plan 5 Chapter 3 Waste Arisings in Cornwall: An Assessment of Future Needs 11 Chapter 4 The Overall Strategy for Waste: Management and Disposal 23 Chapter 5 The Development and Location of Waste Management Facilities 31 Chapter 6 The Protection of the Environment 49 Chapter 7 The Control of Waste Management Facilities 57 Chapter 8 Monitoring and Review of the Plan 65 Plans of Existing Landfill Sites: United Downs 68 Connon Bridge 69 Lean Quarry 70 Inset Plans: Areas of Search for new Civic Amenity Facilities: Falmouth 71 Truro 72 Appendix 1 Waste Management Policies in the Cornwall Structure Plan, 1997 A2 Appendix 2 Definitions of Controlled Wastes A3 Appendix 3 Code of Practice for the Irrigation of Low Concentrate Leachate in Cornwall A5 Appendix 4 Inert Waste Landfill Sites and Recycling/ Transfer Sites in Cornwall (at 2002) A8 Appendix 5 Proposed Improvements to Waste Water Treatment Works in Cornwall A10 (2002 – 2005) Appendix 6 Glossary of Technical Terms A11 Appendix 7 Methodology for Assessing the Visual Impact of an Energy from Waste Plant A15 Appendix 8 Air Quality Issues. A 21 Appendix 9 Technical Paper on Current and Predicted Trends in Waste Arisings and A 24 Disposals in Cornwall (at 2002) Proposals Maps Map 1 Cornwall Waste Local Plan Proposals Map Inset Central Cornwall Area of Search for an Energy from Waste Plant CORNWALL LOCAL WASTE PLAN iii iv CORNWALL LOCAL WASTE PLAN Foreword Foreword The need to achieve more sustainable methods of managing all wastes being produced represents a major challenge for Cornwall. This challenge faces each and every waste producer whether they are individual residents, small businesses, food factories, hospitals or large commercial premises. Important changes have already taken place including the reduction of discharges of untreated sewage to our coastal waters and the doubling of the recycling and composting rate of household waste since 1998. However, much more needs to be done. The Cornwall Waste Local Plan sets out the broad framework for the treatment, management and disposal of wastes in the County. It represents a key component of the Development Plan for Cornwall and is an important function of the County Council’s duty as Waste Planning Authority. The Plan is also an important contribution to the waste debate taking place in Cornwall. The formation of the Plan is the result of an intense effort and consultation over several years by the County Council. It reflects significant developments in Government waste policy, led in part by European guidance, and in waste management techniques and public opinion. The preparation process has also been informed by a range of studies carried out by the Authority and by independent consultants. The Plan was subject to a Public Local Inquiry in February/March 2002, led by an independent Planning Inspector. We would both like to thank all those who have assisted in the production of the Plan, including those who have commented on its various versions and particularly those who attended the public local inquiry. The result is a robust and cohesive set of policies which will provide the context for decisions on planning applications for waste management facilities in Cornwall over the next decade. Mr. R.E Hichens Mrs. P.A. Rowe Executive Portfolio holder Chairman of the Waste Plan Panel Strategic Planning and Transport Vice Chairman of the County Council CORNWALL LOCAL WASTE PLAN v vi CORNWALL LOCAL WASTE PLAN Chapter 1 Introduction CORNWALL LOCAL WASTE PLAN 1 Chapter 1 - Introduction Background Government policy, the impact of environmental taxes and the development of new technologies. 1.1 Everyone produces waste, and it is These underline the need to maintain a regular essential that this waste is handled, treated and review of the Cornwall Waste Local Plan. disposed of in a way which is economical for the local community and business and which is also Key Issues sensitive to protection of the environment. Waste also represents a potential resource, from which materials, energy and value can be recovered. 1.5 The main issues which have been addressed in the Plan are :- 1.2 Difficult decisions have to be made regarding short, medium and long term waste ! the effective management of all waste planning and management in Cornwall for all arisings; waste streams. In particular, urgent consideration must be given to the management of the ! a re-examination of how waste is household, commercial and industrial waste currently handled; streams. Volumes of these wastes continue to increase while recovery materials through ! what new approaches should be adopted recycling and composting remain at a low level, in order to achieve a move away from not least because of economic, transport and the disposal of waste by landfill in order geographic difficulties. In 2001/2 88% of this to deal with future waste arisings; waste was disposed of at United Mines and Connon Bridge landfills. ! how to increase the current rates of re- use of waste and recovery of materials 1.3 This document provides a broad overall and energy; strategy for the management of future waste arisings in Cornwall, and provides the context ! provision of facilities and sites, i.e. what for the land-use policies against which and where. applications for waste management facilities will be assessed. To achieve the strategic objectives Background to the of this Plan will require the development of a suite of initiatives which are wider than the land Plan use approach alone. The achievement of strategic objectives will require the integration of new and 1.6 The first version of the Cornwall Waste existing waste management practices and the Local Plan, the “Consultation Draft”, was development of new initiatives such as waste published in March 1998, followed by a minimisation, stimulation of locally-based “Deposit Draft” in September 2000 and a markets for recycled materials, and the “Revised Deposit Draft” produced in June 2001. exploitation of the benefits of heat and power in Significant changes have been made between order to deliver wider benefits to the each version of the Plan in response to policy environment, economy and people of Cornwall. development at the European and national levels and in response to a detailed consideration of 1.4 The Plan, its conclusions and policies are consultation responses. Prior to the Deposit Draft based on realistic assessments of waste version the County Council commissioned two management and disposal needs. It should be independent studies into particular aspects of recognised however that there are many waste management in Cornwall. The first, variables which affect the overall waste picture, undertaken by AEA Environment Ltd, examined not all of which can be reliably predicted at the Best Practicable Environmental Option present. These include emerging European and (BPEO) for the management of Municipal Solid 2 CORNWALL LOCAL WASTE PLAN Chapter 1 - Introduction Waste in Cornwall. The second study, by the ! clarification and improvement of the South West Energy Group, examined the policies and text underpinning this provision of Civic Amenity sites in Cornwall. version of the Plan. Following the publication of the Deposit Draft version of the Plan a focused study into the Best Policy Implementation Environmental Option for the Municipal Solid Waste Stream was undertaken using the Environment Agency’s WISARD analytical tool. 1.9 The individual policies and proposals of In addition, a study examining the feasibility of the Cornwall Waste Local Plan develop the transferring waste by rail in Cornwall was guiding principles and the spatial framework of undertaken on behalf of the County Council in the strategy outlined in the Structure Plan. There 2001. Copies of both the BPEO study and the are significant linkages between many policies WISARD study are available from the County and therefore the Plan should be viewed as a Council. whole. As well as policies S1, L1 and C1, the policies contained in the Environment Chapter 1.7 The County Council also commissioned are potentially relevant to all proposals. an independent strategic sustainable development appraisal of this Plan at key stages during its formulation. These were carried out by Land Use Consultants Ltd., examining the economic, social and environmental effects of the implementation of the Plan’s policies. 1.8 The principal changes to the Plan during its formulation include:- ! better information on arisings of individual waste streams; ! revised estimates on the production of the Municipal Solid Waste stream over the Plan period; ! inclusion of higher long term targets for recycling and composting; ! a reduction in quantities of waste going to landfill reflecting recently-stated Government targets; ! a revised area of search in the centre of Cornwall for an Energy from Waste plant; ! specific policy approaches for particular waste streams including the commercial and industrial waste stream and sewage sludge; CORNWALL LOCAL WASTE PLAN 3 Chapter 1 - Introduction 4 CORNWALL LOCAL WASTE PLAN Chapter 2 - The Context for the Plan Chapter 2 The Context for the Plan CORNWALL LOCAL WASTE PLAN 5 Chapter 2 - The Context for the Plan The Statutory Basis of The EC Landfill Directive the Plan 2.3 The most significant policy instrument introduced since the publication of the 2.1 Cornwall County Council, in its role as originalConsultation Draft version of the Waste Waste Planning Authority, is required under the Local Plan is the EC Landfill Directive which is Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to prepare soon to be incorporated into the British a ‘Waste Local Plan’. regulatory system by the Government. The impact of this Directive will be to require European Policy substantial changes to the way waste is managed in Cornwall.