County Durham Waste Local Plan.

4 Strategy.

4.1 The Strategy of the Waste Local Plan is derived from and develops the adopted Structure Plan strategy in relation to waste planning. This seeks to ensure effective treatment and disposal of waste in ways which minimise the impact on the environment of the County.

Principles of the Waste Local Plan.

4.2 The principles of waste management set out in national guidance are:

• Best Practicable Environmental Option
  Decisions should be guided by the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO) principle. This establishes the option that provides the most benefit or the least damage to the environment as a whole, at an acceptable cost, in the long term as well as in the short term. (This is discussed further in Section 5).
• Waste Management Hierarchy
  REDUCTION
  RE-USE
  RECOVERY (recycling, composting, energy)
  DISPOSAL

4.3 A sustainable approach to waste management requires an increase in the proportion of waste management by the options towards the top of the hierarchy, with priority given to the reduction of waste at source, and less reliance on simple disposal without recovery. The waste hierarchy is not to be applied rigidly when assessing proposals and flexibility is needed when developing options to arrive at the best balance of environmental, social and economic needs.

• Proximity Principle
  This requires waste to be managed as close as possible to where it is produced. This creates a more responsible and sustainable approach to the generation of waste and limits pollution from transport.
• Regional Self Sufficiency
  This requires that most waste should be treated or disposed of within the region in which it is produced. Each region is expected to provide sufficient facilities to treat or dispose of waste it produces. It is recognised that it may not be economic for all regions to have specialist recycling or recovery facilities and that the BPEO for some waste types may be to transport waste across regional boundaries, for example in directing difficult waste to specialist treatment facilities. However, the vast majority of waste should be managed within the region of its generation. Regional Planning Guidance has a central role in this process, particularly in providing a framework for the sub-regional provision of facilities.

4.4 The Waste Local Plan reflects this approach in five key principles.

We should:

1. Cut down the waste we produce;
2. Increase re-use, recovery, recycling and composting of waste;
3. Find the best, most practicable, environmentally friendly ways to manage waste;
4. Deal with waste as close to its source as possible, limiting impacts of transporting waste; and,
5. Plan for self sufficiency in managing the waste generated in County Durham and our share of regional facilities as set out in the Regional Spatial Strategy.

Aims and Objectives of the Waste Local Plan.

Sustainable Development.

4.5 Increased emphasis is being given at all levels to the need for sustainable development which has been defined as: "Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs" ⁱ

4.6 The issue of sustainability deals with the potential impact of current activity upon the future and encompasses social, economic and environmental objectives. It embodies issues of global importance in seeking to sustain human and natural resources, and needs to be reflected in action at every level.

4.7 ‘Waste Strategy 2000’, the National Waste Strategy for England and Wales, applies the principles of sustainable development to waste management. The Waste Local Plan Strategy seeks to develop a land use framework around which waste management practices in the County would become more sustainable.

4.8 Waste has two key impacts on sustainability, through its production and through its management. The use of resources in the production of goods and the rate of their consumption dictate the generation of waste. The management of this waste has environmental impacts. A reduction in waste produced or an increase in recycling will therefore represent a move towards sustainable development. Waste reduction is therefore a key element in the Government’s waste strategy, but it is recognised that waste production can never wholly be eradicated. Issues of sustainable production and consumption and waste minimisation are not direct land use issues but the Waste Local Plan must acknowledge these issues as desirable objectives which must be applied in tandem with land use policies for sustainable waste management.  This will be achieved in part by the provision of a network of facilities to ensure that waste which is produced is managed in such a way as to minimise harm to the environment. The overall aim of sustainable development is fundamental to the Strategy of the Waste Local Plan and underlies its policies throughout.

4.9 The Waste Local Plan is directly relevant to three of the four County Council corporate aims. These are:

• Building a strong economy
• Promoting strong, healthy and safe communities
• Looking after the environment

The supporting strategic objective "to reduce waste and manage its disposal effectively" is particularly relevant to this Plan.

4.10 Following on from the Plan’s principles and the overall aim of sustainable management of waste the Waste Local Plan Strategy has two further aims:

• Protection and enhancement of the environment from the impact of waste management; and
• Promotion of efficient use of resources.

Protection and enhancement of the environment.

4.11 This includes the minimisation of adverse environmental impact, by aiming to reduce pollution from waste management operations including the handling, processing, transportation and disposal of waste, promoting sensitive working practices, and the protection of natural resources.

4.12 Ensuring that local communities are effectively protected from any adverse impacts arising from waste management operations is essential if the quality of life of the County’s residents is to be maintained. Noise, odours, dust, traffic, ground water pollution, visual intrusion and other impacts can all have a negative impact on the life of communities. Operating sites to the highest standards is the best way to minimise such impacts.  Controlling the impacts of waste management operations may also bring benefits for the waste management industry by reducing the level of public opposition to new proposals.  Other bodies, particularly the Environment Agency and district councils, also have statutory responsibilities for control of pollution and environmental impacts.

4.13 County Durham enjoys a rich natural and cultural heritage which must be safeguarded for the benefit of future generations. Areas and features of international, national, regional or County-wide importance are an irreplaceable resource and therefore need to be identified and protected. Measures are also required to protect the quality of the wider environment, through the overall conservation of the general character and diversity of the landscape, cultural heritage and ecology, as well as more fundamental environmental elements such as air, soil and water quality. Waste management can, in some circumstances, bring about environmental benefits or community benefits.

4.14 The Waste Local Plan includes detailed land use policies on environmental protection (Section 6).  Policies in the Local Plan which identify criteria for assessing future waste management proposals will also ensure the protection of the environment, directing development away from sensitive areas.

4.15 Protection of the environment will be addressed through the Waste Local Plan through the following objectives:

1. To protect and enhance the natural and built environment, including sites of ecological and landscape value and character, vulnerable aquifers and the Green Belt;
2. To protect local amenity by minimising the adverse impact of waste management operations on local communities and residential areas, for example, by promoting and agreeing sensitive working practices and effective restoration schemes;
3. To protect human health by the minimisation of pollution of land, air and  water;
4. To ensure the effective reclamation of disposal sites by requiring phased restoration and suitable after-uses; and,
5. To protect and enhance the attractiveness of County Durham as a location for investment

Promoting efficient use of resources.

4.16 The generation of waste in itself conflicts with the principles of sustainability. Some materials are discarded which have the potential to be re-used, recycled, composted or otherwise recovered. Resources can be used more efficiently by:

• reducing waste at source, (reducing the use of raw materials and minimising waste in production processes);
• re-using waste materials and recycling;
• minimising the amount of waste which is produced;
• recovering value and benefit from waste which is produced; and
• public involvement and raising public awareness.

To encourage this, it is necessary to ensure that an adequate planning framework is in place to enable sufficient waste management facilities to be provided, for the reduction, reuse, recovery and disposal of waste in accordance with the waste hierarchy.

4.17 The Waste Local Plan has the following objectives in relation to promoting efficient use of resources:

1. Promoting the minimisation of waste generation;
2. Promoting the maximisation of the re-use of non-renewable resources;
3. Promoting the maximisation of the recovery of value from waste which is produced; and,
4. Promoting the minimisation of the disposal of waste material which is capable of being recovered.

Achieving the Objectives.

4.18 These objectives will be achieved by ensuring that the Waste Local Plan:

• emphasises the importance of waste reduction;
• encourages consideration of the waste implications from all new major development proposals;
• establishes detailed planning policies to protect both people and the environment from unacceptable adverse impacts of waste management operations;
• makes provision for waste management facilities to deal with waste arising within County Durham and an appropriate share of the regional  requirements in accordance with the proximity principle and regional self-sufficiency;
• makes provision for new or improved waste treatment facilities, provided that they accord with the principles set out above;
• makes provision for waste disposal facilities including landfill where necessary to manage the residual proportion of waste material and where recovery does not represent the BPEO; and,
• monitors the provision of waste management facilities in relation to ensuring sufficient capacity is available to deal with waste arisings in County Durham.

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