Britain now 'dustbin of Europe'
November 12, 2007
Britain is officially the "dustbin of Europe", new figures have suggested.
The UK dumps more household waste into landfill than any other country in the European Union, research by the Local Government Association (LGA) shows.
Households sent more than 22.6 million tonnes of rubbish to landfill in the most recent year in which comparable figures were available across the EU.
Council leaders warn that an area the size of Warwick - 109 square miles - is already used as landfill.
The LGA, which represents councils in England, warns that if the current trend continues it is estimated the country will run out of landfill space in less than nine years' time.
Bold reforms
The figures show Britain sent the same amount of rubbish to landfill as the 18 EU countries with the lowest landfill rates combined, despite their having almost twice the population.
The countries with the highest amount of household rubbish thrown into landfill each year are the UK, with around 22.6 million tonnes, Italy at 17.6 million tonnes and Spain, which throws away around 14.2 million tonnes.
France sends around 12 million tonnes to landfill, while Poland dumps around 8.6 million tonnes.
Local government leaders say bold reforms are needed otherwise recycling rates will not rise fast enough to meet the EU Landfill Directive.
Councils, and consequently the taxpayer, are facing fines of up to £150 per tonne of rubbish that is sent to landfill sites.
Paul Bettison, chairman of the LGA environment board, said: "For decades people have been used to being able to throw their rubbish away without worrying about the consequences. Those days are now over.
"There needs to be an urgent and radical overhaul of the way in which rubbish is thrown away.
"Local people, businesses and councils all have a vital role to play to protect our countryside before it becomes buried in a mountain of rubbish."
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