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As more and more regions of the UK explore ways to avoid sending waste to landfill, the country’s waste-to-energy sector has grown. This is predominantly a series of incinerator plants which burn waste and convert that into energy for the National Grid.
While not the greenest energy solution, it is still a better option than extracting and burning fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. It is also a better option than sending waste straight to landfill sites.
However, despite there being a need to reduce what goes to landfill, waste incineration that leads to energy generation can mean that otherwise recyclable materials are lost.
Back in 2024, the UK government announced it would only approve plans to construct new waste incinerators if they met strict new local and environmental conditions. These conditions included improving a plant’s efficiency and being able to demonstrate it would prevent waste going to landfill.
What’s more, the government wants all new waste-to-energy incinerators to be “carbon capture ready”, which means when this technology becomes viable it can be installed on such plants.
However, as of January 2026, some new guidelines came into force for the industry.
Earlier this year, a voluntary monitoring, reporting and verification period started for energy-from-waste plants. This is a precursor to energy-from-waste plants being included in the UK’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) from 2028.
During this voluntary period, energy-from-waste facilities will be encouraged to record and monitor their carbon emissions. The idea being that they can use this data to lower their emissions, as well as to feed into the policy being developed around the sector.
The UK ETS currently sets a cap on the emissions allowed from certain sectors – presently aviation, heavy industry and power – as well as a carbon price. The idea is to encourage operators in heavily polluting industries to decarbonise.
Prior to Brexit, the UK was part of the EU ETS, but its own version of the policy came into force in January 2021. Its purpose is to help steer the country towards net-zero by 2040.
This is why it’s being expanded to include more industries, including the energy-from-waste sector. Although the current phase is voluntary for those in this sector, it will become a legal requirement in two years.
At this stage, the main focus will be on developing robust reporting mechanisms around emissions and using that data to explore ways in which to improve the efficiency of such incinerator plants while reducing emissions.
However, as the Environmental Services Association pointed out, one of the best ways to lower the emissions produced by such facilities is to boost recycling rates and encourage manufacturers to produce more recyclable packaging – or ideally use less packaging in the first place.
Although average recycling rates in the UK have hit over 40 per cent in much of the country, there is still more to be done to increase the amount of waste that gets recycled, which will in turn reduce the amount that’s incinerated.
Making producers responsible for their packaging, rolling out deposit return schemes and simplifying household waste recycling are among the measures the ESA is calling for to support less waste going to landfill.
The organisation also pointed out that even if all the necessary reforms were enacted swiftly, there would still be millions of tonnes of waste in the UK that either needs to go to landfill or to be incinerated.
In the case of the latter, at least some of the energy expended can be recovered through the incineration process.
No. They will only come into force for operators that are processing more than three tonnes per hour of non-hazardous waste or ten tonnes or more per day of hazardous waste. That means smaller providers won’t need to make any changes yet.
However, there is of course nothing stopping any energy-from-waste provider from taking steps to reduce their carbon emissions and improve their environmental credentials.
It’s clear that the waste-to-energy sector will continue to provide an important role in the UK’s waste processing industry, even with the new regulations that are on the horizon. The truth is, as a nation, we produce too much non-recyclable waste to put in landfill.
If you operate an energy-from-waste plant and need conveyor belt repair or any other conveyor belt-related services, get in touch with us to find out how we can support your operations both now and in the future.
Established in 1989 TVVS is a professional and friendly company. We offer an outstanding conveyor maintenance and repair service throughout the UK, as well as contracts in France, Iceland, Austria and Qatar.