In Fife, residual waste from blue bins and Household Waste Recycling Centres is sent to local Energy from Waste (EfW) facilities where waste is burned to produce electricity and heat. This helps manage waste sustainably and generate renewable energy. This process:
- reduces landfill waste
- lowers greenhouse gas emissions, and
- decreases reliance on fossil fuels.
The main EfW facilities used are Westfield Energy Recovery Facility near Kinglassie and Earls Gate Energy Centre in Grangemouth. Both sites have advanced pollution control technologies to reduce harmful emissions.
What do we send to EfW?
Almost anything can go to EfW. This includes:
- Polystyrene
- Contaminated recycling
- Nappies and incontinence products
- Paint tins - empty
- Animal waste
- Vacuum dust
- Most items that cannot be recycled
Some items cannot go to EfW. This includes:
- items that are too large,
- items that won’t burn, or
- items containing harmful or hazardous material.
Examples of these items are:
- Items over 1 metre
- Where they can go: Most large items can be disposed of in the bulky waste container at recycling centres.
- Why: Large items can cause damage and blockages at the EfW facility.
- Gas canisters
- Where they can go: Gas canisters area at recycling centres.
- Why: Gas canisters can explode causing damage to the EfW facility.
- Rubble
- Where they can go: Soil and rubble containers at recycling centres.
- Why: Rubble will not burn at the EfW facility but can be used to create aggregates for construction.
- Metals
- Where they can go: Metal containers at recycling centres.
- Why: Metals will not burn at the EfW facility but can be melted into new metal products.
- Electrical items
- Where they can go: Small electrical and electronic equipment containers at recycling centres.
- Why: EfW facilities are not licensed to accept this type of waste. Electrical items can be accepted for recycling.
- Upholstered furniture
- Where they can go: Upholstered furniture containers at recycling centres.
- Why: Upholstered furniture normally contains POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants) that need to be processed at a facility licensed to accept this material to prevent release into the environment.
- Hazardous refuse of any kind, such as cleaning fluids, crank case oils, cutting oils, paints, varnishes, acids, caustics, poisons, drugs, asbestos
- Where they can go: You should contact a licensed contractor, who will levy a charge for this service. (Please dispose of hazardous or chemical waste responsibly and do not place it into drains or waste bins).
- Why: EfW facilities are not licensed to accept this type of waste.
- Batteries of any type
- Where they can go: Household batteries can be returned to most stores that sell batteries or to recycling centres. Automotive batteries can be dropped off at a container at recycling centres.
- Why: EfW facilities are not licensed to accept this type of waste.
