A project is underway to demonstrate the environmental and economic benefits to England and Wales of a multi-modal mass balance approach to the transport of waste and recyclable material.

The Strategic Vision is of an Integrated National Network of Strategic Resource Recovery Facilities, incorporating:
Regional Nodes
Environmental Clusters
Industrial Ecology and Industrial Symbiosis
Integrated Multi -Modal Transport
The Strategic Vision

The challenge is the creation of a modern waste and resource recovery system, effectively from 'scratch': the opportunity is to think creatively and strategically about how this system might be made as sustainable as possible. That is, how can this network of facilities be designed to optimise economies of scale in terms of facility location and scale and the intermodal transport of waste between these facilities.

Introduction

England and Wales faces a revolution in waste management practices in coming decades as the demands of legislation and sustainable waste management policies drives England and Wales away from a reliance on waste to disposal towards the creation of a modern, integrated network of recycling, recovery and disposal facilities.

The Intermodal Transport of Waste and Recyclables Project offers the opportunity to think strategically about the scale and location of facilities, while optimising transport of materials between facilities and regions using rail, inland waterways and coastal options.

Challenges & Opportunities

The Project

The project is a combination of strategic 'Blue Sky' visioning with practical assessment of intermodal transportation of waste in terms of:
What can be achieved?
How can it be achieved?
Over what time period?
At what cost?
Combined with assessment and recommendations on transport and waste policy and planning options, we will identify:
What are the barriers to intermodal transportation of waste and what mechanisms need to be put in place to overcome these?
How has this been achieved in other countries?
What lessons from Europe and Internationally are applicable to England and Wales (and what are not)?
The Project will deliver the following outcomes:
A review of the current waste transportation and infrastructure, including the environmental impacts of them
Identification of barriers to alternative waste transport modes from consultation with stakeholders
The projected waste and materials flow to 2020
Sustainability objectives and targets for waste and recyclable transportation
Integration with other programmes such as Regional Mass balance and WWF co-ordination programmes
Current European and International Best Practice Detailed regional scenarios, with applied Life-Cycle Assessment and regional multi-modal scenarios to quantify environmental costs and benefits
Best Practice case studies and identification of barriers to wider implementation
Develop and publish an Integrated Waste Transport Module to support Regional Planning Guidance in England and Wales
Outcomes & Deliverables

Conclusions and Outputs

The Intermodal Transport of Waste and Recyclables Project will produce a series of outputs aimed at both demonstrating the benefits and identifying action on the part of all stakeholders which will enable a phased shift to intermodal transport for waste and recyclables. Specific outputs will include:
Project Report
Launch Conference
Integrated Waste Transport Planning Guidance
Ongoing promotion and dissemination programmehttp://www.pi>