Current status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 17 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) there is disposal capacity to treat all biodegradable municipal waste and (b) all biodegradable municipal waste will be treated in Scotland in 2026.
In October 2024, a report commissioned by the Scottish Government projected an initial treatment capacity shortfall for residual waste in Scotland of 600,000 tonnes when the ban on landfilling biodegradable municipal waste commences on 31 December 2025.
However, alongside further measures to reduce waste and promote recycling, the construction of planned infrastructure continues, helping to address this temporary gap; and available projections continue to indicate before turning into an estimated capacity surplus from 2027.
Officials continue to work with waste sector partners, including local authorities on these matters.