Landfill

Approximately three per cent of renewable power in the UK is generated from SITA UK landfill sites.

SITA UK has 24 landfill sites in the UK, where we manage the safe disposal of non-recycled waste. Our sites are highly engineered, using our industry-leading expertise in pollution control, landfill gas utilisation and land restoration.

Our specialist division, SITA Power, is responsible for extracting the gas produced when waste breaks down in landfill sites and using it as a resource. SITA Power operates 36 landfill gas generation schemes, which produce around three per cent of the UK’s renewable power, and a biomethane fuel plant.

Our ongoing investments through SITA Power will enable us to increase renewable energy production at our landfills. During 2008, we added 330 kW of capacity at Seghill landfill in the North East, and gained planning permission for five more gas-to-energy projects. Combined, these newly approved projects will add up to 10 MW to SITA Power’s total generating capacity – an increase of about 10 per cent.

And this is not the only way that SITA UK’s landfill activities can give something back to the community.

Landfill tax and SITA Trust

Landfill tax was introduced by the government as an incentive to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill. The rates for 2009/2010 are £40 per tonne for active waste and £2.50 per tonne for inactive waste. The Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) is a funding scheme for community and environmental projects close to landfill sites that enables landfill operators to contribute a percentage of their landfill tax liability to not-for-profit environmental bodies for allocation to eligible projects. SITA UK provides this funding to SITA Trust, who support community and environmental improvement projects through the LCF. Since 1997, when SITA Trust began its funding programmes, the Trust has supported more than 2,000 projects with a combined value of more than £72m.

See how a landfill works, or contact us for more information.