What Does Scotland’s Landfill Ban Mean for England?

On average, it’s estimated that around 8.5 million tonnes of the UK’s waste ends up in landfill each year. While these figures have been slowly decreasing over the last decade, a significant portion of our waste still ends up in landfill, despite an increase in recycling and sustainable waste management. 

Now, the Scottish Government has decided enough is enough, and has introduced a landfill ban that is set to come into effect later this year. But what does this landfill ban entail and what impact, if any, will this have on us here in England? The team at SCS Waste is here to find out.

What is Scotland’s landfill ban?

From the 1st of January 2026, the Scottish Government has placed a ban on biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) – that’s classed as waste that will naturally rot or degrade, such as food scraps, garden waste, paper and more – from being sent to landfill. This is in an attempt to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure all useful materials are recovered and recycled. 

Is Scotland ready for the landfill ban?

Originally, this ban was meant to be introduced in 2021, but the Covid-19 pandemic brought preparations to a halt and it was concluded that the right infrastructure wasn’t in place to go ahead as planned. However, four years on and with the ban looming ever closer, the waste management forecast is still looking a little bleak.

Biodegradable waste that would have gone to landfill is supposed to be going to incinerators or energy-from-waste (EfW) sites, but there is a growing concern that there won’t be enough of these facilities ready by 2026. In fact, it’s estimated by Zero Waste Scotland that next year, there will be 600,000 tonnes of waste with nowhere to go.

What does Scotland’s landfill ban mean for England?

A recent investigation by the BBC has estimated that 80-100 truckloads of waste will be sent to waste management sites in England every day in 2026, as facilities in Scotland just won’t have the capacity to cope with increased demand. 

While you might think this won’t impact you, this will have a knock-on effect on waste management facilities across the UK. As more and more Scottish waste is sent over the border to compete for landfill space, sites in England will be under increased pressure. For businesses and local councils in England, this could potentially lead to longer processing times and higher waste disposal costs.

There is talk that England may soon follow suit, as DEFRA (the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) has issued a Call for Evidence, looking for views and data on how a similar landfill ban could be achieved here by 2028. While there has been nothing officially confirmed, a plan is clearly on the horizon, so it might be a good idea for businesses to start looking for a trusted waste management partner now.

How can SCS Waste help?

Whatever quantity of waste you need to dispose of, the team at SCS Waste is your trusted waste management partner. At our state-of-the-art waste management facility in Arundel, we have the capacity to process 150,000 tonnes of waste annually, so you can rest assured that your waste is always in safe hands, no matter what pressures the wider waste management industry is under.

As an independent business that is passionate about sustainability, we’ve invested over £1,000,000 into our modern waste management facility, so we strive to recover and recycle 100% of the waste we collect. If you’d like to know more about how we could help you or your business in Arundel, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis or the surrounding region of West Sussex, get in touch with us today.