Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much waste the UK is currently capable of incinerating; and what estimate he has made of the waste incineration capacity that will be required in 2030.

The latest figures available for incineration capacity are from 2016 for England when there was a throughput of 9,630,000 tonnes. There is permitted capacity for 11,360,000 tonnes for municipal and/or commercial and industrial waste.

Defra is currently looking at the overall capacity that may be needed to deal with England’s waste that remains after recycling and reuse, but this analysis is ongoing and does not specifically focus on waste incineration.

Any assessment of future capacity needs will be further informed by our new Resources and Waste Strategy which is being developed.