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A £24m program to deal with London's commercial and industrial
waste has been launched which could see waste companies bid
for funding before a 'Dragons' Den'-style panel of
experts.
London Mayor Ken Livingstone and the London Development Agency
(LDA) announced details of the program, which aims to support
the development of infrastructure that can reduce the amount
of waste being landfilled or incinerated.
A panel of waste, energy and financial experts will be appointed
this summer to drive the program and find innovative waste
and recycling facilities for the capital. The Mayor's office
said companies could be invited to pitch to the panel in a
similar manner to contestants on the BBC2 show, Dragons' Den.
Mr Livingstone said - "There are real opportunities in London
to develop technologies that treat waste as a resource, rather
than relying on outdated waste disposal methods which contribute
to climate change."
He added - "London's businesses and boroughs are currently
choosing to bury and burn the capital's waste - dumping it
in the Home Counties - while recycling rates lag behind the
rest of the U.K. This funding package of £24m from the London
Development Agency will accelerate the use of cleaner, greener
recycling and treatment methods that are already being effectively
used in Europe."
Manny Lewis, chief executive of the LDA, added - "It simply
isn't viable to continue to send all that waste to landfill
and we're currently missing out on the possibilities waste
has to offer as a resource."
The program is a key part of the Mayor's Draft
Business Waste Strategy and it is hoped it will secure
significant additional investment from both the private and
public sectors.
A report commissioned by the Greater London Authority and
published last month said technologies such as plasma gasification
and anaerobic digestion will deliver the biggest reductions
in climate change emissions.
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