Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar Transforms Residents Waste Into Alternative Fuel
Fewer Road Miles And Ferry Crossings: How A Scottish Island Community Is Turning Waste Into Alternative Fuel
Advetec is helping Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar drive its waste innovation agenda and reduce the transport miles associated with non-recyclable waste from its 27,000 island residents, by turning it into Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF).
Our Customer
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar is the local authority responsible for the Western Isles of Scotland, also known as the Outer Hebrides. The area comprises more than 100 islands, 15 of which are inhabited.
Domestic and commercial black bag waste has been removed from the islands for many years by road and ferry. Waste is transported from transfer stations in Barra (to the south) and Uist (to the north) to landfill in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, 93 miles away.
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar is passionate about waste innovation and has implemented a sustainable waste management strategy to harness newer disposal methods. Spurred on by Scotland’s upcoming 2026 ban on sending biodegradable waste to landfills, the council knows how imperative it is to future-proof its environmental practices and act quickly. A key aspect of the strategy is diverting 100% of the islands’ non-recyclable waste from landfill and turning it into alternative fuel.
Objectives
- Minimise the number of road miles and ferry crossings required for disposal – reducing the associated carbon emissions and environmental impact
- Reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill
- Improve the local waste infrastructure
- Reduce and stabilise waste disposal costs
- Turn waste into a commodity
- Support the circular economy
Key Facts
- The XO22 will be installed at Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar’s waste transfer site in Market Stance, Benbecula
- 10 tonnes of non-recyclable waste will be processed per day
- 1.2 tonnes of CO2 will be saved for every two tonnes of waste treated
- Each tonne of floc turned into Solid Recovered Fuel will replace 0.5 tonnes of carbon-emitting coal
The Brief
Waste disposal is a complex process for island communities. The lack of local waste infrastructure and travel necessity present extra cost and carbon considerations.
With Scotland’s 2026 landfill ban on biodegradable waste fast approaching, Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar was eager to shift away from costly carbon-intensive waste practices towards a more localised and climate-conscious alternative.
The landfill ban also highlights how much recyclable material ends up in landfill because of the presence of organic matter, so the council urgently wanted an alternative method to treat this waste stream. Advetec was tasked with revolutionising the council’s approach by converting non-recyclable waste into a valuable fuel source.
Cllr Paul Steele, Leader of Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, said:
“This investment is hugely beneficial for the people of the Western Isles and our local environment. Our new approach reduces the number of trucks and ferries required to move waste around the isles and will transform it into a commodity. Converting this waste into fuel is a much more sustainable solution and allows us to extract greater value from something once deemed worthless. It also prepares us for the 2026 ban on biodegradable waste sent to landfills.”
Results
- 50% mass reduction
- 4,380 tonnes of CO2e will be saved
- Approximately 3,650 tonnes of waste diverted from landfill each year
- Approximately 1,825 tonnes of SRF will be created each year