29 October 2004
Wales's landfill capacity will be exhausted by 2010, auditor general Sir John Bourn has warned. In a report this week on regulation of waste management, Bourn says Wales produces 26 million tonnes of waste each year and needs more than 500 new waste management facilities to cope. But there is a serious risk that additional facilities will not be built in time to meet the demand. Wales is also under pressure from an 'alarming' rise in illegal dumping — up by 80% since 2001. On one site, 4,000 tonnes of illegally tipped waste were found, including hazardous materials. 'Waste is Wales's biggest environmental problem,' Bourn said. 'Illegal activity diminished the beauty of the countryside.'
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