Why Scotland chose to delay its controversial landfill ban

What a difference seven days make. On 12 September, Clackmannanshire Council proudly announced a “short-term solution” had been put in place to meet the Scottish government’s ban on sending biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) to landfill. But instead of a pat on the back, there was a kick in the teeth when local papers reported that the 8,000 tonnes of waste will be baled up and exported to an energy-from-waste (EfW) plant in Sweden. A week later, on 19 September, came the sucker punch: the environment secretary announced a four-year extension to enforcement of the ban.