UK Landfill Tax Increase Aims to Save Millions of Tonnes of Healthy Soil
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📰 The quick summary: The UK plans to increase landfill taxes for soil disposal from £4.05 to £125 per tonne by 2030, which can significantly reduce the unnecessary disposal of healthy soil and protect this vital natural resource.
📈 One key stat: A staggering 60% of material received by UK landfills is soil, with 25 million tonnes disposed in England alone in 2021, representing a massive loss of a resource that takes centuries to form.
💬 One key quote: “Soil is not just inert dirt: it is thought to be the biggest biodiversity reservoir on Earth, hosting more than half of the world’s species.”
1️⃣ The big picture: The UK government has proposed increasing the cost of sending soil to landfill, raising fees from £4.05 to potentially £125 per tonne by 2030. Despite pushback from construction companies concerned about rising building costs, soil scientists see environmental benefits in this policy change. Currently, soil makes up nearly 60% of materials in UK landfills, with 25 million tonnes disposed in England alone during 2021. Most troubling is that 98.5% of this discarded soil isn’t hazardous but rather healthy, usable material that takes hundreds to thousands of years to naturally form.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: Increasing landfill taxes creates powerful incentives for developers to manage soil more thoughtfully through construction processes. Better soil management practices can reduce both financial and carbon costs associated with unnecessary excavation and disposal. Preserving healthy soil in development areas helps regulate water flow, reduce flood risks, and create more resilient urban environments. A meter of healthy soil can hold up to 60cm of rainfall, making communities better equipped to handle extreme weather events. This shift also supports establishing and maintaining green spaces that enhance wellbeing and provide natural cooling in urban areas.
3️⃣ What’s next: The UK government has committed to piloting a new soil reuse scheme across England starting in 2026. Ideally, this program would launch alongside the landfill tax reforms to help construction companies make better use of valuable soil. These combined approaches aim to prevent unintended consequences like illegal dumping while establishing stronger, climate-resilient foundations for communities.
Read the full story here: The Conversation – A landfill tax could halt the vast amounts of healthy soil that are needlessly thrown away
