A research document assessing a number of reports into the capability within England to treat residual municipal waste has found there will be a shortfall of capacity under most scenarios by 2030.

The study, commissioned for the Environmental Services Association, found it was unlikely that there would be enough capacity, primarily in the form of energy from waste plants, with the association forecasting a 6 million tonnes gap by 2030.

Included in the estimates is an amount of overseas incineration of waste but with a slow rise in recycling and reduced rate of landfill the need for more plants to be built in England is clear, says the Association.

The data will form part of the waste management industry’s lobbying of government for an up-to-date policy supporting the development of new facilities. A waste and resources strategy is expected to be published by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs within the first three months of 2017.