Landfill
Landfill is the disposal of waste which cannot be reused, recycled or recovered, into or onto land. It forms the lowest aspect of the European Waste Framework Directive’s waste hierarchy.
The EU’s Landfill Directive aims to reduce the amount of waste to landfill by finding ways to recover value from waste and develop more sustainable management practices.
Disposal to landfill is the least preferred option in the waste hierarchy and should only be used as a last resort after re-use, recycling and recovery options, as an escalating scale of taxation on materials being sent to landfill has made this an increasingly expensive option.
How is waste sent to landfill dealt with?
Waste taken to landfill is managed to prevent odour, litter and pest infestations. The gases produced by the decomposition of the waste – mainly a mix of carbon dioxide and methane – are burned off or used in an on-site energy generation plant.
Landfills are lined on the base and sides prior to waste deposition. As an area of a landfill reaches capacity it is covered with an engineered cap such as clay and restored using soils or other covering materials so that the site can be used in the future for agriculture, amenities or nature conservation. This is repeated for all filled areas.
How is landfill regulated?
From 1 November 2025, water, waste management and industrial activities will be regulated under the Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (EASR).
Find out what this means for landfill regulation here.
Help and guidance
Landfill gas management
- Guidance on the management of landfill gas
- Guidance for monitoring of trace components in landfill gas
- Guidance on landfill gas flaring
- Guidance on gas treatment technologies for landfill gas engines
- Guidance for monitoring landfill gas engine emissions
- Guidance for monitoring enclosed landfill gas flares
Management plans
SEPA Landfill Management Plan guidance
Monitoring
- Landfill emissions return
- Landfill emissions return guidance
- Guidance on monitoring of landfill leachate, groundwater and surface water
- Engineering (lining and capping)
- Framework for risk assessment for landfill sites: The geological barrier, mineral layer and the leachate sealing and drainage system
- Interim technical guidance note on capping for landfill sites
Hydrogeological risk assessment
Financial provision
SEPA Technical guidance note: Estimate of amount of financial provision for landfill
Waste acceptance and disposal
- The criteria and procedures for the acceptance of waste at landfills (Scotland) direction 2005
- The disposal in landfills for non-hazardous waste of stable, non-reactive hazardous wastes
- SEPA Technical guidance note: Disposal of gypsum in Landfills
- The disposal in landfills for non-hazardous waste of asbestos, wastes
- SEPA Technical guidance note: Closure procedures for landfill sites currently operating under waste management licences
- SEPA Technical guidance note: Closure, restoration and aftercare plan for submission to SEPA
- The criteria and procedures for the acceptance of waste at landfills (Scotland): Amendment direction 2009
- The criteria and procedures for the acceptance of waste landfills (Scotland) amendment direction 2019
Closure and restoration
- SEPA Guidance: Landfill restoration general guidance
- SEPA Guidance: Landfill Restoration Plan - Operator notification guidance
- Landfill Restoration Plan - Operator notification form
- SEPA Guidance: Guidance on closed landfills regulated under Pollution Prevention and Control
- Landfills regulated under PPC - The Closure and Aftercare Management Plan
Habitats guidance
SEPA Technical guidance note: Habitats regulations and the landfill regulations guidance
Contact us
If you require any further help or advice, please contact us.