United Utilities has revealed plans to divert more than 95 per cent of waste away from landfill by 2015.The company said setting the targets is proof of its commitment to driving down costs, and playing its part ensuring a sustainable future for the region.

The waste from hundreds of United Utilities sites includes sludge from the wastewater treatment process, grit and screening and incinerator ash, waste from construction works, operational waste such as pallets, scrap metal and plastic containers through to office waste like paper, cardboard and kitchen scraps.Currently 90 per cent of the firm’s waste is already being diverted from landfill.

Jonathan Dobson, sustainability advisor for United Utilities said: "Everybody has a part to play in helping our region become more sustainable."We have a duty to our bill paying customers to look at everything we can to keep our operating costs as low as possible and by setting tough targets such as these we become more efficient, and set a lead for other firms in the North West to follow." In 1996 the UK Government introduced a landfill tax to encourage a move away from sending waste to landfill.

The tax, which is rising year-on-year and is set to reach £40 for each tonne of waste deposited to landfill, currently costs United Utilities £1 million annually. On the current rate of disposal to landfill the cost is likely to jump to £2 million by 2013 when the tax increases to £72 per tonne.

United Utilities already extracts energy from wastewater sludge to be used in combined heat and power for its engines at a number of its work sites.