Northumberland
County Council's Climate
Change Action Plan

The Council has a Climate Change Action Plan 2021-2023, which sets the framework for achieving our ambitions. The next Climate Change Action Plan for 2024-26 is due to be published in Spring 2024 and will set out the most up-to-date targets of becoming a carbon neutral Council by 2030 and a net zero county by 2040.

The current plan sets out seven key action areas with strategic projects in each.

Navigate through the seven key action areas below to see key projects and development ongoing in these areas.

Priority 1:

Council policy >

Priority 2:

Partnerships >

Priority 3:

Heating buildings >

Circles showing the 7 key council climate priorities

Priority 4:

Sustainable transport >

Priority 5:

Renewable energy >

Priority 6:

Carbon sequestration>

Priority 7:

Waste >

Download full climate action plan >

Priority area 7:
Waste >

Reducing our consumption is the first step in reducing our waste. The Council wants to encourage keeping materials in operation and productive use for as long as possible through recycling and upcycling.

A key element of delivering the Council’s Climate Change Action Plan is helping residents to understand the waste hierarchy and provide solutions for their waste.

Food waste pilot schemes >

A 10-month weekly food waste trial was launched in October 2022 for around 4,800 households in parts of Morpeth and Bedlington, along with properties in the villages of Pegswood, Hebron, Longhirst and Ulgham.

Collections have been taken to an anaerobic digestion plant where micro-organisms break down the food waste. This process produces the renewable energy, biogas, which can be used to produce heat, electricity, and transport fuel, as well as producing a nutrient rich biofertiliser that can be used to replace chemical fertilisers in agriculture.

The second trial is a small-scale pilot of a hot composting technology for a home-based food and garden waste. This solution is for residents that currently do not qualify for a garden waste collection and live in less accessible areas of Northumberland, making weekly food waste collection more challenging.

Both trials will help increase resident awareness of food waste and the impact that reduction can have both on the environment and on their household bills.

Glass kerbside trials

The kerbside glass recycling pilot scheme has been running since November 2020 providing a once-monthly collection of glass from around 4,000 households. Once further central government funding is provided, we hope to scale this county-wide.

Climate Change Policy Thematic Group

Our climate change policy thematic group ensures carbon reduction in all new policy development providing support and review for impactful decisions. It is a central point for reviewing key policy and procurement decisions that could impact climate change.

Investigating our associated waste emissions

The Council is responsible for collecting waste in the county and works alongside Suez – a company which processes this waste. A project is underway to determine the level of emissions arising from the waste collected by the Council.