Aberdeen Incinerator Shuts Again Amid Legal Battle

Aberdeen's £150 million waste incinerator, serving Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, and Moray councils, has closed for the second time in half a year. The facility, which opened in April 2024, has seen its former operator, EfW Ness, announce intentions to pursue legal action following the termination of its contract by Aberdeen City Council on December 8, 2025. This marks the second closure since its opening, with the first occurring in June due to operational issues.

Suez has been appointed as the interim operator for the East Tullos site, which has a capacity to process 150,000 tonnes of waste annually, diverting it from landfill. During this transition, the plant is temporarily closed, and waste is being redirected to alternative disposal facilities, including the Stoneyhill landfill site. Despite these disruptions, local authorities assure that residents' refuse collection services will not be impacted.

This situation arises as Scotland faces challenges in meeting its waste management targets, including a delayed ban on sending black-bag waste to landfill, now effective from January 2028. The capacity gap highlights the need for sufficient waste processing infrastructure across the country.