Fire services are currently tackling a significant blaze to a building with asbestos in the roof at South Wales firm Siteserv Recyclings site in Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan.
And, elsewhere, a suspected electrical fire broke out this morning at organics recycler New Earth Solutions in-vessel composting (IVC) site in West Malling, Kent.
Siteserv Recycling
The Siteserv Recycling fire in Wales was discovered at around 7.20pm yesterday evening (November 5) on the Llandow Trading Estate site and is expected to burn for up to two days, according to South Wales Police.
Residents and businesses within a two-mile radius of the site have been warned by police to keep windows and doors closed as the premises ablaze has asbestos in the roof.
The fire broke out at the site’s waste transfer station. The premises includes a materials recycling facility (MRF), but this is not believed to have been affected by the blaze.
A South Wales Fire & Rescue Service spokesman said 23 engines attended the scene at the height of the blaze last night. He added that the fire was now under control and that six engines have remained on site to dampen down the flames, which are still smouldering.
‘Whilst we are unsure of the source of the fire, we are working with both the fire service and police to establish possible causes.’
Siteserv spokeswoman
An investigation into the cause of the fire is expected to start once the site is determined as safe, but the fire service said there was currently no indication as to how the fire started.
South Wales Police said: The premises ablaze has asbestos in the roof, and as a precautionary measure, residents within a two mile radius, particularly in the direction of Llantwit Major & Southerndown, are requested to keep their doors and windows closed.
The following premises in the nearby vicinity are likely to be affected, and visitors amd employees may experience some inconvenience as a result: Powercafe, BPLG UK, Llandow Circuit, Keyline Products, QU paving, and JWB Recycling.
Siteserv Recycling was set up around 15 years ago and processes 133,000 tonnes of business waste material each year, including paper, plastics, wood, metal and hazardous waste. The firm also claims to 18,000 tonnes of waste from local authorities.
A Siteserv spokeswoman said: Whilst we are unsure of the source of the fire, we are working with both the fire service and police to establish possible causes. In the meantime, the management team has activated the Company Business Continuity Plans and is working tirelessly to ensure that we are operating business as usual.
New Earth Solutions
Meanwhile, a suspected electrical fire also broke out this morning at New Earth Solutions in-vessel composting (IVC) site in West Malling, Kent.
Site staff called the fire brigade at 7.20am after smoke was seen coming from a compost storage building at the organics recycling companys Blaise facility in Kings Hill.
According to Kent Fire & Rescue Service, four fire engines and a water unit attended the scene and are working to dampen down the site.
Peter Mills, operations director at New Earth Solutions, told letsrecycle.com that 300-500 tonnes of finished compost of around 40% moisture content is stored in the building.
He said staff were working with fire service to get access to the building and move the material, which he believes has been unaffected by the blaze.
Mr Mills said: Until we get access to the building to get a proper look it is too soon to tell exactly how it started, but the fire officers told us they think it is electrical. The only electrical equipment in the building is the lighting there is no processing equipment in that building.
Mr Mills said operations and deliveries in and out of the Blaise facility are continuing as normal.
The Blaise IVC plant opened in September 2008 and has the capacity to process 50,000 tonnes of mixed green, food and cardboard waste per year.
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