Campaigners attack Welsh incinerator proposal
The campaign group has claimed that the company’s application to construct a 750,000 tonnes-a-year capacity plant at Brig y Cwm in Merthyr Tydfil could adversely affect jobs, green waste policies and impact on local authorities. Covanta first unveiled its intention to construct the plant in January 2009, which is expected to cost 400 million to develop (see letsrecycle.com story). Due to the size of the project, the proposal was submitted on December 31 2010 to the Infrastructure Planning Commission for approval. The IPC has 28 days to decide whether or not it will accept the application for examination having considered a number of factors, including the adequacy of public consultation that has been undertaken. Subject to planning approval, it is intended that the plant will be operational by late 2015.
Malcolm Chilton, Covanta Energy’s UK managing director, said: “Brig y Cwm is a substantial investment that will provide a clean source of sustainable energy while addressing the serious issues of how society deals with non-recyclable waste.”
Friends of the Earth’s planning campaigner, Mike Birkin, said: “This huge waste plant will need to burn thousands of tonnes of valuable resources every year to make it cost-effective, and this will completely undermine efforts to cut waste and boost recycling.”
Cumbria to continue Europe-wide EfW project
Cumbria county council is set to continue its involvement in the pan-European EU2WE project, assessing sustainable waste management and improving energy recovery from waste across EU countries.
The project, which is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, involves a series of information exchanges with different member states to examine practice and policy. It is also intended to allow partners in the project o review their own existing waste policies. The project features members from Italy, Sweden, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and Romania, as well as Cumbria, and is set to culminate in the production of a policy tool to help EU Member States make waste and energy decisions that are appropriate to their region.
In November 2010, a delegate from Cumbria county council took part in a visit to Sweden to see some of the work going on in the country to reduce waste and look at how Sweden is going about producing energy from waste.
Broxbourne praises collection efforts despite snow
The local authority, which lies just to the north of London, has stressed that staff managed to operate a full service for every planned day except one following the onslaught of snow on December 18 and 19. Broxbourne officials said that crews had not only completed refuse and recycling collections as planned but had tackled fly-tipped waste and bring banks as well. The council said it achieved the measure by moving staff from street cleansing, grounds maintenance and highways maintenance over to help the service, as well as equipping staff with spiked overshoes.
Councillor Mrs Hazel Jackson, chairman of the service organisation board said: “I am very pleased that during some of the worst weather in years, and the disruption of the Christmas break, breaks in continuity of service have been minimal.”
Malaysian firm wins 450m Peterborough energy park deal
Malaysian manufacturing giant KNM Group Berhard has won a 450 millioncontract to handle the engineering, procurement and construction of a Green Energy Park’ in Peterborough.
Developers Peterborough Renewable Energy Ltd (PREL) – a subsidiary of Green Energy Parks Ltd – has handed KNM the contract for the facility, which, once operational, is expected to generate 80MW of renewable energy from biomass. The Green Energy Park is said to be the first in a number of nationwide plants set to be developed by PREL and, in addition to biomass, it is intended to house operations for the recycling and remanufacturing of other materials.
Announcing the deal, Chris Williams, managing director of Green Energy Parks, said: “In KNM Group Berhad we have found a partner who shares our ethos, drive and ambition to deliver a landfill free future. We are delighted to be signing this deal which will see our vision become reality in our first Energy Park for Peterborough. We look forward to breaking ground and getting the construction phase under way.”
Cherwell launches bin sale to help increase recycling
TheNorth Oxfordshirelocal authority claimed that, while residents are doing a “tremendous job” at present, there was still room for improvement and is looking to tackle the 4,000 tonnes of recyclables currently being landfilled. In an effort to encourage residents to do more, the council is offering 240 litre, blue wheeled bins for 15, which is a 25% discount on the regular price for residents. Residents in Cherwell are able to have as many recycling bins, as well as food and garden waste bins, as they wish without incurring any further charges for collection.
Councillor George Reynolds, Cherwell’s portfolio holder for environment, recreation and health, said: “Residents across Cherwell do a tremendous job of recycling meaning we are one of the top districts in the south east. In fact some are so keen that they struggle to fit all the items they wish to recycle into the bins and boxes we provided.”
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