The decision by Newham council comes just over two weeks after Havering council granted Shanks East London planning permission for a similar facility in Frog Island, Rainham (see letsrecycle.com story). The Bio-MRF technology is a form of mechanical-biological treatment which separates out recyclables and converts the residual waste into refuse derived fuel, a dry organic material.
Allan Barton, managing director of Shanks East London, said: “We are delighted that Newham council has made a positive local decision on the final phase of redevelopment at Jenkins Lane. This follows hot on the heels of the decision by Havering council to give local consent to a similar facility in Frog Island in Rainham. With these new facilities we will really be in a position to change the way people’s household rubbish is dealt with in this area.”
The Jenkins Lane facility will have a capacity of nearly 225,000 tonnes of waste a year. Building work is due to start on the site in the next few months but the plant is not due to become fully operational until 2006.
The Frog Island MBT is also due to start operating in 2006 and will have a capacity of 180,000 tonnes a year. Shanks East London is investing 35 million into the Rainham site, which will also feature a material recycling facility (MRF) with an annual capacity of 11,000 tonnes.
Sustainability
In December 2002, the Shanks Group signed a 25-year contract to handle waste from the East London Waste Authority (ELWA), worth over 1 billion. ELWA is the waste disposal authority for the London Boroughs of Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham and Redbridge.
Mr Barton added: “These developments are very important for sustainability in this part of London and we are looking forward to working with local people to make the facilities a great success. With the work already underway to upgrade the present local civic amenity sites into re-use and recovery centres, local residents are beginning to see the improvements in their service that were promised when Shanks took over the East London Waste Authority contract in December 2002.”
The targets set for Shanks East London by the ELWA contract include a 25% recycling rate in the period 2005-06, rising to 33% by 2014-15. In 2001-02, the recycling rates for the boroughs were: 3% in Barking and Dagenham, 9% in Havering, 3% in Newham and 10% in Redbridge.
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