West country councils unite to seek new waste plants

The authorities of Bath & North East Somerset, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire are seeking views on building up to eight facilities for the treatment of municipal residual waste by 2020.

Although no decisions over the preferred technology have been made, the consultation document suggests that pyrolysis could be favoured over other forms of residual waste treatment, followed by energy-from waste.

The Bristol area already has some experience with pyrolysis, hosting Compact Power's pilot plant in Avonmouth, which is about to be joined by a larger plant backed by Defra's New Technologies programme (see letsrecycle.com story).

The region's councils, which sent over 70% of their 560,000 tonnes of municipal waste to landfill in 2005/06, hope that the chosen technology will allow them to recover value from 55% of their waste by 2020.

Speaking in a document outlining the different issues options available, the Waste Partnership said: “The publication of this document is the first step in the production of the Joint Waste Development Plan Document and the Joint Residual Municipal Waste Management Strategy for the West of England.

“Joint working is an efficient way to use resources for services and facilities which take place across local authority boundaries,” it added.

Procurement
Hyder Consulting, which is advising the councils on the consultation process, told letsrecycle.com that the new consultation would pave the way for a procurement process looking for a private residual waste disposal contractor from 2008/09.

Adam Read, head of waste management at Hyder, said: “After they have agreed the framework we will know what the preferred technology types are, for a joint municipal residual waste disposal contract to begin in 2011.”

He added: “We must get the public onboard and involved early to ensure we do not suffer the fate of other authorities who are struggling to meet their LATS targets because of planning permission, public opposition and general industry concern surrounding deliverability.”