Knowsley council granted planning approval for the mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plant in Huyton Business Park, which will process around 50,000 tonnes of waste each year and create 23 jobs.
 The Huyton MBT plant will process around 50,000 tonnes of mixed waste each year |
Plans for the project, which is a partnership between Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority (MWDA), Fairport Engineering, Defra, and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), were first announced in December (see letsrecycle.com story).
The NWDA has contributed 2.1m to the 13m project and Defra's New Technology Demonstrator Programme has awarded 5.6m, with the MWDA also providing financial support.
Carl Beer, director of Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority (MWDA), said: “This is a great boost for the region’s waste management. The government is supporting this scheme with a lot of money because it believes the technology has potential to help councils across the country cut the amount of waste they send to landfill.”
Technology
The technology, developed by Fairport Engineering, a sister company of Orchid Environmental, will build the plant and operate it.
It will use an environmentally friendly, low-temperature heat treatment process, to convert non-hazardous household waste into renewable fuel.
Recyclables such as metals, glass, stone and mixed plastics, will be removed before the fuel conversion takes place.
Processing will take place in a sealed building and will have to comply with strict regulations on emissions.
There will be no chimney because special bio-filters, containing natural products including wood fibres, will filter out dust and emissions.
” The government is supporting this scheme with a lot of money because it believes the technology has potential to help councils across the country. “
– Carl Beer, MWDA
Fairport director Steve Whatmore said: “This award of planning consent reflects the confidence and enthusiasm in the region to see this new UK technology deliver urgently needed economic and environmental benefits.
“This has been made possible by addressing waste processing problems in a different and innovative way.”
Processing is expected to begin by the end of 2007, once the building has been modified, and the plant has been constructed.
The site has a previous use as a waste processing plant as fuel was produced there in the 1980s. It is also located next door to an existing waste transfer station.
The project is funded until April 2009 but if it is successful, will have a long-term future in MWDA's waste management plans.
The Knowsley site, is part of Defra's New Technology Demonstrator Programme, a scheme which has been criticised for delays in agreeing funding (see letsrecycle.com).
| Related links: |
But it is a boost to MWDA's 3.3b Procurement Programme, which will be delivered in three parts – landfill, waste management and recycling, and resource/recovery.
MWDA has applied to Defra for 90m PFI credits for its scheme and a decision is expected this spring.
Register for free to comment