The regulator launched a consultation on its draft decision on Friday (20 July). If approved the capacity of the facility will increase from 347,422 tonnes to 382,286 tonnes.
Other changes will also include changing the same from the ‘Beddington ERF’ to the ‘Beddington ERF and Waste Transfer Station’.
The Agency explained: “We are minded to grant the varied and consolidated permit to the applicant.
“We consider that, in reaching that decision, we have taken into account all relevant considerations and legal requirements and that the permit will ensure that a high level of protection is provided for the environment and human health.”
‘Extensive reviews’
In a statement given to letsrecycle.com, a spokesperson for Viridor said: “We have applied to the UK’s environmental regulator, the Environment Agency, to make variations to its environmental permit to enable enhanced operations at the Beddington Energy Recovery Facility (ERF).
“This variation has been submitted following extensive reviews of the performance of the Beddington ERF which have concluded that it has ability to treat additional waste safely and without causing negative impacts to the surrounding environment or the operating efficiency of the plant. Significant amounts of waste from London and the South East of England is still being sent to landfill or being exported for treatment in European energy from waste facilities. If approved this variation will enable more of the region’s waste to move higher up the waste hierarchy by diverting it away from landfill, reducing carbon emissions and producing electricity.”
Consultation
The Agency first consulted on Viridor’s latest bid to increase the EfW’s capacity in November 2022 (see letsrecycle.com story).
A spokesperson for Viridor at the time told letsrecycle.com the company had applied to vary its permit to enable “enhanced operations” at the Beddington facility.
This came 10 months after the South London Waste Partnership (SLWP) – which sends residual waste to the plant on behalf of Croydon, Kingston, Merton and Sutton – vowed to oppose any further expansion of the facility (see letsrecycle.com story).
The SLWP named Viridor as preferred bidder for the facility in 2011 (see letsrecycle.com story) and approved the plant the following year, with a then capacity of 275,000 tonnes.
If the final capacity increase is approved, it means the capacity of the plant would have grown by more than 100,000 tonnes since then.
Opposition
The Environment Agency’s decision is likely to irk local campaign groups and councillors who have been vocal in their opposition to the plans.
An email has already been sent to local councillors from a local resident, seen by letsrecycle.com, which called on them to “put aside your political differences and issue a joint statement condemning the provisional decision by the Environment Agency”.
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