Augean sees growth in APC residue disposal

Augean’s contracts with existing unnamed customers involve the handling and disposal of around 49,000 tonnes of APCR per year up to March 2019.

APCR, the material left over after the removal of hazardous pollutants from the energy from waste process, can be sent to landfill or treated for use in construction applications. The residue is typically a mixture of ash, carbon and lime.

Figures compiled by the government in July 2015 suggest that an estimated 300,000 tonnes of APCR arise in the UK annually, although this could double by 2020 as a greater proportion of the UK’s residual waste is treated via EfW facilities.

Augean

Augean operates hazardous and non-hazardous landfill sites at Port Clarence, East Northants Resource Management Facility (ENRMF) and a permitted non-hazardous site at Thornhaugh, near Peterborough where it disposes of the material.

Stewart Davies, Augean chief executive, said: “We are delighted to be awarded these contracts, which align with a key strategic aim of the Group to expand our contracted revenue base in growth markets with our specialist hazardous waste services. The growth in APCR volumes brought by the new contracts will help the Group to continue development of its services to this competitive and growing market, and underpins existing management expectations.”

Currently the government is considering whether to remove a derogation that allows the material to be sent to non-hazardous landfill sites after processing, having originally pledged to make a ruling on the material more than five years ago.

Last week waste management firms called for a timetable on when the government is likely to call a halt to its continued allowance of disposal of APCR via non-hazardous landfill sites (see letsrecycle.com story).

Companies such as Castle Environmental which treats APC residues at sites in Ilkeston and Cardiff, creating an aggregate feedstock that is then used in the company’s range of concrete products have claimed that a lack of a timetable for a phasing out the derogation has acted as a barrier to further investment in new outlets for the material.