Christmas MRF backlog to be cleared by February

Companies operating material recycling facilities have reported increases in material arriving at plants of up to 50%, compared with an average week. And some local authorities have reported record levels of material collected for recycling.

Much if this needs to be stockpiled because it cannot be processed immediately under existing capacity.

One MRF expert expressed concern that a “severe shortage” of sorting capacity was the root cause of the problem.

He said: “The whole supply chain is pushed, everyone is trying to get rid of it
and transfer stations are trying to clear their sites.”

However, others have said that even though capacity is strained and material is backlogged, operators do not consider it a serious problem and most put measures in place, such as additional operating hours, to lessen the burden.

East Midlands firm, Mid UK Recycling, takes an average of 650 tonnes a week at its MRF in Caythorpe, Lincolnshire, but in the two-week period after Christmas this rises to more than 1,000 tonnes. This takes between six to eight weeks to clear.

Managing director Chris Mountain said: “We keep the material moving regularly and it doesn't cause any problems. Everything balances out because for example, we have to shut down over the summer months for maintenance.”

At Shanks's MRFs in Scotland and Bedford, tonnages have increase by around 30% compared with the rest of the year and an increase of around 5% on last year.

Director materials manager Paul Dumpleton said this was because councils had given householders more boxes and bins for recycling and that the material would be cleared by the second week of February.

Viridor Waste Management reports its MRFs see an average increase in tonnage of between 25% and 30% after Christmas.

The company bought Grosvenor Waste Management in December, taking over its MRF in Crayford, where material is also stockpiled until February.

Grosvenor's recycling development Mary Corin said: “At Christmas there is a 30% uplift in our average takings. We can't keep 30% empty all year just for three weeks so we just have to manage it.”

A Viridor spokesman added that the company prepares for the influx of material by working additional shifts at its Masons MRF in Suffolk, as well as stockpiling at Crayford.

Holmen Paper's MRF in Tilbury Docks, London, which came on stream in July can process a maximum 2,000 tonnes a week.

It received 1200 tonnes and 1625 tonnes in the two weeks after Christmas and the plant's operating hours were increased over the festive period to deal with demand.

Berkshire firm Grundon copes with peak flows of material by increasing operating hours and spreading operations across all four of its MRFs – in Slough, Leatherhead, Reading and Oxford.

Development director Neil Grundon said: “We won't close on Christmas day and we work 24/7 across the sites. If machinery breaks down, we can shift stuff to another MRF. “Around one week before Christmas, we have a lull and we try to get everything clear to allow storage space.”

Local authorities

It is estimated around 190,000 tonnes of extra material will be recycled in the UK because of Christmas.

The figure was quoted by waste and recycling minister Joan Ruddock, following a parliamentary question from Sarah Teather, the Liberal Democrat MP for Brent East.

Ms Teather asked what estimate had made on “the effect on the level of recycling of Christmas-related waste” and what steps have been “taken to assist local authorities in dealing with such recycling”.

Mrs Ruddock's statistic came from the Waste and Resources Action Programme's sample of 20 local authorities in 2005-06. No mention was made of how local authorities had been assisted.

However, for many local authorities the boom in waste is a bonus because it contributes to recycling figures.

Liverpool city council reported 1,900 tonnes of glass jars, plastic bottles, papers, cardboard, wrapping paper and cards, were recycled after Christmas this year compared with just 400 last year.

The city's recycling/composting rate for 2006/07 was 12.7% and it wants to achieve at least a 20% rate in 2008.

Executive councillor for the environment Berni Turner, said: “Before the festivities began we were urging everyone to recycle as much as they could over the Christmas period and try to double the total in 2006.

“To more than quadruple the amount is fantastic, and I want to say a huge thank you to all those residents who made the most of their blue and green wheelie bins.

“I'm hoping that the success will carry on throughout 2008 and I'm confident that for the first time, Liverpool will exceed the government targets which have been set for 2008.”

Wiltshire county council found its recycling rate for the festive period had shot up by 30% compared with last year.

Staff at household recycling centres said they noticed a steep rise in the number of electrical items dropped off.

Cliff Carter, recycling promotions manager for Hills Waste Solutions, which operates the centre on behalf of the council said: “We were open for eight of the 12 days of Christmas and we collected an incredible amount of waste in that time. It's certainly looking like one of the busiest festive seasons ever.

“We've been inundated with electrical items and televisions in particular. It's clear that when these types of things break or become a little out of date most people simply bin them.”