Cumbria MBT reopens after fly outbreak

Waste management firm Shanks has reopened its mechanical biological treatment (MBT) facility in Cumbria, after it was temporarily closed due to a fly infestation.

The 75,000 tonne-a-year plant at the Sowerby Woods industrial estate, Barrow, was ordered to cease operations by the Environment Agency while the facility was cleared and disinfected to prevent the flies from breeding (see letsrecycle.com story).

The Environment Agency issued a notice on the plant earlier this month (August 1), following concerns raised by other businesses on the estate that the infestation had become a nuisance in the area.

A spokesperson for the Agency explained: Last month, following extensive investigations, we served a notice to Shanks to prevent the operator from accepting waste on its site until effective control measures had been put in place to control flies.

We can now report that we are satisfied the timetable of targets we set have been achieved and progress has been made and this notice has been lifted with immediate effect. We will continue to carefully monitor the site and would urge residents to report any concerns about fly or odour issues to us.

Controls

A spokesperson for Shanks said: Shanks is pleased to confirm that it’s Southern Resource Park MBT Facility at Sowerby Woods has now reopened and is ramping-up back to full capacity.

In a statement made in June before the closure, Shanks announced it had reduced the size of stockpiles and waste in the reception pits, increased chemical controls such as pesticide application carried out three times a weeks and larvicide spray applied to shredder pits.

Michelle Probert, secretary at neighbouring business Guardian Timber Frame, told letsrecycle.com the situation had started to improve since the issue had been addressed.

Contract

Opened in March 2013, Shanks controls and operates the MBT on behalf of Cumbria county council as part of a 700 million, 25-year waste contract, which was agreed in 2009. It is the companys second MBT facility to be built in Cumbria (see letsrecycle.com story).