Nina Camm, environment manager for North Kesteven, said: “It is too early to say if our recycling rate will be affected. We don't want to speculate.”
According to Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, six engines were called to a fire at the Caythorpe site at 5.59pm yesterday (Tuesday, May 6) after “severe damage” had been caused to a single storey steel building measuring 50 by 30 metres.
A “large quantity” of paper, plastics and card had been destroyed along with three conveyor belts, baling machines and a loader, it added.
Workers at the adjacent PGL adventure camp spoke of a “huge mushroom cloud of smoke billowing into the sky” and residents were asked by police to close their windows to help keep smoke and fumes out.
“Frustrating”
Chris Mountain, managing director of Mid UK Recycling, said that the incident was “extremely frustrating and upsetting.”
However, he claimed that North Kesteven's recycling rate would not be affected because material would be bulked up and sent on to three materials recycling facilities within 70 miles of Caythorpe, with which the company had previous arrangements.
Mr Mountain added that the blaze, which was still burning, had been isolated to the 50,000-tonne-capacity materials recycling facility, and had not affected other operations on the site – which includes a pioneering plasterboard recycling facility (see letsrecycle.com story).
He said: “We've got ten sheds and its only one that's been affected and we have been taking deliveries on site as normal. We are confident the material will be sorted and vetted. We have audited and vetted the other materials recycling facilities.”
Precaution
At the Caythorpe site, Mid UK operates video surveillance and a fire alarm system as precautionary measures, and has trained its staff and set protocols for evacuation.
While the cause of the fire is still unknown, Mr Mountain said it was possible that it started by the infra red optical sorting line – which needs a lot of light which generates heat.
At present, it is unclear how long the materials recycling facility will be out of action.
Mr Mountain said: “We have got structural engineers scheduled in for a meeting on Monday and we will build and replace what is required.”
[…] The site on Station Road, Caythorpe, was also hit by a blaze in 2008 (see letsrecycle.comstory). […]
[…] There have multiple prior incidents at Mid UK Recycling’s Caythorpe location. On May 7, 2008, Let’s Recycle reported a major fire that broke out in a single storey steel building measuring 50 by 30 metres. A […]