The announcement came at the Waste & Recycling Technology Conference 2010 in Reading, which brought together representatives from local authorities, environmental consultancies and the waste and recycling sector to discuss issues such as contract procurement and technological advancements.
Mr Marland did not say what thermal treatment technology the firm was looking at specifically but explained that Hills would be looking to form a joint venture to develop a facility in order to limit costs.
He said: “We don't have deep, deep pockets and we can't just go out to the market and drop £40 million to try and just develop one of these plants.”
MBT
Development of advanced thermal treatment technology would add to the firm's existing work as a waste and recycling collector, a waste disposal contractor and the operator of a materials recycling facility (MRF) in Wiltshire.
And, Mr Marland also said the firm was hopeful of signing the final contractual arrangements with Wiltshire council next month to develop its £17 million mechanical biological treatment (MBT) facility at Westbury. The firm hopes to begin constructing the plant in the latter part of 2010 ahead of a 2012 operational date.
The plant, which is expected to treat 60,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste each year, was granted planning approval in March 2009 after being delayed by four years (see letsrecycle.com story).
Its development was also affected by cement giant Lafarge mothballing its cement works at Westbury – which was set to serve as the outlet for solid recovered fuel (SRF) from the MBT process.
But, Mr Marland explained that the 20,000 tonnes of SRF produced at the plant every year would now be sent for use in Germany under a five-year deal put in place by Hills with unnamed outlets.
Communications
Also speaking at the event, Gareth Morton, principal consultant at environmental consultancy AEA, used the keynote address to outline the importance of a targeted communications campaign in helping to procure and develop waste treatment infrastructure.
Mr Morton said: “In the past we may have been led to think that it costs money and we don't have to make the effort but it is important. What we think about these issues is going to be completely different to what Joe Bloggs thinks about the same issue.”
Mr Morton used the example of the opposition mounted to SITA UK's attempts to develop an energy-from-waste facility in Cornwall, which, in part, led to the now-defunct Cornwall county council refusing an application in March 2009 to develop the £100 million facility at St Dennis (see letsrecycle.com story).
“Cornwall is an example of a vociferous opposition campaign,” Mr Morton said. “A small group grew and grew and grew and suddenly the initiative was lost.”
Roy Osborough, strategic waste manager at Bournemouth council, said that as much as it was important to discuss plans with members of the public, it was also important to engage politicians on the issues surrounding waste and recycling infrastructure.
Drawing on his personal experience with the South Coast local authority, Mr Osborough said that attempts to develop facilities had been previously hindered by failing to engage stakeholders within the council.
“There was a lack of understanding on behalf of the partners, such as politicians, who weren't as engaged as they should have been,” he said.
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