Integrated waste facility opens in West Berkshire

West Berkshire council and its contractor Veolia Environmental Services have officially opened a multi-million pound integrated waste management facility at Padworth, outside Reading.

The state-of-the-art facility is the cornerstone of Veolia ESs 25 year, 500 million PFI contract with West Berkshire council, which was signed in 2008 (see letsrecycle.com story).

The site encompasses a materials recycling facility (MRF), household waste recycling centre, in-vessel composting (IVC) facility and education centre. The MRF has the capacity to sort 13,500 tonnes of recyclables a year collected at the kerbside while the IVC facility can process 32,000 tonnes-a-year of food and garden waste into quality compost.

To mark the occasion on Friday (November 2), a commemorative plaque was unveiled by West Berkshire councillor and honorary Alderman, Geoff Findlay, who helped develop the councils waste strategy, alongside current executive councillor for environmental protection, Hilary Cole, and new Veolia ES chief executive Estelle Brachlianoff.

Speaking at the occasion, Ms Brachlianoff, who joined Veolia ES at the end of August, said: Whilst this is a landmark for me as it is my first unveiling in the UK, it is in fact the fourth major facility we have opened in 2012. That represents a total investment of 260 million on facilities opening in our year.

Ms Brachlianoff said there were a number of aspects to the Padworth facility which make it unique. Firstly, she said that the MRF is home to the companys first Magpie automatic sorting technology. First unveiled last year (see letsrecycle.com story), this uses Titech equipment to sort out different polymers from mixed plastic feedstock using infra red and laser technology.

In addition, she said that the facility composts food waste alongside green waste close to source; the habitats of bees, beetles and grasshoppers and spiders have been protected; children and adults can be educated; and, the site is part of the community, with a recent open day attracting 60 visitors.

The Padworth facility, which has been operational since October 2011, has contributed to recycling rates in West Berkshire now reaching 46% of all waste collected and 78% of waste collected being diverted from landfill. This performance is displayed for residents to see in the household waste recycling centre, where householders can bring more than 20 different types of material for recycling including soil and rubble, cardboard, drinks cartons, garden waste, and wood as well as used electrical goods such as fridges.

Residual waste from West Berkshire is sent to Veolias energy-from-waste incinerator at Marchwood, near Southampton, or to landfill.

Councillor Hilary Cole said: The Centre at Padworth is crucial to the districts recycling programme and Im delighted that it is proving such a success. Today was a fitting reminder of its importance to all households in the district who are doing so much to help recycling.

Ms Brachlianoff added: “The Centre at Padworth is designed to significantly improve recycling and composting rates in West Berkshire, improve management of waste and meet the statutory targets that have been set.”