Firm plans to reopen £20m Scotgen incinerator

A Dumfries energy-from-waste gasification plant which had its environmental permit revoked after a major fire last summer may be set to re-open with a new company preparing an application to operate the facility.

The £20 million merchant facility, previously operated by Scotgen, was Scotlands first to use batch gasification technology when it was officially opened in August 2009 by MSP Mike Russell (see letsrecycle.com story).

EfW company Scotgen a subsidiary of Manchester-based Ascot Holdings intended its facility to process 60,000 tonnes of hazardous and non-hazardous waste per year, producing 6.2MW of electricity.

However, the plant was still in its commissioning phase when a fire gutted and severely damaged the facility at Dargavel Stores, Lockerbie Road in August 2013 (see letsrecycle.com story).

And, following the blaze, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) revoked the plants license, stating that it had consistently failed to meet any reasonable expectation of environmental performance. It also said the plants predicted 3% level of energy recovery was particularly disappointing and unsatisfactory (see letsrecycle.com story).

Scotgen (Dumfries) Limited, which was also issued with a SEPA notice to remove an estimated 800 tonnes of waste left at the site after the fire, went into administration in October 2013.

RRS

Newly-formed firm Rank Recycling Scotland (RRS) a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polish property investment company Rank Progress has since taken over Scotgens business and assets at the Dumfries site and is now preparing a new environmental permit a process it said could take many months.

However, technical support manager at SEPA, Ian Conroy, said he had advised in discussion with RRS that he expected any permit application to include a robust demonstration that any recommissioned/proposed plant can comply with all legislative pollution control requirements.

Lloyd Brotherton, project director at RRS and formerly of Scotgen, told letsrecycle.com: We are preparing a new application for an environmental permit and there will need to be a formal consultation, but its a bit how long is a piece of string? in so far as how long permit application processes take.

Upgrades

RRS said the application process would allow it to detail the equipment upgrades and repairs needed in line with SEPA guidelines.

The firm also said the application would include a proposal to use heat from the facility at the Dumfries and Galloway Zero Waste Park recycling and reuse centre nearby, which is due to begin construction later this year.

Mr Brotherton added: We wont be increasing the capacity and the plant would still take commercial and industrial waste, but we would look to improve the process and the plants energy efficiency as much as we can.

According to RRS, since acquiring the business the firm has been paying for the removal and disposal of the waste previously left at the site by Scotgen, as well as for a deep clean of the facility.

The purchase of the site also included commitments for RRS to employ a number of Scotgen staff members under TUPE regulations, while the company also anticipates recruiting an additional 20 staff prior to reopening the plant.

Jan Mroczka, RRS director and president of Rank Progress said: We are fully committed to the Dargavel facility, the staff members who have remained loyal to the business and the new SEPA permitting process. We are encouraged by Dumfries and Galloway councils support, their investment in the Zero Waste Management Park and the support of the local waste management companies who we hope will become our future customers. We know there were issues with the previous owners and the operation of the facility and we are very aware of the operating standard we must achieve and maintain.