Work starts on Shanks Wakefield facility

The plant is part of the Shank Groups 25-year 750 million PFI contract, which it signed with Wakefield council in January this year (see letsrecycle story).

While Shanks would not disclose the cost of the building, it hoped the site would be operational by September 2015.

Represenatatives from both Shanks and Wakefield Council attended the ground breaking ceremony at the site, which use autoclave and anaerobic digestion (AD) technology to treat waste.

The facility will also separate a variety of materials from residual waste for recycling including metals, aggregates, glass and some plastics.

The facility will process up to 230,000 tonnes of municipal waste a year. As well as helping to create 60 permanent jobs in the surrounding Wakefield District, the plant will also increase the local authoritys landfill diversion rate towards 90%.

Material will be sorted into an organic fraction and a fraction to produce refuse derived fuel. The fuel will be sent to a multi-fuel plant being developed by SSE at the site of the nearby coal-fired Ferrybridge Power Station.

Diversion

Meanwhile, the organic fraction of the waste will be treated using an autoclave, which Shanks insists has already undergone rigorous testing. This will separate out metals, hard plastics and glass for recycling before sterilising the material.

It will finally be fed into a 65,000 tonnes per annum anaerobic digestion (AD) plant where it will be converted into gas for renewable energy generation, as well as a digestate.

Shanks will also construct a visitor centre on the site to promote and educate the public on the benefits of waste minimisation. The contract also sees Shanks take over a network of Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs), transfer stations and bring sites, which Wakefield council hopes will increase its recycling rate to 52% (up on 39.3% in 2011/12).

Minimisation

Peter Eglinton, managing director of Shanks UK, said: We are delighted to mark this significant milestone in the project and look forward to continuing the construction through to completion, where the facility will transform waste management in Wakefield.

Wakefield council leader councillor Peter Box, added: This is an exciting and momentous occasion as we mark commencement of works on the South Kirkby site. The new waste treatment facility will not only reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, but 60 new jobs will be created when the facility is fully operational.

This will make a significant contribution to the local economy and is great news environmentally for the District.