Local views sought over Cambridgeshire MBT plant

The proposal, for a site at Donarbon's existing waste park at Waterbeach, is part of the company's anticipated long-term PFI contract with Cambridgeshire county council, due to be signed in March (see letsrecycle.com story).

” We're fairly positive about the outcome of the planning application because of all the preparation work we have done. “
– Sarah Clover, Donarbon
The facility would see residual waste which is currently sent to Donarbon's landfill site pre-treated to remove recyclable streams such as metals and plastics. The material would then be composted indoors for six weeks before being used as a soil conditioner or sent to landfill.

Sarah Clover, director of business development at Donarbon told letsrecycle.com that the firm was optimistic about gaining planning permission, and hoped to start building the facility by the Autumn.

She said: “We're fairly positive about the outcome of the planning application because of all the preparation work we have done – such as engaging with the local community, and we also won a planning application for a similar MBT plant in 2001, before we realised this was a better technology.”

Targets
Ms Clover explained that as the proposal would see material sorted and composted indoors, would hardly increase HGV movements and was proposed for an existing waste management site then the company was hopeful it would not impact adversely on the local community. The possibility of extracting material to make refuse derived fuel also made the process flexible, she claimed.

She said: ” If we can maximise recycling we are looking at up to an 80% reduction in landfill. I hope we'll get a decision in the Spring. Even though Cambridgeshire has a good recycling record, we would like to have the facility fully operational by the end of 2009 to meet 2010 Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme targets.”

Balance
David Atkinson, minerals and waste planning manager for Cambridgeshire county council, explained that the council was holding an extended public consultation over the proposed facility, to end on February 16, to establish local views.

He said: “Planning properly the facilities to deal with the thousands of tonnes of rubbish produced by Cambridgeshire is vital. That has to be balanced and the needs of the local community and the environment which is why we want to hear people's views on the proposals by Donarbon.”