Commenting on the opening, John Plant, head of Mercia Waste – sister company of Severn Waste Services, said: “EnviroSort is a key component in the integrated waste management system we are developing on behalf of Worcestershire county council and Herefordshire council.
“It will help the councils achieve the challenging government targets set for the diversion of waste from landfill as well as recovering resources from waste.”
The plant at the 5.8 acres site in Norton has been operating since November 2009.
MRF
The MRF has over a mile of conveyor belts, 145 electric motors and 12 miles of cable. And, materials it sorts include: paper, newspapers and magazines; cardboard; mixed plastic containers, including yoghurt pots and food trays; drink cartons; steel and aluminium cans; and, glass bottles and jars.
Plans for the MRF were first approved in June 2007 (see letsrecycle.com story), and it had been hoped that the facility would be completed by the early part of 2009.
However, the facility was subjected to vociferous local opposition during its public consultation in the summer of 2006 (see letsrecycle.com story). This opposition, and the need to gather further information, meant that the planning process was deferred four times.
Councils
The plant is also set to be used by Worcester city council in its bid to further its current 36% dry recycling rate. Under an arrangement with EnviroSort which began at the start of January, the city council is now able to collect Tetra Pak, thick cardboard and mixed plastics as part of its kerbside collection service (see letsrecycle.com story).
Councillor Anthony Blagg, Worcestershire county council cabinet member for waste and sustainability, said: “This fantastic new facility will make a big difference when it comes to recycling for people across Worcestershire and Herefordshire. The benefits EnviroSort will bring will make helping divert more from landfill easier than before.
“As well as all this it also offers value for money for people in the two counties as this facility will play a key role when it comes to meeting the challenge of future national landfill avoidance targets.”
Councillor John Jarvis, Herefordshire council cabinet member for environment, added: “Herefordshire's residents have risen to the challenge and are making great use of the newly introduced wheelie bins. Their standard of recycling is exceptionally high.”
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