The 200 million deal, which begins next year and runs until 2027, will see some residual waste from the South Coast borough taken to the new Lakeside energy-from-waste incineration plant near Slough for treatment.
”We are continually looking at ways of improving the efficiency of our recycling processes and having our own MRF is an exciting way forward “
– Cllr Don Collier, Poole council
Viridor has already been working with Poole as part of a 10 million contract signed in 2004.
The company started up the borough's first dry recyclable and green waste collections, collecting paper, card, cans, plastic and glass on a blue bin scheme. While collected green waste is sent to local firm Eco Composting, Poole's commingled dry recyclable material has been sent to the Hurn MRF in East Dorset for processing.
MRF
As part of the new integrated contract, Viridor intends to build Poole its own MRF within the next three years.
The new plant is likely to have a capacity to sort between 30,000 and 35,000 tonnes per annum, based on a one-shift operation. A 95% recycling rate should be achieved for commingled material being sorted, which will include glass.
A Viridor spokesman told letsrecycle.com the plant would be capable of a higher capacity with more shifts if recycling levels required it.
Councillor Don Collier, Poole's cabinet portfolio holder for the environment said: “Over the last two years our Blue Bin Scheme has continued to go from strength to strength and we are now consistently meeting the government’s monthly statutory targets for recycling.
“Whilst this is fantastic news we are continually looking at ways of improving the efficiency of our recycling processes and having our own MRF is an exciting way forward. We are delighted to have secured this long term agreement with Viridor and look forward to continuing our positive working relationship,” he added.
LATS
Under the government's Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme, the amount of biodegradable waste Poole can send to landfill will drop from 52,991 tonnes in 2005/06 to 35,888 tonnes by 2010 and just 16,726 tonnes by 2020.
In order to help meet these targets, Viridor will send non-recyclable waste to the incinerator the company is building with Grundon Waste Management at Colnbrook, near Slough (see letsrecycle.com story).
John Cardwell, Viridor’s operations director, said: “We are pleased to be able to continue supporting the borough of Poole both with their plans for their own recycling facility and helping them to meet their landfill diversion targets through the use of the Lakeside energy from waste plant.
| Related links: |
“These are certainly challenging and exciting times for waste management in Poole and across the UK,” he added.
Register for free to comment