Environment Agency data showed that 1.5 million tonnes of refuse derived fuel (RDF) and solid recovered fuel (SRF) were exported throughout 2013 (see letsrecycle.com story), but figures for this year show that 1,775,000 tonnes were exported from January to September.
Export volumes this year were already close to reaching the 2013 figure as early as July (see letsrecycle.com story), demonstrating the continuing growth of the market, which has increased considerably from the 892,000 tonnes exported in 2011.
If the export rate continues at the same pace for the rest of2014, the total amount of SRF and RDF exported could reach just less than 2.4 million tonnes, which would dwarf last year’s figure by almost one million tonnes.
RDF is a fuel produced by shredding and dehydrating solid waste. SRF is a material with a higher calorific content, typically used in cement kilns or other industrial processes.
Companies wishing to export RDF or SRF (solid recovered fuel) from the UK are required to notify the Environment Agency of the final destination of the material to ensure that it does not end up going to landfill.
The Netherlands continues to receive by far the most material from England and Wales, with 982,850 tonnes exported to the country over January to September period this year. The next largest markets for RDF and SRF exports are Germany (361,550 tonnes) and Denmark (87,262 tonnes).
Meanwhile, Biffa marginally leads the way as the largest single exporter of waste derived fuels over the nine-month period (257,792 tonnes), just ahead of SITA UK (255,923 tonnes). This is followed by the largest independent exporter of material, Andusia Recovered Fuels Ltd, which sent 144,289 tonnes abroad over the period.
N&P Alternative Fuels
The latest figures come as N&P Alternative Fuels Ltd – the tenth largest exporter of waste derived fuels from England and Wales at 54,054 tonnes over the period – announced yesterday (November 27) that it has secured a five year contract to supply SRF to a number of cement plants in Portugal.
The plants belong to cement companies Secil and CImpor, and the contract was agreed with Gestão Ambiental e Valorização Energética – a subsidiary company of cement firms Secil, Cimpor and SGVR.
It follows N&P’s first export shipment of SRF to Portugal from Grimsby in January 2014.
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Through the contract, N&P will supply more than 700,000 tonnes of SRF over the lifetime of the deal – the majority coming from the firm’s established contacts in the UK, although a “minor part” of the volume will come from France and Italy.
N&P also said it will in future look to supply its Portuguese client with around 100,000 tonnes per year of end-of-life tires, ‘Subcoal’ pellets and car frack waste from the UK market for use in the cement industry.
Karel Jennissen chairman of N+P said: “In the past years we invested millions in developing the UK market, to provide end users of our SRF sustainable supply concept. We put a lot of effort in optimizing quality levels of SRF in the UK market, as well we invested in the development of sustainable logistic chains. Now N+P has several port sites at strategic locations and the possibility to use a large number of sea containers. These factors combined make us a very reliable partner for the supply of high quality alternative fuels.”
RDF Conference
There are still a very small number of places available at letsrecycle.com‘s RDF Conference at Holborn Bars in London tomorrow (December 1), where speakers will be discussing markets, rules and the domestic perspective. For more information, visit the event website or contact Daniella Jarvie-Tomas on 02076334524.
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