The mechanical biological treatment (MBT) plant at Locharmoss will form the focus of a new Private Finance Initiative waste treatment and disposal contract for Dumfries and Galloway. The 25-year contract is likely to be signed with the waste management firm Shanks Waste Services by the end of this month.
Scotland's environment minister Ross Finnie announced late last week that he had approved a 79 million grant from the Strategic Waste Fund to fund the new MBT plant, which he called an “intelligent waste management system”.
The plant will process about 60,000 tonnes of mixed household waste each year, separating recyclable material and turning the residuals into a fuel for energy production.
Announcing the award, Mr Finnie said: “The Scottish Executive is committed to improving Scotland's environment. We are also determined to support a wide and varied renewable energy sector. These innovative developments can help us towards both these goals and provide more sustainable waste management and a better environment for the people of Dumfries and Galloway.
“This funding can also help significantly reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill in Dumfries and Galloway,” he added.
Crucial
The chair of Dumfries and Galloway's Planning and Environment Committee, Joan Mitchell, welcomed the funding, saying: “This is a crucial building block in our plans to deliver a waste management service that meets and exceeds Scottish Executive and European targets. It will help fund the cutting edge processes to be built by Shanks Waste Management beside Locharmoss landfill site near Dumfries and at Galdenoch landfill site near Stranraer.”
Shanks will use technology from Italian firm Eco Deco for the MBT plant, which should be operational in about two years. The waste firm is already building two MBT plants in East London for its East London Waste Authority contract, and plans to build a plant using ten MBT cells in Milton Keynes.
The MBT process at Locharmoss will see air pumped through unsorted household waste to remove odours before the material is then shredded. This is then dried and aerated for about two weeks before a mechanical recycling process sees glass and metals removed with sieves and magnets.
The remaining material, which could be up to 40% of the amount inputted into the plant, can then be used as a fuel sources – refuse-derived fuel (RDF). This could qualify as a source of renewable energy under the Renewables Obligation Order and also gain exemption from the Climate Change Levy.
Contract
Once signed, the 25-year PFI contract should see Shanks handling about 80,000 tonnes of waste each year overall. As well as household waste treatment and disposal, Shanks will also be responsible for the management of household waste recycling centres in Dumfries and Galloway.
Chief executive Philip Jones added: “Negotiations to conclude our PFI contract with Shanks are nearing a conclusion. The council is continuing its detailed work to make sure the contract meets the needs of the people of Dumfries and Galloway for the next 25 years. Today’s announcement is another important step forward.”
Shanks also plans to invest in composting and recycling facilities in the Galdenoch area for up to 6,000 tonnes a year, and in upgrading a landfill site at Aucheninnes.
Prior to the 79 million Strategic Waste Fund windfall, the council had already received 18 million from the fund to pay for new segregated waste collection systems over the next 18 years.
Targets
The council works with three councils in Ayrshire – North, East and South Ayrshire – to deliver waste targets set by the Scottish Executive under a common Area Waste Plan. Councils in Scotland have targets to recycle 25% of household waste by 2006.
In 2002/03, Dumfries and Galloway recycled just 3.6% of its waste, sending the remainder to landfill. With its new MBT plant, council officers believe they shouldn't have a problem meeting Scottish and European landfill diversion targets.
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