However, the main seats of the fire are now extinguished and Viridor said early inspections suggest that the processing plant itself has “not sustained any significant damage”.
Customers are nevertheless being contacted by the firm in order to make alternative arrangements throughout the course of today (June 8).
Eight Kent fire engines and a height vehicle were initially called to the scene on the Medway City Estate at around 5.30pm yesterday, before a further two fire engines joined them at 8.40pm.
The fire service initially said that a “large quantity of rubbish” – reportedly around 20 tonnes of material – was alight. A large plume of smoke was visible for miles around, with the fire service yesterday advising local residents to stay inside and keep windows and doors closed as a precaution.
Kent Police and South East Coast Ambulance Service also attended the scene and the facility was cordoned off although a spokeswoman for Viridor said there were no injuries.
Crews from three engines remained at the scene this morning (June 7) damping down hotspots with a hand-held jet, although this has since been reduced to just one engine.
The main seats of the fire are now extinguished and a mechanical digger is being used to expose remaining hotspots, according to Kent Fire & Rescue Service.
The fire was “contained to the area of unprocessed plastic waste where it had started” and the recycling plant itself was protected, the fire services said.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, although Viridor said a full investigation is underway.
The Environment Agency and Public Health England had also been working with the fire service throughout the incident.
A spokeswoman for Viridor said the company “will continue to work with the emergency services to ensure a thorough and safe procedure is followed in dealing with the situation.”
Rochester PRF
Viridor’s plastics sorting facility in Rochester was described as one of the most sophisticated plants of its kind in the UK upon its official opening in November 2014 (see letsrecycle.com story).
It is capable of separating mixed plastics from contaminants such as metal, paper and glass, as well as separating the plastics by polymer. Material is baled on-site and transported onwards for reprocessing. Total permitted input for the site is around 75,000 tonnes of mixed plastics per year.
The design of the plant has been praised within the sector, and last month received the ‘Design of a Waste Management Facility’ award at the Awards for Excellence in Recycling and Waste Management (see letsrecycle.com story).
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