The facility, which was built on behalf of the Prosiect Gwyrdd partnership of Cardiff, Newport, Monmouthshire, Vale of Glamorgan and Caerphilly councils has the capacity to handle 350,000 tonnes of waste per year.
Of the total capacity, around half – 172,000 tonnes – comes from the five local authorities, whilst the remaining capacity is filled via business contracts. The facility, which is located 1.6 kilometres to the south east of Cardiff city centre uses moving grate technology to process waste.
However, Viridor has revealed this week that it is carrying out a scoping exercise with a view to securing planning permission to increase the overall capacity of the facility.
Exact details of how much additional waste the company will seek to procure have yet to be confirmed – although the company claims that an expansion could accomodate more waste from ‘local authorities and businesses’.
Infrastracture
The company claims that due to the ‘limited’ recovery infrastructure across Wales, the change could lead to waste being transported from a greater distance to reach the plant.
In a statement, the company said: “Viridor has submitted a request for a scoping opinion from Cardiff Council to explore the scope of work required to accompany a planning application to increase the amount of waste going into Trident Park Energy Recovery Facility, Cardiff.
“With waste recovery and treatment resource infrastructure across Wales being so limited, the application will also propose the removal of the current catchment area restriction for waste deliveries. This would create the opportunity for other businesses and local authorities in Wales, which are all in need of cost effective solutions offering long term security for the treatment of their non-recyclable waste, to more efficiently manage their resources.”
“This would create the opportunity for other businesses and local authorities in Wales, which are all in need of cost effective solutions offering long term security for the treatment of their non-recyclable waste, to more efficiently manage their resources.”
Viridor
And, according to the company, if approved the permitting change would ‘support Wales in becoming self-sufficient’ with its waste.
It added: “The proposal reflects a modest addition and natural progression to extend inputs and service at the facility, making best use of this essential operating asset and helping support Wales in becoming self-sufficient with its waste resource and management needs – in line with the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Wales strategy.”
Consultation
The company is to carry out a public consultation into the proposals in early autumn.
In February the Welsh Government outlined proposals to pave the way for some materials to be banned from treatment via EfW facilities (see letsrecycle.com story). The Environment (Wales) Bill states that ministers ‘may make provision for prohibiting or regulating the incineration of specified kinds of waste’.
Subscribe for free