The plant being proposed is designed to generate heat as well as power from incinerated waste. This could mean reaching efficiency levels that could see it classified as a “recovery” plant under forthcoming European legislation (see letsrecycle.com story).
 An artist's impression of the proposed new Exeter incinerator |
Viridor, which currently runs composting and waste disposal services in Devon, has submitted a planning application to Devon county council to build the combined heat and power facility, which would be capable of processing up to 60,000 tonnes of waste a year.
Exeter city council has expressed its desire for an incinerator to deal with residual waste, stating in its application for unitary status last year that “as a unitary council we would aim to build a waste-to-energy incinerator in the city to take the residual waste produced after we have recycled and composted as much as we can”.
However, local environmental campaigners are concerned that the proposal for the Marsh Barton Industrial site, where an incinerator was closed in 1996, will generate emissions that contribute to climate change and damage future efforts to increase recycling.
CHP
Under Viridor's plans, the proposed facility will treat a portion of Exeter and Devon's municipal waste, while generating electricity and usable heat for local businesses and industry.
The proposed plant is to use technology based on the Cyclerval heat and power oscillating kiln system, similar to a plant in Lincolnshire. Viridor said the technology was therefore a “proven” way of helping Devon county council to meet challenging government targets to divert waste from landfill.
Viridor development manager Howard Ellard said: “We have been encouraged by the positive interest shown during our consultations with the local community and by the constructive comments we have received.”
Carbon
However, Exeter Friends of the Earth claimed that the facility will release 45,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, reduce the incentive to recycle.
Speaking to letsrecycle.com today, Maurice Spurway said: “We have a big concern about the proposal as it is inconsistent with efforts to tackle climate change. It will almost certainly impact upon recycling rates because it has to take a minimum amount of waste.”
Mr Spurway explained that Exeter Friends of the Earth wanted to see the council developing mechanical biological treatment (MBT) instead – where the recyclable materials were removed from waste before it was composted and the residual element sent to landfill.
He said: “With MBT there is the ability to sequester some of the carbon dioxide emissions and you can have smaller plants.”
Recycling
Dan Cooke, external affairs manager at Viridor, insisted that the proposal would not compromise Devon's efforts to recycle and its heat and power generation could actually prevent carbon emissions.
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Mr Cooke said: “Devon is one of the best recycling authorities in the country and it does not intend to let up its efforts to recycle and nor do we as their contractor. The modest scale of the plant has also been designed to allow flexibility to decide the best technology for Devon going forward.”
He added: “The opposition focuses around emissions and our application detailes that the development will be carbon neutral and has the potential to be carbon positive if the heat is used to its full potential.”
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