The facility is set to be built at Viridor's Heathfield site, near Kingsteignton. It will include two new material recycling facilities, an enclosed vessel composting plant, a workshop and purpose designed depot for waste collection vehicles.
”Our proposals are an important element for our on-going partnerships with local authorities and business customers in the county“
– Mike Hellings
Viridor is also to extend landfill capacity at the site by three million cubic metres. The landfill has been in operation since 1980.
Commenting on the decision, Mike Hellings, managing director of Viridor, said: “We are pleased that Viridor will be able to continue to provide essential waste and recycling services at Heathfield for local businesses and householders.
“Our proposals are designed to assist with the delivery of Devon's Waste Strategy and the facilities are an important element for our on-going partnerships with local authorities and business customers in the county,” he added.
Sorting
One of the proposed MRFs is to have the capacity to sort 90,000 tonnes of dry recyclables each year, taken from the household waste stream. The other MRF will process up to 75,000 tonnes per annum of non-hazardous commercial and industrial waste, and will include a small vehicle reception and transfer facility.
Viridor believes that its extra three million cubic metres of landfill space will provide a further 10 years' disposal capacity for residual wastes. Viridor has said that without the extension, the landfill would probably have to close in about 18 months' time.
At the moment, as well as the landfill provision, the Heathfield site houses a collection department, which is to be relocated.
In November, Viridor opened a new in-vessel composting plant, which has the capacity to take almost 30,000 tonnes of waste per annum. The plant was built as part of the Devon Composting Partnership with the aid of Defra funding.
Register for free to comment