Work begins on 120m Essex MBT facility

The Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) plant in Courtauld Road, Basildon, is to be built and operated by waste management firm Urbaser and engineering company Balfour Beatty on behalf of the Essex Waste Partnership, as part of a 25-year contract signed in June 2012 worth an estimated 800 million over its lifespan (see letsrecycle.com story)

The Essex Waste Partnership is made up of Essex county council and its 12 district and borough councils, as well as the unitary authority of Southend-on-Sea borough council.

Due to be completed in July 2014, the facility will treat up to 417,000 tonnes of residual, trade and non-recyclable waste each year generated within the county. It will be fully operational in 2015.

Waste the mechanical biological treatment (MBT) facility undergoes a mechanical treatment where recyclable material is removed before going through a biostabilisation process. This dries and reduces the waste to prevent further decomposure. Remaining matter is to be landfilled or used as solid recovered fuel (SRF) in energy plants.

Funding

It is hoped the facility, partly funded via 100.9 million of government PFI credits granted to Essex Waste Partnership, will reduce the countys reliance on landfill and increase recycling rates through the recovery of metals, plastics and other recyclable materials.

Project members and officers were present at the ground breaking ceremony, including chairman of Essex county council councillor Kay Twitchen who signed one of the steel beams that will be used to construct the plant.

Cabinet member for waste and recycling councillor Roger Walters, who also signed the beam, said: This is an important day for the Essex Waste Partnership, as we mark the start of construction for the waste treatment facility at Courtauld Road.

This facility will enable Essex and Southend to achieve a sustainable waste management solution, which is affordable and environmentally acceptable. I look forward to seeing the development on site over the coming months.

Urbaser Balfour Beatty has also entered into local contracts valued at over 1 million. The project will create 250 jobs during construction, as well as 85 once completed and a number of apprentices during construction and operation.

The Urbaser/Balfour Beatty saw off rival bids for the Essex deal from a joint venture named Resources for Waste, which included waste management firm Shanks Group, civil engineering specialists Costain and equity investor John Laing Investments.