The facility, at Tancred Quarry near Scorton, will handle about 60,000 tonnes of waste each year collected from households and businesses in the Catterick and Northallerton areas.
Yorwaste, which is jointly owned by North Yorkshire county council and the City of York council, needed the new plant to cover the interim period between the closure of the Scorton landfill site last year and the opening of a new integrated waste management plant in 2005.
Speaking at the opening of the new facility, Yorwaste managing director Steve Grieve said: “The closure of the Scorton landfill site meant a new facility which could handle and recycle waste generated locally was badly needed and in Tancred we believe we have got the perfect location.”
The integrated waste facility was given planning approval in 2002, and will include facilities for waste recycling, composting, landfill disposal and the generation of electricity from landfill gas. The facility will have a 15-year lifespan and will serve Richmondshire and Hambleton in the northern area of North Yorkshire.
Mr Grieve said: “We have recently established a local liaison group to keep residents informed about developments at Tancred and the feedback from residents who have visited the site has been very positive.”
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