A new energy recovery facility was opened in Staffordshire by HRH the Duke of Gloucester last week (14 May).

The incinerator, referred to as the ‘Four Ashes’ because of its location, has been built by waste management firm Veolia in partnership with CNIM Clugston Staffordshire Ltd.

It forms part of the 25-year private finance intiative (PFI) contract with Staffordshire County Council (said to be the ‘biggest’ in the council’s history). Which is expected to save residents over £250 million in tax over its lifetime.

Boosting the economy and saving money

The facility, which is said to be diverting 300,000 tonnes of local waste from landfill a year which will generate enough power for 35,000 homes, has created 40 new jobs in the area.

Speaking at the opening event, Estelle Brachlianoff, Veolia’s Executive Vice President for the UK and Ireland said: “The development of the new plant is all part of the 'Zero Waste to Landfill' strategy, which is tackling head on the growing problem of domestic waste. We are dedicated to maximising recycling first, and then recovering energy from the leftover residual waste.

“New infrastructure like this, which utilises the latest technologies, is vital if the UK is to meet landfill diversion targets and reduce carbon emissions. It can also bring significant economic benefits and by working closely with Staffordshire County Council we are helping stimulate economic growth and improve environmental performance.”

Staffordshire County Council Leader Philip Atkins, added: “The Four Ashes W2R site provides us with a leading facility which delivers huge savings, renewable energy, jobs and an educational offer. It is another example of how we have successfully carried out a major infrastructure project [that] will make a real difference to Staffordshire people. It means we are meeting our zero waste to landfill pledge and creating energy for homes and business at the same time, which is becoming increasingly important. In addition to the facility generating energy for the grid, we are also looking to use heat created for nearby business sites.

“Throughout development we have worked with the community alongside our partners Veolia and will continue to do so. An education centre on site will be open to schools from Staffordshire and the surrounding areas – helping young people understand why it is important to recycle and that energy is a finite resource.”

UK incinerator overcapacity

The amount of incinerators in the UK has come under scrutiny recently, with a recent report from Eunomia Research & Consulting suggesting that the UK could see overcapacity in residual waste treatment plants by 2015, if the current rate of construction is not curbed. The report suggests that due to increased emphasis on recycling, reusing and recovering material, residual waste rates are falling, leaving incinerators without the required levels of waste needed to produce efficient and cost-effective processes.

Further to this, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) withdrew £217.1 million of funding for three incinerator PFI (private finance initiative) projects in February, after finding that the 29 energy-from-waste projects that already have funding are ‘sufficient’ to meet the EU’s 2020 landfill diversion targets.

Read more about Veolia’s environmental services.