Merseyside has been successful in the DEFRA backed New Technologies Demonstrator Programme to host a £10.6 million scheme in the Knowsley District. The project should save 30,000 tonnes of municipal waste going to landfill each year.
"This project is a major opportunity for Knowsley, and the whole of Merseyside, to get to the forefront of recycling and new generation waste treatment technology"
Cllr Kevin Cluskey, MWDA Chairman
It is proposed to construct an MBT plant at the Huyton Industrial Estate on a site previously used for waste processing, rather than the earlier proposed Gill Moss site. The project would use an existing building and will feature a visitors learning centre, though this is subject to public consultation and planning approval.
Fairport Engineering of Adlington, Lancashire, has submitted a planning application to Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council. Subject to approval, it is expected that the process will be up and running by the end of 2007, once the existing building has had the technology installed.
The contract with DEFRA is for Fairport to run the demonstration process till April 2009. However, if successful, the plant could be an element of MWDA’s future waste management strategy.
The plant will convert non-hazardous household waste in to a high quality green fuel using a patented process of Fairport Engineering called Mechanical Heat Treatment (MHT).
The scheme is a partnership between Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) (through Envirolink NorthWest).
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Merseyside Waste Disposal Authority Director, Carl Beer said:
“The Government has staked a lot of money on this project because it recognises that it has real potential to make a difference across the UK. From a Merseyside point of view, this will save money by relieving the massive pressure on landfill. Just by diverting up to 30,000 tonnes of biodegradable waste a year from landfill it will have the potential to save Council taxpayers £1.5 million.”
MWDA Chairman, Councillor Kevin Cluskey said:
“This project is a major opportunity for Knowsley, and the whole of Merseyside, to get to the forefront of recycling and new generation waste treatment technology. It will by no means solve all Merseyside’s waste problems. However, it demonstrates the kind of creativity and commitment we have got to show if we are ever going to get to grips with the vast mountains of waste currently sent to landfill.”
Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the NWDA, said:
“Waste management is becoming an increasingly important issue for the Northwest and it is vital that we develop innovative and sustainable solutions to tackling this in order to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill sites. This initiative will make a real difference in achieving these aims for Merseyside and the NWDA is pleased to provide its support for the project through Envirolink Northwest.”