The Long Term Waste Treatment Project
What is it?
- Leicestershire has one of the best recycling rates in the country. We will always strive to reduce, reuse and recycle as much waste as possible but not everything can be recycled or composted. Waste remaining after recycling and composting is generally sent to landfill sites however we cannot carry on doing this in the future.
- We aim to provide new waste treatment facilities that will deal with the majority of the residual domestic rubbish that currently is sent to landfill (i.e. the rubbish remaining after recycling and composting).
- It is anticipated that the new facilities will operate for a 25 year period and be designed to deal with approximately 180,000 tonnes of Leicestershire's rubbish each year by 2040.
- The County Council has not made a decision regarding technology types or sites to be used to treat the waste. We are open to all options and private waste companies are being asked to propose solutions including the type of facility and technology as well as the site.
Why are we doing it?
- The European Union has set the United Kingdom challenging targets to reduce the amount of rubbish it sends to landfill. These targets are displayed in the following table:
|
Target Year
|
|
2010
|
|
2013
|
|
2020
|
- The UK Government has also introduced measures to ensure that Councils develop alternatives to landfill and divert increasing amounts of waste away from landfill. These measures include:
- increasing the tax payable on landfilled rubbish year on year
- setting a maximum annual limit of waste that can be sent to landfill for each local authority (if an authority exceeds this limit they could be subject to penalties of up to £150 per tonne)
- requiring all local authorities to achieve 50% recycling and composting by 2020
- The Leicestershire Waste Management Partnership (consisting of all the local authorities in Leicestershire) adopted the Leicestershire Municipal Waste Management Strategy (LMWMS) in 2006. The LMWMS committed the Leicestershire authorities to achieve a 58% recycling and composting level by 2017. The LMWMS also identified that there was a need to develop a long term waste treatment solution that would divert waste from landfill and ensure that the County Council does not exceed its stipulated Landfill Directive targets.
What's happening at the moment?
- Leicestershire County Council is currently undertaking a procurement process in compliance with the European Union Procurement Directive.
- The County Council aims to identify a private sector partner that will design, build, finance and operate facilities to assist Leicestershire to meet the required landfill diversion targets.
- In July, the County Council announced that three companies have been shortlisted to develop a facility to treat up to 180,000 tonnes of waste each year by 2040. The shortlisted bidders are:
- Biffa
- United Utilities/John Laing Investments
- Veolia
- To achieve the best solution for Leicestershire's waste, we are following a process which allows the County Council to enter into detailed dialogue with the bidders over a period of time. As details about the potential locations or technologies are confidential to the bidders, they can decide when to release details about their plans.
- The planning process is separate from the procurement process and companies are free to apply for planning permission for any type of proposal at any time. Because of the formal and legal process we are following, it is not possible or appropriate for the County Council to comment on any proposed planning application.
What happens next?
The three shortlisted bidders have now been invited to submit their detailed proposals.
Over the next few months the County Council will meet with the shortlisted bidders to discuss their proposals through the dialogue process and achieve the best overall solution for Leicestershire.
A final decision won't be taken until late 2010. A facility is needed for Leicestershire by 2015.
What different types of waste treatment technologies are there?
A range of waste treatment technologies may be proposed by the bidders and the County Council will consider all proposals and sites.
Further descriptions of possible waste treatment technologies and common waste management terms can be downloaded below.
Where will a facility be built?
A final decision has not yet been made regarding the possible location of a waste facility.
The County Council has made two sites available to bidders. One is at the Interlink Business Park in Bardon, and the other is its current waste facility at Whetstone.
As well as these sites, companies are free to propose their own sites for the devlopment of our long term solution.
How is this being funded?
In September 2008, the County Council secured 'government credits' worth £86.6m. Once Leicestershire has delivered a fully operational facility, these credits will be converted into an annual grant. The remaining costs will be paid for through the County Council's annual waste budget.
How is Leicestershire currently performing?
- The County Council and seven District Councils achieved a recycling and composting rate of 52% 2008/09. This makes it one of the highest performing counties in the country.
- All Leicestershire authorities have committed to increase recycling and composting levels to 58% by 2017.
- Leicestershire currently produces approximately 210,000 tonnes of residual waste per annum (i.e. waste remaining after recycling and composting).
When will residents be able to comment on any new facility?
- A significant amount of consultation was undertaken in 2006 when stakeholders were asked to comment upon the Leicestershire Municipal Waste Management Strategy (LMWMS). This included the issue of the development of waste treatment facilities and the types of technology that could be used to ensure Leicestershire’s long term landfill diversion targets would be achieved. Please click here to read the LMWMS.
- There will be an opportunity through any future planning application process for residents to find out more and share their views.
Will the new facility affect recycling and composting?
- No. The new facility will be designed to treat the waste that is left over after recycling and composting has taken place. This facility is just part of the way we can deal with the waste which is remaining after recycling and composting and it will reduce the amount sent to landfill.
- All Leicestershire authorities are highly committed to waste prevention, recycling and composting. Therefore all Leicestershire residents will continue to be encouraged to do more to prevent waste from arising and recycle and compost as much as possible.
How will any new facility be monitored?
- The facility will have to apply for and maintain an appropriate environmental permit from the Environment Agency (the Government regulatory body that is responsible for looking after the environment).
- The permit will specify levels of traffic, noise, pests, litter, smells and air pollution.
- The facility will be subject to planned and ad hoc inspections by the Environment Agency to ensure that the environmental requirements stipulated in the permit are adhered to.
- Emissions associated with burning waste or fuel derived from waste are subject to strict regulation contained within the European Union Waste Incineration Directive (WID).
What will the opening hours of the facility be?
- This has yet to be determined but opening hours will be dependent upon the location of the site and statutory planning consents.
Further Information
feedback on this page
