There will be an opportunity to visit the site of the Battlefield Energy Recovery Facility [ERF].  This will be followed by an update on the progress of the ERF and a question and answer session.

Two representatives from Veolia, Mr P Lucas and the site manager for the Battlefield Energy from Waste facility, Mr S Ganley, gave a detailed and informative presentation on the new facility and explained what the process involved.  Members noted that construction had commenced in October 2012 and the facility would be operational in 2015.  A copy of the presentation slides is included with the formal record of this meeting.

The following key points were made:

·         The facility would treat approximately 90,000 tonnes of waste from Shropshire every year

·         This represents approximately 45% of the municipal waste produced in the county and will produce enough power for 10,000 homes

·         The facility is not an alternative to recycling but is intended to complement recycling initiatives

·         This facility, together with the increase in recycling in the county, is expected to reduce landfill in the county from 65% of household waste in 2005/6 to 5% by 2015

·         Should Shropshire exceed its landfill limit fines will be imposed by Government and this is, ultimately, paid for by the communities of Shropshire

·         The facility will deal with municipal waste that has not been reused, recycled or composted and would end up in landfill.

The Veolia representatives outlined the main benefits of the facility including,

·         The production of more electricity for the National Grid, providing energy whilst reducing the use of fossil fuel

·         Numerous environmental benefits including – sustainable waste management, recovery of energy from waste, reduction in dependence on landfill, avoidance of methane release from landfill

·         Up to 20% of the UK’s renewable energy targets could be met by energy from waste facilities

·         Creation of jobs for local people, where possible, for the construction and then the operation of the facility

Members were provided with a very detailed explanation and description of the process i.e. how the facility would work in future to deal with the residual waste collected from black bags/bins:

•     the waste is tipped into a bunker;

•     a crane grabs the waste and places it into the feed hopper. It then drops down a feed chute onto the grate; 

•     the action of the moving grate turns the waste to allow it to burn fully

•     the burnt out ash passes through the ash discharger onto an ash handling system, which extracts metal for recycling; 

•     the remaining ash is suitable for recycling or disposal;

•     hot gases produced in the combustion process pass through a water tubed boiler where they are cooled, the exchanged heat converts the boiler water to steam;

•     a turbo-generator uses the steam to produce electricity for export to the local network and the National Grid;

•     the gases from the boiler go through an extensive flue gas cleaning process which consists of a gas scrubber and a bag filter where particulates are filtered out;

•     the resulting material known as flue gas treatment residue which can be sent beneficial use or for disposal at a licensed site; and 

•     the cleaned gases are finally released to the atmosphere through the chimney. 

Following a run through the site safety rules, all present were taken on a tour of the outside of the facility in order to view the progress of the construction of the facility and were given the opportunity to ask questions of the two Veolia representatives.

On returning to the meeting room, the Chairman on behalf of all members of the Committee, thanked the two Veolia representatives for their hospitality and the highly informative presentation and explanation of the facility and its benefits to Shropshire residents in dealing with municipal waste produced in the county in future.

RESOLVED

That, once the facility is in full operation in 2015, a return visit to the Battlefield site be arranged.