What is Mechanical and Biological Treatment?
MBT involves both mechanical and biological methods to deal with waste. The 'mechanical' part refers to the processes that are used for preparing and separating the waste when it arrives at the plant. There are a number of waste preparation techniques, such as shredding and sieving to reduce size, and screens, separators and secondary crushing to separate the waste into separate 'fractions'.
The three fractions are:
Following the mechanical separation, the organic fraction goes through a process of bio-drying to take out the water. The resultant material is then blended with the other RDF fraction to produce a high quality composite fuel to be used at the Runcorn Energy from Waste Facility (currently under construction).
The three fractions are:
- Recyclate
- Material to be used as Resource Derived Fuel (RDF)
- Nutrient rich organic matter to be used for RDF
Following the mechanical separation, the organic fraction goes through a process of bio-drying to take out the water. The resultant material is then blended with the other RDF fraction to produce a high quality composite fuel to be used at the Runcorn Energy from Waste Facility (currently under construction).
Can Viridor guarantee that rail will be used in preference to road?
Viridor fully expects to get planning consent that stipulates that rail access will be used at this facility for the transport of RDF to the Runcorn Energy from Waste facility.
Viridor have now finalised discussions with Network Rail and an agreement is in place, subject to planning permission being granted for the facility.
Viridor have now finalised discussions with Network Rail and an agreement is in place, subject to planning permission being granted for the facility.
How will this facility impact on local traffic?
A full traffic report suggests that the impact on local traffic will be minimal. However, Viridor accept that any additional traffic can have an impact on the roads to the detriment of other road users and therefore will make a voluntary contribution of £150,000 to road works in the area.
By using rail as the key element of the transport of fuel to the INEOS plant in Runcorn, Viridor considers that this proposed facility will have the least impact on local residents.
By using rail as the key element of the transport of fuel to the INEOS plant in Runcorn, Viridor considers that this proposed facility will have the least impact on local residents.
What emissions will the facility produce?
All emissions for this process are contained. Air will be extracted within the building and will be used to bio-dry the waste. Before that air is returned to the atmosphere, it is cleansed using bio-filters.
MBT is a different process to Energy from Waste in that it produces a fuel to be burnt at a different location rather than burning the fuel itself.
MBT is a different process to Energy from Waste in that it produces a fuel to be burnt at a different location rather than burning the fuel itself.
Why does Cheshire need additional capacity for waste treatment?
The proposed Viridor facility is designed to meet the needs of the Cheshire waste PFI. At present there isn't the existing capacity to deal with this residual (non-recyclable) household waste and currently, this material goes to landfill. The Cheshire authorities will be selecting just one facility (Viridor or RRS) as preferred bidder for this waste contract, dealing with household residual waste.
With regards to other plants in the area, Viridor's proposed MBT facility differs in that it produces fuel rather than burning it. Facilities at Runcorn (INEOS Chlor) and Ince Marshes (Peel Environmental) and the proposed Brunner Mond plant cannot accept raw municipal solid waste and require an MBT plant to feed them.
With regards to other plants in the area, Viridor's proposed MBT facility differs in that it produces fuel rather than burning it. Facilities at Runcorn (INEOS Chlor) and Ince Marshes (Peel Environmental) and the proposed Brunner Mond plant cannot accept raw municipal solid waste and require an MBT plant to feed them.
Will the facility cause an odour?
The proposed MBT facility will utilise state-of-the-art technology to ensure that there is no significant impact on local air quality and that the risk of odour is minimised.
All waste treatment will take place within an enclosed building which will be maintained under negative pressure to prevent air from escaping. Vehicles will enter the facility through fast acting roller shutter doors.
Air will be extracted within the building and will be used to bio-dry the waste. It will then be passed through bio-filters to cleanse it before it is returned to the atmosphere.
All waste treatment will take place within an enclosed building which will be maintained under negative pressure to prevent air from escaping. Vehicles will enter the facility through fast acting roller shutter doors.
Air will be extracted within the building and will be used to bio-dry the waste. It will then be passed through bio-filters to cleanse it before it is returned to the atmosphere.
