Recycling plant set to make powerful contribution to reducing use of landfill

Pennine Resource Recovery has submitted the planning application to build the plant at Bowling Back Lane that would both sort and recycle household waste and then burn that which cannot be re-used.

That process will generate heat and electricity.

The company has already been selected as the preferred partner to deal with waste from Calderdale and Bradford.

The proposed 25-year contract is worth about £300m – £230m from Bradford and about £70m from Calderdale Council.

The intention is to divert more than 90 per cent of waste from expensive landfill sites and push recycling rates up to at least 50 per cent by 2020.

The firm says enough electricity will be generated to power the equivalent of 20,000 homes.

It says the waste would be burned at high temperatures “under carefully controlled conditions”. Emissions from the chimney will meet EU incineration guidance.

Most of the rubbish will be from households with a “small amount” of commercial and industrial non-hazardous waste, according to the company.

PRR project director Mark Tribe said: “The facility has been specifically designed for Bradford and Calderdale and we are working very closely with local training and employment agencies to ensure that local people across both districts are able to benefit from the employment and training opportunities on offer.”

Should planning permission be granted, construction will begin in 2013 with the facility becoming operational in 2016.

Residents can view the final proposals at two events being held later this month.

A public information session takes place on Saturday from 9.30am until 12.30 at the existing household waste recycling centre at Bowling Back Lane.

Following that, on Wednesday next week, a neighbourhood forum takes place from 7pm at St. John’s Church Hall in Neville Road, Bradford.

More details have been posted online at www.pennineresources.com