A Bridgend waste recycling and electricity generating project is the first in the UK to get a green light for the innovative waste disposal technology. Irish firm 3NRG has become the first company in the UK to acquire the necessary regulatory licences. The paperwork will allow the company to operate an integrated mechanical heat treatment with power plant at Tythegston, near Bridgend in Wales which will generate enough electricity to supply its own needs and that of approximately 4000 homes.

The municipal waste is delivered to the plant, and after the recovery of materials for recycling such as plastics, metals and glass, the remaining biomass, derived from the paper, cardboard and food residues, is put through a process known as pyrolysis to produce a gas. This gas is used to create steam, which in turn drives an electricity generating turbine. The 4MW of surplus electricity generated is fed to the national grid.

A pilot project has been running for some time at the 3.5 acre Tythegston former landfill site, which was licensed for waste processing but has now been given the green light for the construction of a £25 million integrated waste processing – electricity generating plant due for completion by early 2010.

South Coast Law Firm, Lester Aldridge LLP, acted on behalf of 3NRG. LA Corporate partner, David Ashplant, who led the team at LA commented: “We are thrilled to have been involved with this project which will have such significant benefits for South Wales and other areas of the country as further plants are built.”

Michael Flynn, chief executive and founder of parent company FLI Environmental says; “We expect to build ten such plants in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland over the next decade as we believe that this is the cleanest and most environmentally sustainable solution to processing residual solid municipal waste.”

The system recycles or reuses 95% of solid waste, waste which would otherwise have been sent to landfill.

3NRG uses proven technologies to deliver innovative waste treatment solutions and to generate energy from waste biomass.The company says it is committed to displacing fossil fuels in electricity and heat generation through the use of waste biomass as a fuel source for thermal processes and from the utilisation of biogas derived from anaerobic digestion. The feedstock for 3NRG processes includes; waste woodchip, sludge, food waste and low grade compost/biomass derived from municipal solid wastes.

Credits:: A landfill site - which could become a thing of the past if the waste treatment and generating plant being trialled at Bridgend proves a success.