Groundbreaking ceremony for new waste treatment plant in Cumbria
Journalists and photographers are being invited to a ceremony marking the start of work on a plant that will transform waste disposal in Cumbria and drastically reduce the volume of rubbish sent to landfill.
Construction is now underway on one of the county’s new mechanical biological treatment plants (MBT), at Hespin Wood near Carlisle, and members of the media are being offered the chance to go on site for photograph/interview opportunities with representatives from Cumbria County Council and Shanks Group Plc.
The media opportunity is taking place at Hespin Wood at 11am on Thursday (September 3), where a spade in the ground ceremony will be held. (Members of the media are asked to arrive at Hespin Wood for 10.45am).
Cumbria County Council leader Jim Buchanan, deputy leader Stewart Young and Environment corporate director Marie Fallon are all set to attend and be available for interview, alongside Shanks Group Chief Executive Tom Drury.
Following the photo/interview call on site, journalists are invited to a buffet lunch and a further interview opportunity at the Premier Travel Inn, just off junction 44 of the M6.
The Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) plant now being built at Hespin Wood is set to be up and running by 2012, with a second plant in Barrow coming into service in around 2013.
The 25-year agreement worth more than £700million between Shanks and Cumbria County Council –which reached financial close in June –will see much of the county’s waste sent to MBT plants at Hespin Wood and Barrow.
MBT is a sustainable and progressive waste technology which means the amount of rubbish sent to landfill will fall dramatically. This will lead to a major reduction in the amount of methane the county produces and will save Cumbria shelling out millions of pounds in landfill fines.
In addition Shanks are also developing and managing Cumbria’s existing Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs).
Councillor Jim Buchanan, leader of Cumbria County Council, said: “Our contract with Shanks really will revolutionise the way we deal with waste in Cumbria and ensure we have a greener, more cost-effective system of managing rubbish for years to come.
“I’m delighted building work is now getting underway at Hespin Wood as this really marks a big step forward in our adoption of MBT technology.”
Stewart Young, deputy leader of Cumbria County Council added: “We are no longer able to simply send large amounts of waste to landfill.
“The two MBT plants, at Hespin Wood and Barrow, are the key component of the landmark deal we’ve signed and the fact building work has now started is excellent news.”
Tom Drury, Group Chief Executive Shanks Group plc said; ‘We are delighted to have commenced construction of this facility which will play a major part in enabling Cumbria to divert 67% of its household waste from landfill by 2015, meeting Government targets.
“We look forward to working with Cumbria County Council and providing the residents of Cumbria with a truly sustainable and top class waste management service.”
Topics: Britain, Cumbria, Cumbria County Council, economic development, Economy, England, environment, Governance, landfill, social services, UK, waste disposal, waster treatment plant
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