Two of Britain's largest recycling plants set to close

By Carolina Curiel (ScrapMonster Author)

April 14, 2016 12:02:10 AM

EDGWARE (Scrap Monster): Lancashire County Council has revealed that a recent surge in national recycling rates along with the severe financial situation facing the local authority has contributed to the closure of two of Britain's biggest recycling plants.

The organic waste recovery parks at Farington and Thornton are set to close less than a decade after a £2bn Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract was signed by developers Global Renewables.

Lancashire Country Council, which holds ownership and responsibility for running the two sites, told edie that the Government scrappage of the landfilling organic waste penalty in 2013 had significantly undermined the plants’ economic viability.

The local authority also stated that the quantity of organics in residual waste has fallen due to the fact that people are now throwing less food away.

A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said: "The waste recovery parks were designed to prevent organic waste, such as food left in household bins, being landfilled, as landfill taxes at the time meant it would cost vastly more to continue landfilling organic waste - however, the Government abolished the penalty for landfilling organics in 2013.

"People are also throwing far less food away, meaning the proportion of organics in residual waste has greatly declined."

The Mail Online reported that thousands of tonnes of local rubbish in Lancashire will now be dumped in landfill sites, but the Council has refuted this claim, vowing to continue to divert a substantial portion of its waste from landfill through more cost-effective methods.

Courtesy: www.edie.net