MODIFIED PLANS FOR COMPOSTING SCHEME SUBMITTED
15-05-08
press release
Issued on behalf of: NORFOLK ENVIRONMENTAL WASTE SERVICES LTD
Issue date: 15-05-08
MODIFIED PLANS FOR COMPOSTING SCHEME SUBMITTED TO REDUCE IMPACT
Crane & Sons (Farms) Ltd, in collaboration with Norfolk Environmental Waste Services (NEWS), has re-submitted plans for their new ‘in-vessel’ composting facility, significantly reducing the plant’s impact on the surrounding area.
The new facility, which will be situated on Mr Crane’s Wood Farm at Marsham, north of Norwich, will receive ‘green’ and organic waste from household and trade collections. A large percentage of this material is currently sent to landfill. The end product is a soil improver which will be used on Mr Crane’s agricultural land.
The modifications to the plans have been made following a programme of impact assessments which were carried out to address some concerns raised by local residents and statutory consultees. These assessments identified a number of areas where further improvements could be made to limit the risk of odour, noise and dust release from the proposed site. As a result the proposed improvements include:
§ Operational area reduced in size by one third
§ Increased visual screening and tree planting at the site boundaries
§ Enlarged northern screen bund to reduce noise impacts from the site
§ Smaller reception building, including negative aeration and quick closing doors to prevent odour release
§ All process areas now 100% under cover prior to material maturation
§ Improved biofilter design for each process, including vertical vent pipes to improve dispersal of expelled air
§ Inclusion of a carbon filter to guarantee only clean air is emitted from the main process biofilter
§ Maturation material now processed within concrete bunkers using a new air suction process. No material turning now required
§ Reduced need for plant and equipment resulting in lower noise emissions
§ Dirty water storage lagoons covered to reduce risk of odours.
Richard Varvel, Engineering Projects Manager at NEWS, said: “The impact assessments were carried out assuming the site can operate at its full capacity of 45,000 tonnes per annum. In each case the new design demonstrates that the site can operate with little or no adverse impact on the surrounding area.
“NEWS now believes it has gone the extra mile to ensure that every step of the process has been thoroughly thought through so that the site can operate as unobtrusively as possible.”
If approved, the site will mean a significant quantity of organic waste can now be recycled rather than be sent to landfill. Landfill is very quickly running out within the area and new facilities of this type are urgently needed as an alternative. It will also reduce the reliance on chemical fertilisers used on the land.
Many of NEWS’ commercial customers have expressed interest in separating their organic waste to go to the new site, which will offer a cheaper and sustainable alternative to landfill.
The new planning application for the Marsham facility has just been submitted submitted.
NEWS can be contacted on 01603 891892 and at news@norfolk-waste.co.uk, with further information on recycling available at mailto:news@norfolk-waste.co.uk
Proposed Marsham Composting Operation Plant
