News Overview
On this page you can find useful news and information on general recycling and waste management issues as well as updates on the proposals for the Green Lane Eco Park. Click to reveal the full stories.
Date: 04 January 2012
Plymouth City Council approves plans for a residual waste treatment facility
Plans for a giant incinerator in Plymouth have been approved by city councillors after a lengthy planning meeting.
Date: 21 December 2011
Green Lane Eco Park and the Greater Manchester Joint Waste Development Plan Document
In a recent report from the inspector of the Greater Manchester Join Waste Development Plan Document, the inspector states that it would be premature to include the former Mitchell Shackleton site (the site for the proposed Green Lane Eco Park) in the Waste Plan as this could prevent other types of employment development being considered for the land.
Date: 18 July 2011
High Court revives gasification facility in Derby
A High Court judge has overturned the Planning Inspectorate's dismissal of Shanks and Interserve's appeal against the rejection of proposals to build a gasification facility in Derby, potentially paving the way for a second public inquiry into the plans.
Date: 18 July 2011
Sky Properties gives input into GM Waste Development strategy
Sky Properties gave evidence at the hearing into the emerging Greater Manchester Waste Development Document in June.
Date: 14 June 2011
Date: 14 June 2011
Manchester Evening News report
Salford Council meeting to decide the planning applications for Green Lane Eco Park.
Date: 12 May 2011
Green Lane Eco Park proposals should get go ahead say town hall officers
Town hall planning officers have recommended that Sky Properties' proposals for the Green Lane Eco Park should be approved by Salford Council's planning panel. The scheme is due to be considered by the panel on 2 June.
To view an article from the Manchester Evening News regarding this, please click the link below
Date: 10 May 2011
CBI joins business organisations backing plans for Green Lane Eco Park
The Confederation of British Industry has backed plans for the Green Lane Eco Park, a £70m state-of-the-art facility in Salford to recycle business waste and generate renewable energy. The proposals submitted by Sky Properties for the Green Lane Eco Park are already supported by two leading business organisations, the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and the North West Institute of Directors . Now Damian Waters, Regional Director of the CBI in the North West, has lent the organisation's "whole-hearted support" for Sky Properties' applications, which are to be heard by Salford Council's planning committee on 2 June (revised date).
Date: 08 April 2011
Energos technology is the first to receive Renewable Obligation Certificates
Green Lane Eco Park technology supplier, Energos, has become the first company in the UK to receive Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) for a full scale gasification plant. ROCs may be issued for electricity generated by gasification or pyrolysis plants - known as "Advanced Conversion Technologies" - that meet strict quality standards, but are not available to incineration schemes without combined heat and power. ROCs are issued for the renewable portion of the fuel used, typically more than 60% of waste.
Date: 06 April 2011
Eco Park developers welcome new canal side homes
Sky Properties has welcomed the approval given to Arndale Properties Management for 175 new homes to be built on the site of the former GUS warehouse in Eccles. Anthony Hirsch, owner of Sky Properties, says "The GUS site redevelopment and other development projects in the vicinity of Green Lane provide significant potential for synergies with the proposed Eco Park through opportunities to maximise the benefits from combined heat and power".
To read the full article please click here.
Eccles houses 'complement Green Lane Eco Park
Sky's Green Lane Eco Park would be constructed on disused industrial land off Green Lane in Monton, Salford, and could potentially provide enough energy to ...
Date: 22 March 2011
Wasted food equals 3% of greenhouse emissions in UK, says new survey
A new report by environmental organization WWF, highlighting the environmental impact of wasted food in the UK, found that food waste accounts for three percent of the country's greenhouse gas emissions. The majority of food waste is sent to landfill where it decomposes producing methane, a greenhouse gas more than 21 times more potent that CO2. The Environmental Protection Agency highlight the environmental benefits of recycling food waste as a compost.
Date: 4 March 2011
Local media publishes letter correcting inaccurate statements
A letter from Anthony Hirsch, owner of Sky Properties, correcting inaccurate statements made in the local media, has been published in the Salford Advertiser. Click here to view PDF of letter.
Date: 24 February 2011
Sky Properties responds to concerns of Monton residents
Sky Properties has responded to concerns raised by local residents on the 'Say No to Green Lane Incinerator' website. Please find below a PDF of the letter written to the website administrator which addresses the incorrect statements posted on the campaign website.
Date: 21 February 2011
Sky Properties' responds to inaccurate comments in local media
In response to an article in the Salford Advertiser on 10 February 2011, Sky Properties has written to Cllr Ann Davies to amend incorrect statements made in the local media concerning air quality and traffic linked to the proposals for the Green Lane Eco Park. Sky has also contacted the Salford Advertiser to ask that they correct the comments made in their article.
Date: 5 November 2010
Go-ahead for Splott, Cardiff waste-to-energy plant
The Environment Agency has given the final go-ahead for a controversial incinerator in Cardiff.
The £150m waste-to-energy plant in Splott, Cardiff required an environmental permit.
The agency had wanted to assess the original advice it was given about the potential health impact. A campaign group of residents opposed the plant..
Date: 28 October 2010
Sky Properties' response to commentary on Green Lane consultation
In a recent posting on its website, the local opposition group's spokesman Hani El Qasem demonstrates a misunderstanding of consultation and the planning process in an effort to undermine the extensive efforts made by Sky Properties to inform and consult local residents and key stakeholder groups in the development of the proposals for the Green Lane Eco Park.
In Salford Council's Statement of Community Involvement (SCI), which provides guidance on how local people and groups should be involved in planning issues, the council encourages applicants to undertake pre-application discussions with them (the Council) prior to the submission of a planning application.
Date: 5 October 2010
Controversial waste processing plant given go-ahead
A controversial waste processing plant was given planning permission by the Government after a local council refused to let it go ahead. A planning inspector today overturned Liverpool City Council's decision to block plans for the Garston plant and Jack Allen Holdings can now start building its £35m centre, which will be able to "bake" 150,000 tonnes of rubbish a year.
Local activists rallying against the plans said its location just metres from new housing estates would put off potential future home buyers and choke off the area's recovery.
But in a decision published yesterday the planning inspector said: "The council's objection is not that the [plant] would create environmental or amenity problems, but that investors, including the house builders, and also people thinking of moving into the area to live, might be discouraged by the perception of a waste treatment plant close by. However, upon close examination, there appears to be limited evidence to support these concerns."
Date: 2 September 2010
Business groups give backing to eco park
The Salford Advertiser details how both the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and the North West Institute of Directors (IoD) have written to Salford City Council to back the plans submitted by Sky Properties for the Green Lane Eco Park.
The Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce's letter stated "These proposals have the potential to deliver £70m of private investment, creating 60 permanent jobs at a time of high unemployment and low economic growth. And the IoD's letter adds "There is a sound environmental conclusion that limiting the travelling distances benefits all and is a long term investment, and the sensible use of an existing site."
Date: 2 August 2010
Scotland's largest AD facility an 'inspiration'
Article detailing the process and benefits of an anaerobic digestion following the granting of planning permission for Scotland's largest ever anaerobic digestion facility, capable of handling around 105,000 tonnes per year.
Date: 27 July 2010
Minister backs anaerobic digestion industry
Environment Minister Lord Henley has backed anaerobic digestion stating the technology should be given the chance to 'bloom' and that it is 'exactly the type of technology we should be looking at'.
Date: 16 July 2010
Sky Properties has now submitted the Green Lane Eco Park planning applications
Sky Properties has now submitted the Green Lane Eco Park planning applications (one in full for the Energos gasification facility and one in outline for the Anaerobic Digestion plant and Materials Recovery Facility) to Salford City Council and the Council will now hold a formal consultation on the proposals.
Sky Properties is committed to informing, consulting and involving local stakeholders in the redevelopment of the Green Lane site. We are therefore distributing a leaflet to c. 14,000 properties in the local area to update local residents on the proposals and to provide information on how to submit comments about the proposal to the Council as part of the formal consultation. To view a copy of this leaflet, please see the 'Get Involved' page.
To view the planning applications, please go to the 'Planning Applications' page. This page includes the Non-Technical Summary which presents, in non-technical language, the findings of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that has been undertaken in connection with the proposed Green Lane Eco Park development plus both planning applications and all supporting documentation in full.
We would urge you to read this information very carefully. If you would like to submit your comments about the proposal to Salford City Council as part of the formal consultation, details of how to do this can be found on the 'Get Involved' page.
Date: 28 May 2010
Coalition waste policy indicates "huge increase in energy from waste through anaerobic digestion"
Energy has come high up on the political agenda for the new Government due to the fact that EU targets say the UK must produce 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. At the moment, only 2% of UK energy is produced from renewables. The coalition manifesto, The Coalition: Our Programme for Government, published on 19 May, states that the coalition "will seek to increase the target for energy from renewable sources, subject to the advice of the Climate Change Committee". Their manifesto says that as part of this drive to increase energy from renewables, they will "introduce measures to promote a huge increase in energy from waste through anaerobic digestion".
Please use the following link to read the article in full: http://www.mrw.co.uk/home/waste-policy-a-work-in-progress/5218349.article
To view the coalition manifesto, please use the following link (see section 10 for 'Energy and Climate Change'): http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/409088/pfg_coalition.pdf
Date: 26 May 2010
Media Statement – Isle of Wight
Waste Gas Technology (WGT) has temporarily suspended waste processing operations at its hybrid Energos energy recovery plant on the Isle of Wight to investigate abnormal dioxin emission test results and take action to restore previous low levels.
Date: 12 April 2010
"Less is more": Business Opportunities in Waste & Resource Management
This joint DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and BIS (Department for Business, Innovation & Skills) report outlines the importance of addressing business waste and the opportunities for business in the recycling and waste management field. The need for new technologies is discussed including diversion of food waste from landfill through Anaerobic Digestion and also the DEFRA demonstrator programme (which includes Energos technology). The report also looks at changing the perceptions of waste to focus on it as a managed resource.
Date: 9 April 2010
Updated Regional Waste Stategy 2010
In February 2010, 4NW (the Leaders Board for the North West) updated the Regional Waste Strategy and its vision is 'To contribute to the sustainable development of the Northwest region by promoting and supporting waste management infrastructure, facilities and systems which reduce harm to the environment (including reducing impacts on climate change),improve the efficiency of resources, stimulate investment and maximise the economic opportunities in line with specific targets.'
Maximising the economic value obtained from the region's commercial and industrial and other waste streams is an important theme of the strategy. It estimates that the region's waste could create value of around £2 billion per year, whilst the region is the second largest in terms of numbers employed within the waste sector. The North West waste industry accounts for about 24,000 employees. The strategy recognises that waste will be increasingly used as a fuel source in meeting the region's energy needs and that better management can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
The strategy envisages that commercial waste would increase to almost 2 million tonnes and industrial waste would fall to 450 000 tonnes by 2025. It estimates that there is potential for an additional 600,000 tonnes of recyclable commercial and industrial waste in the region. It goes on to state that surveys identified that less than one percent of commercial and industrial waste was used to generate energy. Therefore '…. the targets require a significant increase in the recovery of energy from commercial and industrial waste. To achieve this there must be support through the delivery of development for energy from waste facilities.'
With regard to the location of facilities it states that the broad areas of the Liverpool and Manchester City regions will have the highest concentrations of large scale waste infrastructure. It states that a combination of incentives and fiscal measures will mean that the development of emerging technologies, such as Mechanical and Biological Treatment, Gasification, Pyrolysis and Anaerobic Digestion will be encouraged.
Date: 31st March 2010
The Health Protection Agency has published advice on its review of the health effects of incinerators. The summary says:
The Health Protection Agency has reviewed research undertaken to examine the suggested links between emissions from municipal waste incinerators and effects on health. While it is not possible to rule out adverse health effects from modern, well regulated municipal waste incinerators with complete certainty, any potential damage to the health of those living close-by is likely to be very small, if detectable. This view is based on detailed assessments of the effects of air pollutants on health and on the fact that modern and well managed municipal waste incinerators make only a very small contribution to local concentrations of air pollutants.
The Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment has reviewed recent data and has concluded that there is no need to change its previous advice, namely that any potential risk of cancer due to residency near to municipal waste incinerators is exceedingly low and probably not measurable by the most modern techniques. Since any possible health effects are likely to be very small, if detectable, studies of public health around modern, well managed municipal waste incinerators are not recommended.
Date: 25 March 2010
Eco deadlock set for new resolution
Anthony Hirsch, owner of Sky Properties, discusses his plans for the Green Lane site with Salford Advertiser reporter, Ailsa Cranna.
Date: 16th March 2010
Recycling still most effective waste disposal method, report finds
Report for UK government refutes persistent claims that recycling is a waste of time, calls for better facilities and an increase in incineration...
Date: 17th February 2010
Householders to get slop buckets in campaign against food waste
Every household in England could be issued with food waste buckets under proposals be announced "within weeks" as the Government attempts to deal with food waste.
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn spoke to the Yorkshire Post ahead of his role as keynote speaker at the Yorkshire Post Environment Awards on March 4 2010 and declared that current methods of disposal of waste needed to change as "it does not make sense" to continue burying waste food, glass, cans, paper, tins or wood.
He added that this would lead eventually to landfill bans being introduced stating, "For me, (a landfill ban) is the next stage, building on what we've achieved for household waste. It's about trying to get as close to zero waste as you can."
On the subject on waste incineration, Hilary Been stated that the controls on emissions were very strict and that he would happily live next to one.
Date: February 2010
Plans for green lane site must match salford Council & Government policy on land use
Site currently allocated for employment use and listed in emerging waste plan for Greater Manchester
Date: January 28th 2010
Salford Council supports recycling businesses
MIDAS and Salford City Council assisted recycling and research company Nulife Glass and their TV recycling plant in a £1m move to Salford, creating 30 more jobs.
Date: January 2010
Developer Sky Properties engages Monton residents about plans for pioneering waste management facility
130 people attend first meeting to discuss plans for a recycling & renewable energy facility creating 50 jobs.
Sky Properties has expressed delight at the huge response to the first of a programme of meetings to discuss its multi-million pound plans for a state-of-the-art facility to recycle and generate renewable energy...
Date: January 19th 2010
MPs recommend ban on food waste from landfill
The Government should bring forward the proposed date for landfill bans for recyclable and compostable materials, including food waste, focus more on commercial waste and impose 'mandatory collections' for food waste say MPs as they call for greater efforts to divert waste from landfill.
Date: January 13th 2010
Hilary Benn MP supports recovering energy from waste
Mr Benn said forthcoming proposals to ban recyclable items such as food waste from landfill would give a "fresh impetus" to the case for recovering energy from waste. The Leeds Central MP said: "My view is that attitudes are changing; we are supporting local authorities in that work as they take those projects forward and try and get planning permission. "I think the public's understanding of the health impact lags behind the reality, and I think we all have a responsibility to say, 'Look, this is another form of generating renewable energy in these circumstances'."I think the consultation on the landfill ban will provide a further impetus alongside, obviously, the rising landfill levy, which is a very, very sensible policy for trying to make all of us think about waste in a different way."
The uncorrected transcript of the whole meeting can be seen here:
Date: January 2010
M&S turning food waste into fuel
M&S highlight the importance of capturing the energy in food waste through Anaerobic Digestion (AD) and plan to generate an increasingly large amount of their energy from this renewable energy source. More details about "Plan A" and what the company is doing to reduce waste, recycle more and recover energy from food waste can be found here:
