Preparatory work starts on £15 million Dorset facility
Preparatory work has started on a new £15 million composting and recycling facility in Dorset.
SITA UK received planning permission earlier this year for the environmental park at Binnegar Quarry, two miles from Wareham.
The plans include a materials recycling facility (MRF), an inert recycling facility and in-vessel composting centre for food and kitchen waste.
Up to 122,000 tonnes of waste will be handled annually ranging from garden and organic kitchen products to dry recyclables such as paper, cans and plastic bottles.
The waste will come from west and central Dorset, including Portland and Swanage.
SITA UK’s plans were approved by Dorset County Council subject to 31 conditions. Work on meeting these conditions has now begun.
The work includes preliminary earth movements and site clearance, a new entrance and weighbridge and a new bridle path.
Specialist contractors are also to be called in to move protected species, including newts and plant-life, from planned development areas to new habitats on the site.
SITA UK also plans to start work on establishing a local liaison committee, comprising elected members and residents. It is hoped the liaison committee will hold its first meeting during the early part of 2009.
If the pre-conditions are met and development work continues as envisaged it’s thought the first waste will be treated on-site within the next 12 months.
Scott Dunbar, SITA UK’s Binnegar Quarry Project Manager, said the company was determined to be a ‘good neighbour’ and work closely with the local community and other interested parties.
"Liaison committees have worked very well at other sites. We see this as an excellent way of keeping people informed and addressing any concerns that may be raised," he added.
Mike Garfield, SITA UK’s Area Manager, said he believed Binnegar Quarry could act as a showcase for the rest of the industry as well as play a key role in reducing the amount of material sent to landfill.
"The environment is at the heart of everything we do at SITA UK. Binnegar Quarry will demonstrate how a composting and recycling facility can successfully co-exist with local habitats and wildlife," he added.
