It’s widely accepted that we need to do more to reduce our impact on the planet, and increasing our recycling rates is just one of many things that we need to address.
One waste recycling plant has recently called on the government in the UK to do more to support green businesses, after winning its appeal to enable it to boost its production. Hub4 reported on Sheehan Haulage and Plant Hire’s fight to be allowed to increase production at its advanced waste washing plant.
The company had to appeal, after its initial planning permission application was turned down by the local council.
Since starting in 2012, the firm’s CDE waste recycling plant has saved 500,000 tonnes of rubbish from landfill. Its capacity was initially limited to 100,000 tonnes of waste per year, but it has now successfully applied to increase this cap to 175,000 tonnes.
The plant specialises in dealing with construction, demolition and excavation (CDE) waste, where it washes the waste and turns it back into high-quality secondary aggregate and sand for use in construction projects.
Chris Sheehan, the company’s managing director, told the news provider that “common sense prevailed”. However, he added: “It shouldn’t take a long and very costly appeal to be granted permission to help improve recycling levels and create jobs in sustainable construction and the Circular Driven Economy”.
The initial application was turned down due to concerns about an increase in HGV use on the roads in Sutton, Oxford, which is close to the plant’s location.
However, the company has stated it plans to use alternative routes during peak hours, and has asserted its commitment to invest in electric vehicles for this purpose once they become commercially available.
Construction firms may want to look into how they can boost their recycling rates, such as by hiring metal processors or other equipment designed to enable the recycling of waste materials from construction sites.
One city that’s showing how waste materials can be reused is Hull. It’s currently carrying out a huge clean up operation on two disused docks on the River Hull, which will allow new flood defences to be installed on the site.
However, the Hull Daily Mail revealed that rather than simply disposing of the silt and mud being dredged from the docks, the material is instead being turned into building blocks for the construction industry. Some of them are even expected to be used in the new flood defences.
Environment Agency project manager Paul Ahdal told the newspaper: “By recycling the silt we excavate from the dock, we are also doing our bit to promote sustainable development.”
And there is a lot of silt to clear. The news provider explained that years of being left derelict means that silt has built up considerably in the two docks, reaching six feet deep at some points.
In addition to the flood defences, the city is also creating a new home for the Arctic Corsair, a converted sidewinder trawler that is now a visitor attraction that explores fishing heritage. The vessel is currently moored further down the river, but will eventually be moved to its new home in a dry dock, making it the focal point of a new maritime heritage quarter.
