Where is the site?

The site is located on land next to Liberty Aluminium on Stourport Road in Kidderminster. The brownfield site is currently empty but has been used for waste uses in the past, having once been a landfill site.

Where will the waste come from?

The Energy & Resource Park will take non-hazardous commercial and industrial waste from the local area. We are already talking to local suppliers who currently send their waste to landfill that are interested in sending it to us.

How many jobs will be created?

We hope to create at least 25 jobs at the Energy & Resource Park and 60 jobs during construction. There is also the potential to provide energy directly to Liberty Aluminium next door which could see a further 100 jobs created.

Can local schools come and visit the facility?

We are looking at including education facilities which will enable local schools and others to come and learn about what happens at the Energy & Resource Park.

Is the technology proven?

We are proposing to use proven energy recovery technology which is widely used across Europe. The technology provider, HoST, has a number of operational plants which are working to stringent emissions limits. The technology is being deployed in the UK by Bio Global Industries who have three other projects in Falkirk, Wolverhampton and London. The plastics recovery plant will use a proven process from a company called WiPA in Germany which is used across Europe.

How safe is energy recovery?

The Energy Centre will use proven technology and the process is closely regulated by the Environment Agency. Before it can operate the Energy Centre will need an Environmental Permit and it will have to meet very strict emissions limits. Emissions data is monitored continually with safety controls designed to shut the plant down if it exceeds allowed levels.

What will happen with what is left at the end of the process?

There are two types of ash left over from the energy recovery process – bottom ash and fly ash. Metals are extracted from the bottom ash and sent for recycling. The remaining ash can be recycled as an aggregate in the construction industry. Fly ash and Air Pollution Control (APC) residues are also produced which are also collected and safely disposed of at specialist facilities.

Will there be an impact on local roads?

We expect around 25 deliveries a day, which will be spread over 24 hours to reduce deliveries at peak times. A transport assessment will be submitted to Worcestershire County Council with the planning application showing how we will manage any impact on local roads.

Will it smell?

All deliveries will be in enclosed vehicles and materials will be tipped, stored and processed in sealed buildings with odour control systems in place. We will only store a minimal amount of waste at the site, so it is used within a couple of days of arriving.

Will it detract from recycling?

When waste arrives at the site it will already have had recyclable materials removed. The Energy & Resource Park will take waste where the only other realistic option is landfill, either using it to generate energy or to create a material that can be used to make new plastic products.

Why can’t this waste just go to landfill?

Landfill generates significant greenhouse gases and is increasingly the last option when disposing of waste. This facility will ensure that value is generated from waste rather than it just being buried in the ground.

Will it be noisy?

All the equipment will be inside buildings specially designed to manage noise. A noise assessment is being undertaken which will consider the potential for noise at nearby residential locations and this will form part of the planning application. However, due to the location of the development and planned layout we don’t expect noise to be an issue.

Have you assessed the visual impact?

A Landscape and Visual Impact Assessment is being prepared which will set out where the development could be visible from and will assess the potential impacts of the development from viewpoint locations agreed with the Council.