Mechanical Biological Treatment: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:48, 9 December 2020

Mechanical Biological Treatment (MBT) is a generic name for a range of processes. In its simplest form waste is mechanically sorted and prepared ready to then undergo Aerobic Composting as the biological treatment phase in an enclosed building or enclosed vessels, which stabilizes the waste, reduces moisture and carbon, and produces recyclate, a Compost Like Output (CLO) and Waste Derived Fuel (WDF).

In its desire to stimulate investment in waste infrastructure, and underpin the diversion of BMW waste from Landfill, the Government supported/subsidized a range of treatment technologies on a number of sites that were procured by Waste Disposal Authorities needing this infrastructure through a dedicated PFI or PPP contract. The PFI scheme has now ceased after DEFRA assessed ^[1] that the BMW targets could be met with the infrastructure funded to that date, with MBT type projects prevalent in the funding process. Several contracts are currently being considered by Waste Disposal Authorities for movement out of PFI and out of MBT after consideration of the cost benefit of continuing with the contract in the light of economic challenges, and several have already been removed/terminated (i.e. Lancashire) or have had closed with major restructure (i.e. Greater Manchester).

The table below is an extract from DEFRA data ^[2] summarizing the residual waste projects that are/were PFI and PPP projects focused on MBT solutions (noting in some cases the listing is in fact for mechanical sorting alone, with little or no biological treatment phase):

Location	Project/Site	Classification	Status	Capacity ^[3] (ktpa)	Plant Type	Comment
Avonmouth	New Earth Solutions	PPP	Uncertain ^[4]	372	MBT	Bought out of administration by PandaGreen,currently services West of England, contracts lost to Suez and Viridor from March 2020
Birmingham	Landor Street	PPP	Mothballed^[5]	165	MBT	Suez facility producing SRF moved to their site in Rugby, to supply Cemex cement kiln in Rugby
Cambridgeshire	Waterbeach	PFI	Operational^[6]	200	MBT	Amey Cespa site with variable performance reported, planning being pursued for new EfW on the site
Cumbria	Hespin Wood	PPP	Mothballed^[5]	66	MBT	Renewi 25 year contract from 2009 for Cumbria reported as under financial difficulty ^[7]
Cumbria	Barrow-in-Furness	PPP	Mothballed	50	MBT	Renewi 25 year contract from 2009 for Cumbria reported as under financial difficulty
ELWA 1	Frog Island	PFI	Operational	180	MBT	Renewi site servicing ELWA, recently reported financial difficulty
ELWA 2	Jenkins Lane	PFI	Operational	180	MBT	Renewi site servicing ELWA, recently reported financial difficulty
Essex	Courtauld Road	PFI	Operational^[6]	417	MBT	Developed and operated by partners Urbaser Balfour Beatty servicing Essex County Council and Southend, reported operational difficulties
Greater Manchester	Longley Lane	PFI	Operational	110	MBT	Viridor Laing consortium PFI contract with GMWA terminated 2017, now Suez from June 2019 for 7 years
Greater Manchester	N. Manchester	PFI	Operational	65	MBT	Viridor Laing consortium PFI contract with GMWA terminated 2017, now Suez from June 2019 for 7 years
Greater Manchester	Oldham	PFI	Operational	99	MBT	Viridor Laing consortium PFI contract with GMWA terminated 2017, now Suez from June 2019 for 7 years
Greater Manchester	Salford	PFI	Operational	73	MBT	Viridor Laing consortium PFI contract with GMWA terminated 2017, now Suez from June 2019 for 7 years
Greater Manchester	Stockport	PFI	Operational	92	MBT	Viridor Laing consortium PFI contract with GMWA terminated 2017, now Suez from June 2019 for 7 years
Isle of Wight	Isle of Wight WM Project	PPP	Operational	80	MBT	Development between Amey and Isle of Wight Council
Leicstershire	Mowmacre Hill	PFI	Operational	120	MBT^[8]	Integrated contract delivered by Biffa for Leicester City Council for 25 years from 2002
Leicstershire	Cotesbach	PPP	Operational	50	MBT	Operational plant by New Earth Solutions bought out of administration by PandaGreen,currently services Leicestershire County Council
L.B. Southwark	Old Kent Road	PFI	Operational	100	MBT^[9]	Suez integrated facility servicing Southwark
Newcastle	Byker/Ellington	PPP	Operational	187	MBT	Suez facility serving primarily Newcastle
North Somerset	BOOMECO Avonmouth	PPP	Operational	50	MBT	Boomecho bought by Veolia out of administration, serviced North Somerset Council but based in Avonmouth Docks, RDF export focused
Rugby	Malpass Farm	PPP	Operational	200	MBT	Suez facility producing SRF, to supply Cemex cement kiln in Rugby, also receiving tonnage previously designated to Birmingham facility
South Yorkshire	Bolton Road, Manvers	PFI	Operational	286	MBT	Renewi partnership with SSE delivering integrated MBT and AD facility to Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham Waste Partnership to 2040
Swindon	Chaney Manor	PPP	Operational	48	MBT^[10]	Swindon Commercial Services facility for Swindon
Wakefield	South Kirby	PFI	Operational	146	MBT	Renewi integrated contract for Wakefield City Council
West Sussex	Brookhurst Wood	PPP	In Construction	327	MBT	Biffa facility delivered for West Sussex
Whites Pit, Poole	Canford	PPP	Operational	50	MBT	Operational plant by New Earth Solutions bought out of administration by PandaGreen,currently primarily services Bournemouth
Wiltshire	Northacre Farm	PPP	Operational	60	MBT	Hills site at Westbury servicing Wiltshire Council

References

↑ DEFRA Waste Infrastructure Delivery Programme
↑ DEFRA Residual Waste Treatment Infrastructure Project List dated 31st December 2016 but noted as last updated 29th March 2019 (edited with press updates)
↑ The capacity has been reproduced from the DEFRA data, but has not been verified in this table, and in some cases is known not to be up to date
↑ Future of site uncertain, still operational to contract handover, but site up for sale as of Jan 2020
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 In original data site was listed as Operational this has been changed to Mothballed.
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 In original data site was listed as In Construction this has been changed to Operational.
↑ Letsrecycle article re: Carlisle EfW and context of current PPP contract
↑ The technology utilized under the contract is the only one in the UK and is known as a 'Ball Mill'
↑ Integrated site includes a Gasification facility which is in extended commissioning
↑ The technology is better described as mechanical sorting or a Dirty MRF with no biological treatment as part of the process

[1] DEFRA Waste Infrastructure Delivery Programme

[2] DEFRA Residual Waste Treatment Infrastructure Project List dated 31st December 2016 but noted as last updated 29th March 2019 (edited with press updates)

[3] The capacity has been reproduced from the DEFRA data, but has not been verified in this table, and in some cases is known not to be up to date

[4] Future of site uncertain, still operational to contract handover, but site up for sale as of Jan 2020

[moth-5] 5.0 ^5.1 In original data site was listed as Operational this has been changed to Mothballed.

[op-6] 6.0 ^6.1 In original data site was listed as In Construction this has been changed to Operational.

[7] Letsrecycle article re: Carlisle EfW and context of current PPP contract

[8] The technology utilized under the contract is the only one in the UK and is known as a 'Ball Mill'

[9] Integrated site includes a Gasification facility which is in extended commissioning

[10] The technology is better described as mechanical sorting or a Dirty MRF with no biological treatment as part of the process

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 [[Category:Technologies & Solutions]]
-Mechanical Biological Treatment is a generic name for a range of processes. In its simplest form waste is mechanically sorted and prepared ready to then undergo [[Aerobic Composting]] as the biological treatment phase in an enclosed building or enclosed vessels, which stabilizes the waste, reduces moisture and carbon, and produces recyclate, a [[Compost Like Output]] ([[CLO]]) and [[Waste Derived Fuel]] ([[WDF]]).
+[[Mechanical Biological Treatment]] ([[MBT]]) is a generic name for a range of processes. In its simplest form waste is mechanically sorted and prepared ready to then undergo [[Aerobic Composting]] as the biological treatment phase in an enclosed building or enclosed vessels, which stabilizes the waste, reduces moisture and carbon, and produces recyclate, a [[Compost Like Output]] ([[CLO]]) and [[Waste Derived Fuel]] ([[WDF]]).
 In its desire to stimulate investment in waste infrastructure, and underpin the diversion of [[BMW]] waste from [[Landfill]], the Government supported/subsidized a range of treatment technologies on a number of sites that were procured by [[Waste Disposal Authorities]] needing this infrastructure through a dedicated [[PFI]] or [[PPP]] contract. The [[PFI]] scheme has now ceased after [[DEFRA]] assessed <ref>[https://data.gov.uk/dataset/b99f22a0-e716-44bf-bff2-a12da2562e4f/waste-infrastructure-delivery-programme-widp-residual-waste-treatment-infrastructure-project-list-ipl [[DEFRA]] Waste Infrastructure Delivery Programme]</ref> that the [[BMW]] targets could be met with the infrastructure funded to that date, with [[MBT]] type projects prevalent in the funding process. Several contracts are currently being considered by [[Waste Disposal Authorities]] for movement out of [[PFI]] and out of [[MBT]] after consideration of the cost benefit of continuing with the contract in the light of economic challenges, and several have already been removed/terminated (i.e. Lancashire) or have had closed with major restructure (i.e. Greater Manchester).