It’s been revealed that the company due to rebuild the gasification plant in Forest Road as part of Amey’s £225m, 25 year waste contract has gone out of business, forcing Isle of Wight council and the waste contractor to look for an alternative solution.
There have been many problems with the gasification plant over the years. However Energos, who had been sub-contracted to carry out the refurb of it as part of the new waste contract, went into administration in July 2016.
When the waste contract was first announced in 2015, Amey explained they would be “applying for planning permission and an Environmental Permit to renovate the site, which will involve building a new, up-to-date mechanical treatment plant and refurbishing the existing advanced thermal treatment plant” (aka the gasification plant).
New project underway
Work has now started on the alternative – a moving-bed incineration unit – from the German waste company, Michaelis Environmental Technology.
According to Let’s recycle.com the order is the first of its kind in the UK for Michaelis, although it has around 500 existing projects for different sectors in Europe and around the world.
Managing director for Amey Environmental Services, Rob Edmondson, said,
“We are delighted to have secured the Michaelis solution as a replacement energy from waste provider which brings a long term sustainable solution to the Island.”
Cllr Michael Murwill, Isle of Wight council cabinet member for procurement, waste management, projects and forward planning, said:
“The Isle of Wight Council and Amey remain committed to achieving the high reaching waste targets set out in the Contract to divert 90% of waste from landfill and Recycle/Compost 55% of municipal solid waste by April 1 2020.
“The partnership approach to managing the Island’s waste services with Amey has helped us to secure a new Energy from Waste provider with minimal delays to the programme and still achieving the Island’s desired environmental outcomes.”
Source: Let’s recycle
