Most Islanders wouldn’t have noticed any difference to how our household rubbish is collected since Island Waste’s contract came to an end last month, but some have been in touch with OnTheWight concerned about what happens to the waste, once it has been collected by Amey, the new contractor.
OnTheWight can share details of what happens to black bag rubbish, recycling and food waste.
Recycling treatment plant
As has been previously reported, the recycling treatment plant in Forest Road was closed at the beginning of the month.
There are plans for a state-of-the-art recycling treatment plant to replace the existing set-up, which is no longer fit for purpose.
Black bag waste to landfill
Cllr Luisa Hillard confirmed to OnTheWight,
“Until the next treatment centre has been built, black bag waste will be going to landfill.
“Recycling will be going off-Island for sorting. Once the treatment centre is built, all waste will go through there.”
Food: Off the Island, but not as far as before
Back at the beginning of the new waste contract with Amey Cespa, it was announced the company had signed a deal for all food waste to be shipped off the Isle of Wight.
Tamar Energy has been contracted to process a whopping 5,000 tonnes of food waste per year from the Isle of Wight at their Basingstoke plant. The food waste will be recycled into renewable energy and bio-fertiliser. Prior to this deal, food waste was going to a plant in Cambridge.
Why not recycled on the Island?
Shortly after the announcement was made, an OnTheWight reader got in touch, curious as to why the waste was being shipped of the Island.
He asked,
“I fail to see how sending Food Waste to a Basingstoke Anaerobic Plant is saving us money as opposed to sending it to either Arreton or Stag Lane Newport where our own Anaerobic Plants are situated, Arreton within one mile and Stag Lane can be no more than four miles away.”
Island plants not approved for household waste
Naturally, OnTheWight got in touch with the council to see why the Island plants weren’t being used.
An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson said:
“The two anaerobic digestion plants at Arreton and Stag Lane are set up to receive agricultural materials and do not have planning consent to receive and treat domestic food waste.
“However, food waste from the Island will be used to generate electricity and biofertiliser at Tamar’s plant. Residents can help this process by ensuring they use their food caddies for food waste as much as possible rather than placing any leftovers in their black bags.”
Image: © Tamar Energy
