Gloucestershire Energy from Waste Facility marks three year anniversary with impressive results and achievements
/The Gloucestershire Energy from Waste Facility celebrated its three year anniversary in October 2022.
In just three years, 564,896 tonnes of waste have been treated, with 127,297 tonnes of materials recovered for recycling and 386,890 MWh of electricity exported to the National Grid.
Highlights in this time included the reopening of the Visitor Centre to the general public following its enforced closure due to Covid-19 restrictions and the first-ever Open Day.
The Gloucestershire Energy from Waste Facility celebrated its three year anniversary at the end of October 2022. Since operations began in October 2019, the Facility has treated 564,896 tonnes of waste and exported 386,890 MWh of electricity to the National Grid. In addition, the Facility has recovered 127,297 tonnes of materials for recycling, which includes incinerator bottom ash (IBA), the collective name for ash and metals.
As well as treating up to 190,000 tonnes of household residual waste from Gloucestershire’s homes and Household Recycling Centres, and waste of a similar composition from commercial businesses every year, the Facility is also used to help educate the local community about the energy from waste process. This education takes place at the Facility’s Visitor Centre, which provides a space for schools, colleges, community and other interest groups to meet and learn about sustainable waste management and resource use.
Whilst the Visitor Centre had prioritised rescheduled bookings since July 2021, it officially reopened for new bookings in May 2022 and has proved so popular that it is now fully booked for the foreseeable future. The Facility also opened its doors to its first-ever Open Day in March 2022, following a delay due to Covid-19, which allowed visitors to see first-hand how the Facility operates. The fully booked event was a resounding success, with visitors commenting that the “tour was excellent, really informative, and our tour guide was very knowledgeable and helpful.” Due to its popularity, the Facility also held another successful Open Day in November 2022.
Dan Pearson, General Manager, commented:
“We have achieved impressive operational performance over the past three years and this would not have been possible without such a hard-working team. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, we continued to treat waste and generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 25,000 homes. If you would like to learn more about what we do and the benefits of energy from waste, visit our website or reach out to a member of the team.”
Councillor David Gray - Cabinet Member Environment and Planning at Gloucestershire County Council said:
“It’s great that Javelin Park has been in operation for 3 years. During this time, the plant has generated much needed energy and has all but eliminated the use of landfill in waste treatment in Gloucestershire. This is very positive news for the county.”
The Facility has celebrated several highlights since it started operating in 2019. The Community Fund has so far allocated financial grants worth £106,096 across the three years to support 35 projects in the local area. Successful applicants include the Quedgeley Short Mat Bowls group in 2020 who received an electro-rewinding machine to help replace manual equipment and Haresfield Parish Council in 2019 who used the fund to install three village gateways to reduce speeding. In addition, the Facility also announced the winner of its first-ever art competition in 2022, who will have their work exhibited at the Visitor Centre and will receive an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour.
Get in touch with the Gloucestershire Energy from Waste Facility by visiting their website or contacting them via email or by calling 01452 379 886.
