Community groups, businesses and residents are invited to have their say on proposals to build a new energy recovery facility (ERF) near Bournemouth Airport.
Recycling and renewables firm Eco Sustainable Solutions is consulting on plans to enable its Eco Park site in Parley to process more local waste and generate more low carbon energy.
The multi-million-pound ERF would help the 25-year-old company handle an extra 60,000 tonnes of waste a year on top of the 250,000 it already processes.
Up to a fifth of the extra tonnage would be recycled and the rest would be used to generate more low-carbon energy and heat for local homes and businesses.
The planned facility would play a key role in helping Dorset’s local authorities tackle local waste more sustainably for years to come.
“Reducing waste and minimising landfill are essential in combating climate change,” said Eco’s chief operating officer Justin Dampney, pictured. “Landfills are a significant source of emissions, as is transporting waste out of the county.
“It therefore makes sense to process and recycle as much waste as possible in a sustainable way here, and to try to reduce the overall amount of waste through education.”
“Dorset and BCP Councils are aiming to stop sending biodegradable waste to landfill by 2025 and increase the amount of waste that is recycled or treated locally, limiting the distance travelled by local waste and maximising the recovery of materials and energy.
“At Eco, we already recycle over 250,000 tonnes of local waste every year, creating compost, soil improver, fertiliser, landscaping products and biofuels. Our new ERF will help us do even more.”
At 60,000 tonnes, the proposed facility will provide less than half of the capacity that the councils’ joint waste plan says could be built at Parley.
That is because Eco believes more can be done on the education side to reduce waste and increase recycling rates.
To encourage this, Eco is planning to create a visitor centre and education programme alongside the ERF.
Eco’s public consultation on the ERF plans will run until Wednesday 25 November 2020, before the company submits a planning application in December.
A series of frequently-asked questions and a blog has been posted online at www.tinyurl.com/y5a92vpm and a consultation questionnaire is available at https://www.questionpro.com/t/ARUvTZjSbc.
Residents and representatives of local groups can also book site viewings at Eco Park with the opportunity to discuss the plans and examine display boards. Because of Covid restrictions, parties are limited to six people at a time. To book a viewing, visit www.thisiseco.simplybook.it/v2.