Proposed planning for Recycling Facility on the outskirts of Sellindge Village near Ashford
Countrystyle Recycling Ltd, part of the Countrystyle Group has submitted a planning application for a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) and Anaerobic Digestion Plant (AD) at a redundant quarry situated just off the A20 near Sellindge in Kent.
A large percentage of waste currently produced in the local areas of Ashford, Dover, Folkestone and Shepway containing both recyclable material and a source of renewable energy is sent to a landfill site near Canterbury. Sending waste to landfill increases the negative impact on our global environment. The proposed development by Countrystyle would offer a more sustainable solution to local waste generated by both current and future population growth, in line with KCC waste policies. Many European countries have considerably better recycling rates than in the UK and EU legislation now demands that the UK reduces its’ reliance on landfill as a means of dealing with waste.
Countrystyle is dedicated to diverting as much waste as possible from landfill and converting it into reusable materials or carbon efficient energy. The proposed facility is situated on a brownfield site outside Sellindge and will see 95,000 tonnes of commercial and municipal material from the East Kent area being brought to the facility for recovery and reuse. This operation will provide local employment opportunities to the area as well as providing a renewable energy source directed into the local grid.
The proposed application includes an Anaerobic Digestion Plant. This incorporates a series of enclosed processes to treat food and garden waste in the absence of air, producing a gas (methane) and solid (digestate). These products are then processed in a fully enclosed air sealed digester. This process creates energy for the purpose of generating electricity. The remaining solid digestate, now a safe and fit for purposes product, is returned to agricultural land as a fertilizer/soil conditioner, reducing the need to import fossil fuel based fertilizers. The application also includes a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) which will see dry recyclables segregated and redirected for onward processing to manufacturer new products.
A decision on the proposed application is expected from the Kent County Council in Spring 2010.
Media & Reader Enquiries
Caroline Mills Marketing Manager: 01622 852888 / 07595068787
