Beauparc repurpose Leeds facility for the processing of POPs material
In response to the Environment Agency’s position that Waste Upholstered Domestic Seating containing Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) must not be landfilled or mixed with other non-POPs containing wastes, and must only be incinerated or used as a fuel (e.g., in a cement kiln), Beauparc UK has taken the initiative to repurpose a dedicated POPs processing facility within its UK network.
POPs exist in many chemicals that have historically been used to treat products that are present in most households and workplaces. POPs pose a particular hazard because of four characteristics: they are toxic; they are persistent, resisting normal processes that break down contaminants; they accumulate in the body fat of people, marine mammals, and other animals, and therefore have harmful impacts on human health and on the environment.
With the banning of POPs from landfill, Beauparc has re-engineered the Gelderd Road facility, which is situated 5 miles south of Leeds, and was commissioned in 2011. Whilst the site has a permit to manage200k tonnes per annum, Beauparc envisage a POPs processing capacity of 25,000 tonnes due to the nature of POPs waste material.
The site, ideally located on M62 and M1 motorway intersections, previously managed dry mixed recycling waste streams from customers within Yorkshire. With a developed regional infrastructure of other processing facilities within the group, the transfer of the current waste input streams to other sites was achievable, enabling continuity for all customers and the development of this initiative.
Gelderd Road is a 6-acre site with excellent traffic management and access. The processing hall is fully sealed and already has the necessary air filtration as part of the Environmental Management System.
Twin line shredders will process loads and onsite balers will wrap and make ready the material ready to be transported to thermal offtake within the region.
Beauparc will bulk material from other sites within the group, which include Lincolnshire, Widnes, Peterborough, Birmingham, Liverpool, and other Leeds sites.
The business will be commencing the POPs operation from Monday the 16th of January and has already had significant interest from its public sector and 3rd party customer base.
To compliment the learning process, Beauparc’s network of businesses has developed a knowledge hub to educate customers through the complexity of the legislation. All customers will receive advisory communications, helping them understand how the business is working to ensure their waste is managed compliantly.
Beauparc’s factsheet for customers on POPS is available here to download.
For further information on the service can be obtained by emailing waste@beauparc.co.uk