UK: First airport waste plant in the world
Gatwick Airport together with DHL building the first airport waste plant.
The disposal of the Category One waste on site (food waste and everything mixed with it as packing, cups, meal trays) is costing the global aviation sector approximately £500 million a year and now it is going to be converted into energy.
The £3.8million processing plant is aiming to safe disposal of the waste on site and converting it to energy which will power the plant itself and heat the North Terminal.
The plant will process approximately 10 tonnes of waste per day and it will also include a sorting centre which will maximise the amount recycled up to 58% which is higher than any other UK airport does.
Gatwick CEO, Mr Stewart Wingate said: “Handling waste is a challenge for all airports, but Gatwick’s new World-beating facility converts a waste problem into a green energy source. We expect others to follow Gatwick’s lead as we realise our ambition to become the UK’s most sustainable airport. Already we are one of only a handful of organisations in the country to achieve a triple series of Carbon Trust Standard awards, and more important environmental initiatives will follow soon.”
Paul Richardson managing director for Specialist Services at DHL Supply Chain UK & Ireland is looking forward to the project: “We have worked closely with Gatwick Airport over the past decade and are delighted to build our relationship further by implementing an innovative waste management and recycling system. This will not only improve efficiency but will help to accelerate the airport’s progress, enabling it to meet its 2020 sustainability targets three years early. We will work closely with Gatwick Airport to integrate new technologies such as our Biomass Waste to Energy System into the supply chain, enhancing energy production and ensuring a sustainable platform to support future expansion for the airport.”
Source: Bioenergy insight
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