What happens to your black bin rubbish once the refuse collectors take it away? In the past, it was most likely to go to landfill, where it was buried. This creates various problems, however. Some items will not rot, remaining in the ground indefinitely, and others will release ‘greenhouse’ gases such as methane and carbon dioxide as they break down. Rain causes run off from the site, which can be contaminated with multiple unpleasant substances.
Reincarnating rubbish in Leeds
As a small child, I always asked for a particular ice cream called a ‘push-up’. It was encased in a cardboard tube, but the ice cream was wrapped around a plastic stick from which the figures of popular cartoon figures emerged as you ate the ice cream. I remember asking for as many as I was allowed at one point, as I was fixated on collecting Snow White and all seven dwarves.
I can’t remember if I succeeded, but I do know that the collection ended up in the household dustbin once I had tired of it. It still haunts me that those figures will be around in landfill somewhere, 60 years later.
But what if they could have been recycled into new items or, failing that, into aggregate which forms a substrate for new roads? As the 21st century dawned, scientific advances made this prospect a reality. And Leeds is at the forefront of this innovation, with its city council working in partnership with the Veolia recycling and energy recovery facility (RERF) based at Cross Green.
Transforming our black bin rubbish
In 2012, Veolia were awarded a 25-year contract to install and operate the RERF. It became fully operational in April 2016 and now manages all black bin rubbish for Leeds. It can deal with up to 214,000 tonnes of waste each year, separating and sorting recyclable materials such as ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals.
The remaining waste is then burnt at a minimum temperature of 850 centigrade under scientifically controlled conditions, which also produces sufficient electricity to continuously power 22,000 homes via the national grid.
The steam generated is utilised to provide heat energy to a district heating network which supplies energy to homes and businesses across the city of Leeds. The ashes that remain – around 20% of the original material – are used as substrate for roads and pathways.
The reduction of over 37,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide released from landfill that is achieved each year is the equivalent of taking around 17,800 cars off the road within the city.
Green innovations
The facility also aims to be ‘green’ in other ways. For example, the building in which to carry out this process necessarily has to be tall. Veolia paid attention to the aesthetics of this and how it would appear on the Leeds skyline. They subsequently included a living, ‘green’ wall, which is home to over 111,000 plants and has become a habitat for some birds and insects, notably bees, which have made their homes there.
It recently became a nesting place for two kestrels. Two hives housing 60,000 honeybees have been a notable addition. The wall is hydroponic (self-watering), storing rainfall for this purpose. Several plants that had become too heavy for the wall have recently been resituated within the RERF’s grounds.
Recycling innovations in Leeds
Leeds already has a recycling plant for items that are collected in green bins; next year they aim to add to this with another collection for food waste, which makes up approximately 33% of household refuse. This may be accomplished via the existing brown garden waste bin collection. Leeds residents will be hearing more about this soon.
Waste from batteries and vapes continues to be problematic – none of the current facilities in Leeds are able to deal with these. When people dispose of them in regular refuse collections, they are prone to cause fires in vehicles and on conveyor belts. While the RERF is set up to deal safely with these, it is unpleasant for staff, and they understandably request that the public avoid putting them at risk in this way.
Batteries can be disposed of for specialist treatment in containers at some supermarkets and local tips. It is a requirement that shops selling disposable vapes provide a repository for empties.
So what should I put in my bins?
Green: plastic pots, bottles, tubes and bags; cardboard, paper and cartons; glass bottles and jars with lids on; aerosols, aluminum foil, food tins and drink cans.
Black bins: all other rubbish, including polystyrene and nappies, but NOT batteries and disposable vapes.
Brown bins: just garden waste for now. But, keep an eye on the local news, because food waste may also be included in the near future.
Additionally, look out for innovative recycling opportunities for specific types of waste – for example, the air ambulance project that recycled empty crisp packets to make thermal blankets (which has now concluded).
If you live in Leeds and would like to take a tour of the RERF, please contact leeds.enquiries@veolia.co.uk
