Major recycling and waste treatment facility opens

Councillor Neil Swannick, Chair of Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority, Councillor Alan Taylor, leader of Rochdale Borough Council, Stephen Jenkinson, Chief Executive of Viridor Laing (Greater Manchester) Limited and Dan Norris, Environment Minister

 A major state of the art recycling and waste treatment facility has been officially opened in Rochdale.

The Waithlands Resource Recovery Centre in Rochdale which includes a new In-Vessel Composting Facility (IVC), a new Transfer Loading Station (TLS) and an upgraded Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) has been under construction since January 2008, and has now opened its doors.

The cenre forms part of a network of recycling and waste management treatment facilities to be constructed over the next 5 years, which will provide an integrated solution for the 1.3 million tonnes of municipal waste which Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority handles each year, and forms an important part of diverting more than 75% of Greater Manchester’s waste away from landfill.

The IVC facility will treat kerbside collected garden and kitchen waste, within an enclosed building, to create a compost material for use in horticulture and agriculture. Over the last few months the facility has been accepting sample loads of green and kitchen waste so that the equipment and treatment process could be tested.

Councillor Alan Taylor, leader of Rochdale Borough Council, said: “This facility forms an important part of developing the services we provide to residents within Rochdale. The new facility will increase the borough’s recycling rates, and reducing the amount of waste we send to landfill.”

The Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) has been revamped to improve traffic flows and to improve the operation of the site, therefore making recycling easier for householders.

The new facility forms part of the GMWDA long-term Recycling and Waste Management contract to provide world class facilities across Greater Manchester.