HRH The Duke of Gloucester Officially Opens EnviRecover Energy-from-waste Facility

His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester today officially opens EnviRecover- Worcestershire County Council and Herefordshire Council's flagship waste treatment facility.

The EnviRecover Plant is the largest infrastructure project in the region and will deliver a massive reduction in the use of landfill for the disposal of household waste in the two counties.

EnviRecover will transform up to 200,000 tonnes of waste per year (that's the equivalent of over 13 million black wheelie bins of waste!) into enough electricity to power 32,000 homes, enough to power all of the homes in Hereford or Kidderminster, Stourport on Severn and Bewdley combined!

HRH The Duke of Gloucester joins the Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire, representatives from Worcestershire County Council, Herefordshire Council, Mercia Waste Management and their main contractor, Hitachi Zosen Inova, along with other invited guests. The official opening will include a tour of the facility and the unveiling of a commemorative plaque.

Cllr Tony Miller, Worcestershire County Council Cabinet Member for the Environment said: "I'm proud of the work that has been done by all concerned in delivering this facility. We know that the Environment is a priority for our residents and a sustainable environment is important for the economy. EnviRecover will turn waste that would have otherwise gone to landfill, into enough electricity to power 32,000 homes and this is great news for the region".

Cllr Harry Bramer, Herefordshire Council Cabinet Member for Contracts and Assets, said: “I am delighted that we have delivered EnviRecover on time and to specification, and welcome HRH The Duke of Gloucester to officially open the fantastic new facility. EnviRecover will ensure the best value for money in accepting and safely treating the region’s non-recyclable waste, and provide a valuable source of electricity for many years to come.”

Tomás Núñez, Director for FCC Environment International said: “The opening of the EnviRecover Energy from Waste facility completes the last element of the Integrated Waste Management Contract, signed in 1998. Today we should all feel proud of the delivery of a robust, long term, cost effective solution. EnviRecover will reduce reliance on landfill, generate renewable energy from waste that cannot otherwise be recycled and benefit all the residents of both Worcestershire and Herefordshire.”

Javier Peiro, Managing Director of Urbaser Ltd said: “This has been a great success story in terms of the collaboration between Mercia, its shareholders and the local authorities. There has been a strong sense of co-operation between all the parties involved, enabling delivery of a world class facility that will see the virtual elimination of landfill for residual waste in Herefordshire and Worcestershire.”

Ends

Notes to Editors:

This official opening follows the handover of EnviRecover from main contractor Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) to Severn Waste Services in early March. The facility was built on time and to specification after a thirty three month construction programme.

EnviRecover is located on the Hartlebury Trading Estate near Kidderminster, Worcestershire. The Plant was procured by Worcestershire County Council and Herefordshire Council's waste management contractor Mercia Waste Management. The first waste was delivered into the facility in October 2016 for commissioning trials. It is being operated by Mercia’s sister company, Severn Waste Services, under an Environmental Permit issued by the Environment Agency. It complements other waste handling, treatment and recycling facilities, such as EnviroSort at Norton which it operates on behalf of the Councils.

EnviRecover has an on-site visitor and education centre which becomes an integral part of Severn Waste Services engagement support for Worcestershire and Herefordshire, and complements the education programme provided at EnviroSort, Severn Waste Services' Material Reclamation Facility at Norton. Further information can be found at www.severnwaste.co.uk

Evesham based Severn Waste Services is the public face of local authority waste management in Worcestershire and Herefordshire, operating the Integrated Waste Management facilities for its sister company, Mercia Waste Management. Mercia Waste Management signed a 25-year contract with Worcestershire County Council and Herefordshire Council in December 1998. This contract brought an integrated waste management service to the two counties, leading to the more sustainable management of local authority waste.

Severn Waste Services and Mercia Waste Management are jointly owned by FCC Environment Services and Urbaser Ltd. Urbaser Ltd is part of the Spanish environmental services company Urbaser, S.A., and FCC Environment Services is owned by Spanish conglomerate FCC (Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas S.A.). Both companies have a wealth of experience worldwide in the provision of infrastructure and services.

When the Company started its work in Worcestershire and Herefordshire in 1998, over 90% of local authority waste from the two counties was landfilled – mostly at the Hill & Moor site near Pershore in Worcestershire. Since that time Severn Waste Services has invested in a range of activities which, in parallel with initiatives driven by the County and District authorities, have, prior to the delivery of EnviRecover, helped to divert over 40% of local authority waste from landfill.

Zurich-based Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) is a global leader in energy from waste (EfW), operating as part of the Hitachi Zosen Corporation group. Formed from the former Von Roll Inova, HZI acts as an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor delivering complete turnkey plants and system solutions for thermal and biological EfW recovery. Their solutions are based on efficient and environmentally sound technology, are thoroughly tested, can be flexibly adapted to user requirements, and cover the entire plant life cycle. The company’s customers range from experienced waste management companies to up-and-coming partners in new markets worldwide. HZI’s innovative and reliable waste and flue gas treatment solutions have been part of over 600 reference projects delivered since 1933.