New rubbish disposal plan put forward

A PLAN to recycle and export all household and commercial waste has been unveiled. It would involve building two recycling centres and a container terminal and a quay outside St Sampson's Harbour.

The project, which would not involve the States in any capital expenditure, has been put to the independent waste review panel by Nehlsen and Co. (Guernsey) Ltd in conjunction with Nehlsen AG of Germany, a leading organisation in waste disposal.

Principals of the local company are Richard Brown and Dave Archer.

All plant in Guernsey would be established on existing States sites and would be owned by the operating company. Annual running costs are estimated at £9.5m.

'I am convinced that this advanced method of waste disposal is what Guernsey needs..

'There would be no smoke, smells, fumes or chimney discharges, no bio products or toxic fly ash and no more damage to the ozone layer,' said Mr Brown.

Under the scheme, a Nehlsen recycling and compost facility of 30,000-ton annual capacity would be constructed at low level at the Longue Hougue reclamation site.

A container terminal would be established there together with a quay to accommodate the vessels used for exporting the recycled products.

This quay would also reduce traffic around the Bridge.

'All black sacks, separated waste and commercial rubbish would be received. Metals, plastic, glass and paper would be separated by special machinery and packaged for export in containers,' said Mr Archer.

He added that organic materials would be 'composted' using a proven process and would be exported in sealed containers as low-grade fuel for power stations.

The second centre would be sited at Mont Cuet, where a Nehlsen recycling and crushing facility of 60,000-ton annual capacity would be created.

All builders' waste, skip rubbish and toxic waste would be received there for separation and export.

The small amount of inert and unsaleable products would be landfilled, said Mr Brown.

He has told the panel that the construction and design of the new single storey buildings envisaged in the overall scheme would be visually pleasing and in keeping with the landscape.

According to the company, the advantages of this approach to rubbish clearance are many, with smoke, smells and piles of unsightly rubbish eliminated and all recycling material, including low-grade fuel for industrial use, being loaded directly aboard vessels.

It is also claimed that the life of existing quarries would be extended for many years for limited tipping - the landfill aspect being reduced by a minimum of 60%.