Peel hopes for landfill wood ban

Peel Energy is hoping the government's consultation into waste policy will result in wood being banned from landfill sites, boosting the firm's application for Barton Renewable Energy Plant in Trafford.

The Government Review of Waste Policy in England 2011 states that "landfill should be the last resort for most waste."

The document explains that the government intends to "consult on introducing a restriction on the landfilling of wood waste, with the aim of diverting the still substantial tonnages that end up in landfill to better uses up the waste hierarchy and delivering clear environmental benefits."

Peel Energy project manager Jon England said: "The latest government proposals demonstrate that our own plans to generate electricity from waste wood are sensible, sustainable and in accordance with expert thinking.

"The BREP proposal would generate enough low carbon electricity to meet the needs of about 37,000 homes by diverting about 140,000 tonnes of waste wood from landfill in the north west annually at a time when energy demand is increasing and climate change concerns are intensifying."

Peel said 4.5m tonnes of waste wood are generated each year, much of which is sent to landfill rather than recycled or used for energy generation. The waste wood comes from diverse sources such as municipal waste facilities and building construction and demolition sites. The North West region is one of the top three generators of waste wood, responsible for over 540,000 tonnes annually.

Waste wood sent to landfill sites also emits methane which is 20 times more potent as a green house gas than carbon dioxide when released to the atmosphere.

Certain residents in Trafford have opposed the Barton Renewable Energy Plant plans, claiming the emissions from the incinerator will be harmful, a claim strongly denied by Peel.