Partner Article

'Eco-Park' project moves ahead

Plans for the Tees Valley’s first ‘Eco-Park’ are moving ahead rapidly with a waste management project involving state-of-the-art technology developed by a North East company as its cornerstone. Waste management company Graphite Resources is planning to install its ‘Proteus’ system as part of the 53-hectare South Tees Eco-Park development.

As well as reducing the need for landfill waste disposal, the process eliminates the need for householders to sort waste. It also offers reductions in greenhouse gases, reduced operating costs and the cost-efficient recovery of ‘co-mingled’ materials that are beyond the scope of conventional waste treatment processes. A civic amenities site is also being considered along with a building materials recycling facility and Graphite Resources is talking to other potential tenants who can benefit from the Proteus system or make use of the materials recovered.

Chris Hayward, Technical Manager for Waste and Recycling with Renew Tees Valley, said: “This development will be Teesside’s first dedicated Eco-Park and it will have a hugely positive impact on the way that waste is managed in the Tees Valley. It can serve as a waste management model that demonstrates economically viable solutions to some of the major problems of extracting valuable resources from the most difficult to manage waste streams.”

Michael Thompson, Graphite Resources’ managing director, said: “It makes a huge difference in a project like this to be working through a single organisation with people who understand both the waste management industry and the way businesses operate. Renew Tees Valley has supported us every step of the way, from carrying out the initial feasibility study to championing our project and playing a key role in helping us to find the ideal site.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .