FAQs
What will the plant look like?
SRM has worked closely with architects to ensure that the new plant blends into its environment.Click here to see an architects initial impresion of the building.
Will there be any chimneys?
No. MBT does not require the burning of any waste, so no chimney will be needed.
Will it be visible from nearby homes?
SRM has gone to enormous effort to ensure that nearby homes are not adversely effected by the new plant. There are no chimneys and the plant is deliberately designed to have a low profile to minimise its impact on the local community.
How long will it take to build?
Three years from start of construction to full operation.
How much waste will be processed?
The MBT plant will process 150,000 tonnes of waste a year for 25 years, or about 3.75 million tonnes.
Will any chemicals be put into the atmosphere?
No. MBT is a sealed process. All sorting of the waste is done within a building and organic waste processing is carried out in a sealed environment, meaning that no fumes - or smells - from the waste can escape.
Are any by-products produced by the MBT process and will they have to go to landfill?
All products produced by MBT will have a use. MBT produces three end products:
- Recyclable material.
This is sent to processing plants throughout the UK and Europe. - Biogas.
Used to generate green, renewable energy. - Stabilised soil-like material.
For a range of uses including quarry restoration and landscaping.
Will MBT produce energy?
Yes. The MBT process produces biogas as a natural by-product. This gas can be used as a green source of renewable energy. SRM plan to generate about four megawatts of electricity - enough to power 4000 homes.
What is Biogas?
Biogas is a naturally occurring mixture of gases that are given off as organic matter decays - the main component being methane.
How does MBT link in with recycling?
Recycling is a key part of the MBT process. The mechanical stage of the process separates recyclable material from non-recyclable material.
Will SRM need to buy any extra land?
No. We already own the land needed for the Resource Recovery Park. It is a brownfield site next to the existing NEWS facility. There is currently a derelict factory on the site.
Will the plant generate additional lorry traffic?
The waste management activities currently being carried out by NEWS at Costessy already have planning permisson to the necessary capacity needed for the MBT plant. The landfill site will shortly close and many of the vehicles using the MBT facility already use the waste facility at Costessy. The site is adjacent to the A47, near Sainsbury's at Longwater, and is accessed by the majority of vehicles via the dual carriageway.
What else does NEWS do?
NEWS is a Norfolk Company that has been operating since 1993. Its activities include:
- Recycling
All dry recyclable waste from doorstep collections in Norfolk and from a number of commercial companies is handled by NEWS at its Waste Recycling Centre. Opened in April 2004, it is still one of the most modern in Europe - Composting
NEWS produces environmentally friendly, peat free compost and soil improver from garden waste collections and household waste recycling centres throughout Norfolk. - Commercial collections
NEWS operates collections for recyclable and general waste for commercial organisations throughout Norfolk. - Landfill
NEWS operates two landfill sites in Norfolk, at Costessey and Edgefield. As the MBT plant comes on stream, material going to these will be reduced. NEWS also manages a number of now decommissioned landfill sites. - Power generation
The construction of modern landfill sites allows for the safe utilisation of landfill gas. At NEWS' landfill sites at Costessey and Mayton Wood, up to five megawatts of renewable energy is produced at specially constructed power generation plants.