Second Waste to Energy FGT Residue Recycling Facility to Produce Carbon Negative Aggregates in UK

Carbon8, which recycles Flue Gas Treatment (FGT) residues from waste to energy facilities into ‘carbon negative’ aggregates, has been given the green light to build a second facility at Avonmouth, near Bristol. Work on the £4 million project is expected to begin later this year, with the plant being fully operational by early 2016. The company said that the new plant will more than double its ability to meet rising demand from the construction industry and creating at least 20 new jobs. Carbon8, in which waste and recycling firm Grundon Waste Management has a significant investment, uses patented technology to the FGT residues (FGT) waste to energy facilities, converting it into lightweight secondary aggregates. Steve Greig, managing director, said: “Winning planning permission for this new facility is a significant step forward for Carbon8, cementing our position as the prime FGT recycling business in England and Wales. Process Carbon8 claimed that it has developed of the world’s first carbon negative aggregate. It uses an award-winning, patented process known as Accelerated Carbonation Technology (ACT) to manufacture a lightweight aggregate called C8Aggregate (C8A). According to Carbon8, because the ACT process permanently captures more carbon dioxide than is generated during its manufacture, it means C8A is the world’s first truly carbon-negative aggregate and the technology, which has gone on to win a number of industry awards. The patented ACT aggregate manufacturing process uses carbon dioxide gas as a resource to treat a wide range of industrial wastes. The company explained that many thermal wastes react naturally with carbon dioxide resulting in the formation of artificial limestone. During the process, Carbon8 said that significant volumes of carbon dioxide are permanently captured. This is said to not only help with the binding of the materials, but importantly chemically stabilise and encapsulates contaminants. The material is then blended and pelletised to form a rounded aggregate (C8A) that has a number of applications in construction. Growing market According to Steve Greig, managing director of Carbon8, the is already close to signing a deal to process FGT residues from a number of waste to energy plants in the south west and is confident that further contracts will follow. “Demand from EfW operators is increasing all the time as they look for alternatives to disposing of FGT into landfill,” explained Greig. “At the same time, our ability to produce carbon negative aggregates has really captured the imagination of the building trade.” “The Avonmouth facility will enable us to respond to the market and,” he continued. “We hope, will be a stepping stone to our ambition to build further facilities over the next two to three years.” The new purpose built ‘Accelerated Carbonation Technology’ facility will include silo storage for incoming incinerator residues, storage for associated fillers and binders, a new building to house the processing equipment, and covered storage bays for the aggregate produced by the process. Carbon8 has already signed a contract for the project with Worksop based Wrights Engineering, who will be responsible for the design, manufacture, installation and commissioning of the process equipment. The company said that the new development will complement its existing facility at Brandon, Suffolk, which last year saw the addition of a £1.5 million second production line, also installed by Wrights Engineering, as well as investment in new silo capacity and new aggregate storage. A number of leading national construction companies are said to already be using C8A to produce lightweight building blocks and demand is increasing all the time. Read More UBB’s £500m Javelin Park Waste to Energy Plant in Gloucestershire Cleared by Pickles The Secretary of State for Communities Eric Pickles, has ruled in favour of a controversial £500 million waste to energy plant at Javelin Park in Gloucestershire. Waste to Energy Firm Covanta Names Former Air Products VP as President CEO A new president and CEO is set to take the helm at New Jersey based waste to energy firm, Covanta Holding Corporation (NYSE: CVA), with a leadership succession planned from March this year. Shanks to Develop Largest Organic Waste & Biogas Plant of its Kind in Surrey, Canada Iris Solutions, a consortium led by Orgaworld Canada, part of International waste and recycling firm, Shanks Group’s Organics Division, has been selected as the preferred proponent for the Surrey Biofuels Processing Facility project in Canada.