Will there be dust and odours?

Dealing with waste in uncontrolled conditions can be a smelly process. Any waste management operations can give rise to dust and odours but these will be minimised by good building design, performing all operations under controlled conditions indoors, good working practices and effective management undertaken for dust suppression from vehicle movements.

Enviroparks will have an Odour Management Plan approved by Natural Resources Wales

What will it look like?

Follow the link to 'Site Visuals' for the architectural drawings and artists impressions. However, the site has been acquired from the Welsh Government.  This acquisition has come with a strict set of conditions which dictate the type of buildings and processes built on the site. The specification required of the buildings is far higher than those that would normally be associated with this type of process.

We are also very aware that we lie on the border of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

The layout of the buildings and subsequent landscaping have not only been carefully designed to minimise the visual impact but also to make a clear statement about the aspirations and goals of Enviroparks. The materials employed will be of high specification and sympathetic to the environment. 

This site will be a reference plant for all future plants and as such we want to impress!

What about noise?

Noise is an issue that will be controlled under the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR). The main contributors to noise associated with Enviroparks are likely to be:

• vehicle movements/maneuvering;
  
• traffic noise on the local road networks;
  
• mechanical processing such as waste preparation;
  
• air extraction fans and ventilation systems;
  
• steam turbine units; and
  
• air cooled condenser units
  

Noise levels have be assessed as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the EPR and will be constantly monitored

Enviroparks will be legally obliged to operate within agreed set limits.

The processes will emit noise typically associated with any light industrial process on an industrial estate.

What about traffic?

Recycling facilities may be served by large numbers of HGVs (depending on the scale of the facility) with a potential impact on local roads and the amenity of local residents. The site layout/road configuration will be designed to be suitable to accept a range of light and heavy vehicles. For a 50,000tpa capacity plant, up to 20 refuse collection vehicles (RCV) per day would be anticipated (Source: Defra). At maximum capacity, therefore, you could see up to 100 traffic movements onto the site in a 12 hour period (one movement every 7 minutes) however a significant amount of delivery vehicles used will be larger than a normal RCV thereby reducing further the traffic movements. To put this in perspective you could see up to 100 additional movements per day caused by staff driving to work. 

This, however, is all speculative, as a full traffic survey has been carried out as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment, showing that the traffic impact will not be significant. The site is well placed next to major roads and there is no requirement for any vehicles to pass through any of the local villages, and the large majority of these traffic movements are already occurring throughout the local region. We will be seeing a small diversion of traffic as opposed to completely new traffic.

HGV traffic will not need to pass through the villages of Rhigos, Hirwaun and Penderyn. In addition HGV vehicles may only enter and exit the site via the main entrance of the industrial estate en route to the A465

What about emissions?

There are three types of emissions to be considered - to air, land and water. Every industrial site (and for that matter domestic as well) will have some form of emissions. The key factor is that all emissions from our site will have to comply with the limits set by the Environmental Permitting Regulations which will be monitored by Enviroparks via a constant emissions monitoring programme audit by Natural Resources Wales.

In reality the main emission from the site will be exhaust gasses from lorry, car and energy generation. There will be no emissions to land and the drainage system for the whole site is connected to an effluent treatment plant before discharge into a standard industrial trade sewer.

Is the proximity to the reservoir an issue?

Enviroparks has engaged at length with Dwr Cymru to ensure that they can maintain the quality of drinking water once the reservoir water has passed through their water treatment plant located next to the Enviroparks site.

Will the proximity of the plant affect the water quality of the reservoir?

No, however the responsibility for the reservoir lies with Dwr Cymru Welsh Water who are Statutory Consultees. If you have any queries you should contact them to ensure they give you an unbiased opinion.

Will there be a big gas storage tank?

No. Gas is used pretty well as soon as it is produced by the system and there is no need to store gas on site other than  in small buffer tanks. There will be four tanks about 10 metres high which will contain clean water to be used in the comprehensive fire suppression system that will be installed.

Why here?

It is an industrial estate designated by Welsh Government for this type of business and was offered to Enviroparks on this basis. The site is close to an electricity grid connection, has good connections to the road network. The use is approved in the local authority development plans.

Won't it be the dumping ground for other regions?

Enviroparks Hirwaun is only capable of processing 10% of the waste that arises in the region of South East Wales - our region.

It is designed to be a flagship facility operating to the highest standards and will not resemble a 'dumping ground'. Storage of any waste outside, other than in approved containers is not permitted.

What are the benefits?

Local long term employment – primarily approximately 100 skilled jobs for the Enviropark with an estimated further 100 jobs from an occupier on the north part of the site.

There will be employment for approximately 200 workers during construction.

Money going into the local economy.

A facility to be proud of as a showcase with educational facilities for school parties and other interested groups in our administration and site control offices.

Is it tried and tested technology?

All the technology is operating successfully somewhere else. The unique part of the Enviropark is bringing them all together to work together it is a modern and efficient way to deal with your waste.