The new autoclave waste handling facility at the old British Steel site in South Yorkshire is part of a seven year agreement to collectively handle household rubbish.  It was projected to treat at a rate of 100,000 metric tonnes per year by the spring of 2009.  The facility just opened in August of 2008.  Yet, the local councils involved in the agreement decided to grant permission to double the capacity at the site to 200,000 tonnes.  Sterecycle, the London based firm that has the contract, announced plans to invest another £10 million to follow through with the idea to double autoclave capacity at the Rotherham site.

Recycling material instead of dumping it into landfills makes sense.  Doubling the capacity of a waste management technology when the facility just recently came on-line certainly demonstrates confidence in the process.   Sterecycle uses high temperature steam in a series of pressure vessels to dramatically reduce the volume of household and commercial waste.  Additionally, they sort out any materials that can be recycled.  Reducing the original volume by about 70% produces an end product resembling organic compost.  The company claims it is a superb material for use as a renewable energy source. Very little is actually dumped into a landfill – maybe 20% at most.

The technology works and is efficient.  This facility is thought to be the first of its kind in Europe. With this success, more are bound to be built.  Clean and green is the theme for today’s innovative technology.  Lessening our carbon foot print is a worthy goal in an effort to stave off climate change.  Doing this despite the recent world economic downturn is certainly admirable.

Sterecycle plans on creating three more autoclave waste treatment facilities over the next three years.  This project in Yorkshire is only the start of a much grander design for this new capability.  The company’s credit has been extended to around £70 million recently, and they have raised another £22 million from various major investors including Goldman Sachs and Fidelity International.

The autoclave expansion will make another 20 job positions available at that particular facility.  This is in addition to the 34 that have already been filled.  These employment figures are relatively small numbers, but trends usually build from baby steps in the right direction.

The Advantage Of Autoclave Projects

• There is no incineration involved.
• There is no bad smell or odor, since only water vapor is released into the air.
• The system is very flexible and can handle a variety of waste sources.
• Hazardous wastes are rendered inert.
• Plastics, metals, and glass are all recycled.
• A huge amount of carbon is saved because of the recycling, especially from the reclaimed plastics.  This leads to a much smaller carbon footprint.
• The process uses significantly less energy than alternatives.
• It is extremely cost effective.
• The end product is a high quality biomass fiber that can be marketed instead of being dumped.
• The process can help meet new government regulations concerning pollution limits.

The UK government is determined to reduce the 18 million tonnes of municipal wastes being used for landfill each year.  Landfill taxes have been increasing dramatically over the last few years.  Councils have been forced to look for more efficient ways to handle their communities’ wastes.  This inventive application of autoclave technology presents a viable solution to their problem.

If you are looking for an autoclave to meet any needs including bio-waste disposal, click on this free report to start your search.