Latest news with #Indaver
Press and Journal
6 days ago
- Business
- Press and Journal
Reason for Aberdeen bin collection delays REVEALED as city's incinerator struggles through ongoing issues
Ongoing issues at Aberdeen's incinerator have been blamed for missed or delayed bin collections. Aberdeen City Council this week issued an apology for missed and delayed bin pick-ups across the city. Refuse workers could not complete collections on all routes, leaving some residents with overflowing bins. Residents were told they would have to wait until their next scheduled collection day to have their waste taken away. The Press and Journal can now reveal the reason behind the disruption is down to the city's £150m waste centre experiencing ongoing issues. The plant's operator Indaver has cast doubt over its future involvement with the NESS project due to 'problems with operations'. Usually, non-recyclable waste from households is transported to the Energy from Waste (EfW) plant. The waste is then incinerated, which generates electricity. The Tullos-based plant was built under contract from Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray councils. The incinerator is equipped to handle 150,000 tonnes of combined waste from the three local authorities. Indaver operates the facility and ongoing issues at the plant have prompted a review of their involvement. A spokesperson said: 'Indaver can confirm that, due to ongoing issues the company is experiencing in relation to its operations at the NESS waste-to-energy facility in Aberdeen, Scotland, the company is reviewing its future involvement in the project.' It is unclear what would happen should Indaver decide to stop operations. Aberdeen City Council has had to make alternative arrangements for bin collections. The council said: 'We apologise that bin collections are currently being impacted by short-term operational challenges. 'We have had to put alternative tipping arrangements in place due to the temporary unavailability of the Ness Energy from Waste Facility. 'Contingency arrangements have led to some minor disruption to service, but the team are working tirelessly to mitigate any delay, and we thank people for their patience. Residents should continue to put their bins out as normal.' Moray Council says they have had to divert to other waste disposal locations. A spokesperson said: 'Our services remain unaffected by this issue, other than having to divert to alternative disposal locations which have been sourced.' An Aberdeenshire Council spokesperson said: 'We are aware of the current issues at the plant. 'We have worked with colleagues at Aberdeen City and Moray councils to ensure that there is no disruption to our household residual waste collections by ensuring alternative disposal arrangements are in place.'
STV News
7 days ago
- Business
- STV News
City's incinerator shut and waste diverted to landfill amid row between operators
Aberdeen's incinerator is closed because of a conflict between its operators, with waste being diverted to landfill. Indaver, headquartered in the Netherlands, operates the Energy from Waste (EFW) NESS facility for the three local authorities that use it – Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, and Moray – but is reconsidering its involvement with the project. A spokesperson for Indaver said: 'Indaver can confirm that, due to ongoing issues the company is experiencing in relation to its operations at the Ness waste-to-energy facility in Aberdeen, Scotland, the company is reviewing its future involvement in the project. 'The company will not be providing further comment at this time.' The site has been closed since mid-June, initially for routine maintenance and remains closed for processing new waste. All non-recyclable waste is being sent to a landfill site in Peterhead. A spokesperson from the Aberdeen City Council said: 'Due to an issue between EFW Ness Ltd and its operating sub-contractor, the Ness Energy from Waste facility is currently closed. 'Waste is being diverted to an alternative disposal facility. 'Residents should continue to put their bins out as normal.' The £150m facility can process 150,000 tonnes of waste a year from its three council areas. It's thought the facility could be one of the last incinerators built in Scotland after a temporary ban was placed on building and approving new sites by the Scottish Government in 2022. It's not yet clear when the site will reopen to process non-recyclable waste but it's believed the councils can recoup the costs from sending their waste elsewhere. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Herald Scotland
7 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
North East Scotland incinerator shut after operator's threat
However, a growing number of faults at the site, which opened less than two years ago, has left Belgian operator Indaver on the brink of pulling out. Sources told trade journal EWB that the facility contained more than 1800 'snags' when it was handed over for operational use last year. By contrast, the typical number of faults expected in this sort of project is around 350. The incinerator is located south of Aberdeen Harbour in East Tullos. A spokesperson for the waste management firm confirmed the company had considered pulling out of the multi million pound project. They said: 'Indaver can confirm that, due to ongoing issues the company is experiencing in relation to its operations at the NESS waste-to-energy facility in Aberdeen, Scotland, the company is reviewing its future involvement in the project.' The shutdown has left refuse crews scrambling to find alternative sites for waste removal, leading to bin collection delays across the North East of Scotland. Aberdeen City councillor Deena Tissera said she had written to the local authority's chief executive seeking clarity on the future of the site, which is also used to produce electricity and heat homes in the local area. She posted to X: 'I must express the growing frustration among elected members and the public at the lack of clear communication and accountability around this significant infrastructure failure. 'Indaver, a key partner in the NESS consortium, is considering withdrawing from the project due to serious issues with the build quality. Read more: Does the planning process respect local opinion? Just ask the people of Torry Hundreds in Aberdeen's Torry to be 'rehomed as soon as possible' over Raac fears Lesley Riddoch: In Torry the 'Just Transition' to renewable energy is far from just Ms Tissera added: 'Reports confirm that the plant was handed over with an unacceptable number of unresolved defects - around 1800 snags - compared to the typical threshold of 350. This level of failure points to systemic weaknesses in the oversight and delivery of this publicly funded project.' An Aberdeen City Council spokesperson said: 'Due to an issue between EFW Ness Ltd and its operating sub-contractor, the Ness Energy from Waste Facility is currently closed. Waste is being diverted to an alternative disposal facility. Residents should continue to put their bins out as normal.'
STV News
7 days ago
- Business
- STV News
City's incinerator shut and waste diverted amid row between council and operator
Aberdeen's incinerator is closed because of a conflict between the city council and the site's operator, with waste being diverted elsewhere. Indaver, headquartered in the Netherlands, operates the facility for the three local authorities that use it – Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, and Moray – but is reconsidering its involvement with the project. A spokesperson from the Aberdeen City Council said: 'Due to an issue between EFW Ness Ltd and its operating sub-contractor, the Ness Energy from Waste facility is currently closed. 'Waste is being diverted to an alternative disposal facility. 'Residents should continue to put their bins out as normal.' The £150m facility can process 150,000 tonnes of waste a year from its three council areas. It opened formally last year, after lengthy delays. A spokesperson for Indaver said: 'Indaver can confirm that, due to ongoing issues the company is experiencing in relation to its operations at the Ness waste-to-energy facility in Aberdeen, Scotland, the company is reviewing its future involvement in the project. 'The company will not be providing further comment at this time.' It's thought the facility could be one of the last incinerators built in Scotland after a temporary ban was placed on building and approving new sites by the Scottish Government in 2022. It's not yet clear when the site will reopen to process non-recyclable waste. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Sky News
01-06-2025
- Business
- Sky News
Essex set to be the home of Europe's largest low-carbon horticulture site
Forty hectares of greenhouses, heated by the burning of rubbish, are set to be built in Essex - making it the largest low-carbon horticulture site in Europe. These greenhouses will be the first of their kind and could provide around 6% of the tomatoes consumed in the UK. It should begin operating in 2027, when almost all the county's household rubbish will come to the Rivenhall site, where it will then be burnt in an incinerator. Gareth Jones works for waste company Indaver, which is building the facility. He said: "The boiler produces steam and some of that steam we'll divert to our new heat exchange, and that will produce the hot water that we'll be sending over to our greenhouses. "The rest of the steam goes to the turbine, so it produces electricity from the substation, and some of the electricity will go directly to the greenhouses." Currently, Essex's household waste goes to landfill where it gives off greenhouse gasses, particularly methane. Indaver claims that the CO2 emitted at the Rivenhall site is 20% less than if the rubbish had gone to landfill, and there are additional environmental benefits. According to Defra, almost half of the UK's fresh vegetables are imported. Tomatoes often come from Morocco, Spain and the Netherlands. But there is growing concern about the vast number of plastic polytunnels in the south of Spain. Almeria's 'Sea of Greenhouses' are even visible from space, and there are regular droughts in the area. Trucks then bring the produce all the way to the UK, releasing thousands of tonnes of CO2 en route. Rivenhall Greenhouse project director Ed Moorhouse says the UK's reliance on importing fruit and veg is not sustainable. "Water porosity in north Africa and in southern Spain is a key issue, extremes of temperature and the effects of climate change," he said. "What we're seeking to do is, if it was tomatoes, to reshore 6-8% of tomato imports by growing in Essex." But the National Farmers Union says further projects like Rivenhall could be hampered by the government's new biodiversity net gain strategy, which forces all developers to benefit nature through their builds. Martin Emmett, chair of the NFU's Horticulture and Potatoes Board, says the policy was "originally designed around housing estates, larger factories and commercial developments". Consequently, companies may have to buy extra land to offset biodiversity impacts, which would affect similar investments across the country. A Defra spokesperson said: "We are working closely with the sector to make Biodiversity Net Gain work more effectively, whilst investing £5 billion into farming, the largest ever budget for sustainable food production to bolster our food security."
