New processing plant set to open on Wellingborough industrial estate will create 20 jobs

Avonmouth, a similar facility near Bristol, which gives a good impression of how the Wellingborough plant will eventually look when operational

It is expected to process around 200,000 tonnes of incinerator bottom ash (IBA) waste each year

Work has started on a new processing plant on a Wellingborough industrial estate which is set to create 20 jobs.

Covanta Europe has announced the start of construction on an aggregate processing plant that will treat the incinerator bottom ash (IBA) generated by two of its UK energy recovery facilities (ERF).

When operational, the plant will recover metals from the IBA and create aggregate products for use in the construction industry.

The site of the new processing plant in Wellingborough

The plant is being developed and built in partnership with Day Aggregates.

The plant, which will be on land north of Don White Road on Wellingborough’s Finedon Road industrial estate, is expected to process around 200,000 tonnes of IBA every year from the ERFs at Rookery South in Bedfordshire and Newhurst in Leicestershire.

The partnership is a first for Covanta Europe and will provide the company with a sustainable, long-term solution for treating IBA.

Planning permission has been granted and groundwork has begun.

The plant is due to open in early 2024 and will be operated by Day Aggregates.

Andrew Howie, commercial director at Covanta Europe, said: “By developing this innovative partnership, we will deliver a plant capable of processing the IBA generated by two of our facilities.

"We are also strengthening our contribution to the circular economy, by way of producing new recyclable materials.

"This joined-up approach to partnership working is crucial to the evolution of the UK’s waste infrastructure.”

The Rookery South ERF came online in January 2022, with annual capacity to process up to 550,000 tonnes of residual waste which would otherwise be sent to landfill.

The Newhurst ERF is now in the final phases of construction and will treat up to 350,000 tonnes of residual waste per annum when it becomes operational in 2023.

Centred around an aggregate processing plant, the Wellingborough site will enable production of Day Aggregates’ EcoBlend range of products.

The plant will also include a facility for producing hydraulically bound mixtures (HBM), a recycled aggregate used in the sub-base and base layers of road surfaces.

Any metals recovered from the IBA will be separated for recycling.

The processing plant is set to directly employ around 20 people.

Construction materials and services specialist Day Aggregates has been processing IBA for more than 10 years at facilities across the UK.

Adam Day, contracts director at Day Group, said: "The new facility will have the most up-to-date processing equipment, ensuring full recovery of ferrous and non-ferrous metals from the IBA, and will produce the base aggregate for our EcoBlend range.

"We look forward to delivering a sustainable supply of aggregates to the local construction market.”

During the planning process, Covanta Europe was supported by planning consultants Heatons, legal specialists Browne Jacobson and construction partner Stepnell.

Partner Craig Elder who led the Browne Jacobson team said: “This transaction is both innovative, and crucial to the operation of facilities which form an important part of UK infrastructure.”

And he added: "We are delighted to see that the work on site has started and that this arrangement will provide a vital processing solution for the long-term.”

Nigel Gould, planning director at Heatons, said: “It was a pleasure to work on this project.”