Residual waste is the ‘black bin bag’ waste which contains everything that currently can’t be recycled. Residual collected from the kerbside by your local council as well as non-recyclable waste from our Recycling Centres and Materials Recovery Facilities is brought to the Rail Transfer Loading Station, also known as the RTLS, in Kirkby. Around 16,000 wheelie bins of rubbish are taken to the RTLS each day.
Watch our video above to see the process in action.
STEP ONE
Upon arrival the waste is emptied into two large bunkers and a crane is used to drop and tightly pack the waste into containers. These are then loaded onto a train.
STEP TWO
When the train arrives at our Energy from Waste Facility at Wilton, the containers of waste are emptied into a large waste storage bunker, where a grab crane picks up and mixes the waste together. This creates a homogeneous mixture of waste to ensure everything burns evenly.
STEP THREE
The waste is then dropped into a furnace which burns at very high temperatures, around 1200° Celsius, for about 4 hours.
STEP FOUR
This heating process generates steam. Half of the steam produced is sold onto local industries, and the rest is pushed through the turbine to produce electricity.
STEP FIVE
Any materials remaining drop to the bottom of the furnace. A large magnet removes metals, which are sent for recycling.
STEP SIX
The ash moves across site on a conveyor belt and is sorted. It’s then sold on to the construction industry to make our roads and buildings.
STEP SEVEN
Finally, any gases left over are sent through a rigorous cleaning process, and the chimneys release what is in effect pure steam.