Councils working together on recycling facility
Recycling
Three South Wales councils are involved in a ground-breaking
project which will lead to the recycling of waste material from
highways gullies.
The Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff and Bridgend Councils are working
in partnership for the first time in their history on the
development of a reed bed filtration facility which has been
several years in the planning.
The facility, which will be one of just a few across the
country, is being developed in the Vale at Pant y Lladron, near St
Hilary, and is expected to be completed by July.
As a by product, clean water will be produced and be available
for use for gully cleansing, while soil and other solid waste
materials will be also be recycled.
The £160,000 project has been approved by the Environment
Agency, who will also monitor the scheme, and has received the
support of all parties and partners.
Cabinet Member for Visible Services Cllr Rob Curtis said the
Vale Council was pleased to offer the facility as a partnership to
two neighbouring authorities. "This is an excellent example of how
councils can work together," he added.
Cllr Elgan Morgan, Executive Member for Environment and
Transport at Cardiff Council, said: “The technology is tried and
tested and is a very effective and sustainable solution to this
problem.
"This will be one of the few plants of its kind in the UK, and I
am pleased Cardiff is one of the partners."
Cllr Matthew Voisey, Cabinet Member for Environment at Bridgend
Council, said: “This is a classic example of what can be achieved
with joint working, and we are pleased to be engaged in this
partnership scheme with our neighbours."
Vale Operational Manager (Highways) Keith Jones said:
“Currently, the waste from gullies is taken to landfill. This new
treatment facility is a long-term approach to dealing with the
waste and will provide an excellent sustainable solution to our
problems.
"We have been concerned for some time about the long-term
viability of taking this waste to landfill, and are very pleased
with this solution."
Caption: Launching the ground-breaking project
which will lead to the recycling of waste material from highways
gullies are, foreground, from left: Cllr Elgan Morgan, Executive
Member for Environment and Transport (Cardiff Council), Cllr
Matthew Voisey, Cabinet Member for Environment (Bridgend County
Borough Council) and Cllr Rob Curtis, Cabinet Member for Visible
Services (Vale of Glamorgan Council). Back: Steve Cottrell,
Highways and Construction General Manager (Bridgend), Steve Bowen,
Highways Works Manager (Vale), Mike Yeoman, Operational Manager
(Cardiff) and Keith Jones, Operational Manager Highways (Vale).