At Veolia, we invest in a comprehensive range of state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technologies providing game-changing solutions that are both useful and practical for water, waste and energy management, all of which have the functionality and added elements that enable ecological transformation.
In this ongoing series, we will be shining a spotlight onto our facilities, sharing their unique features, capabilities and most importantly, their purpose.
Introducing our Leeds Facility
The iconic Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility (RERF), managed by Veolia, is designed to remove recyclable waste from black bin waste and transform residual waste into electricity. Heat energy is used to supply heating to homes and businesses across the city. The plant helps to divert waste away from landfill, reducing the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. From the 165,000 tonnes of rubbish that arrives per year, absolutely nothing goes to waste, contributing towards achieving Leeds recycling targets. The facility is at the heart of our commitment to sustainability. Not only does the facility allow us to make the best use of our resources through the process of urban mining, but it is also home to Europe's largest vertical green living wall. The living wall provides a home for biodiversity to thrive whilst also improving air quality as the plants work to absorb some of the surrounding emissions from the busy road traffic passing the site.
Minosus underground storage facility
At Veolia we are dedicated to ensuring environmental protection and standards. We research alternative methods of waste management to ensure we offer the most technologically, environmentally and commercially sustainable solutions. Minosus is the only underground storage facility of its kind in the UK offering a stable environment for difficult hazardous waste streams, ensuring long-term containment with no available pathway to the biosphere. All waste is contained within bags or drums and placed within constructed rooms within the underground facility enabling traceability of waste streams. The nature of the facility and the unique environment provides a better, long term environmental alternative solution to treating the hazardous waste above ground. Treating it here would have a more negative effect than keeping it in safe storage, and could emit dangerous polluters to the environment. Since there is no effect on the ground above Minosus, we are able to use it for agricultural purposes, with a dairy farm being the nearest neighbour at 150 metres from the above ground operation. There is no impact on productive users now or will there be in the future.
Woodlands In-Vessel Composting Facility
Have you ever wondered what happens to your green garden waste and separated food waste after it is collected? We operate many centralised composting schemes that turn waste from domestic, commercial and horticultural services into valuable fertiliser which is a great food for your garden. Composting is nature's way of recycling. Composting food waste at home helps the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions which result from transporting waste and the breakdown of organic waste in landfill sites. The large-scale site enables faster composting by utilising higher temperatures than can be achieved at home and is designed and fitted with the best available technology for the treatment of air and water use and reuse, to guarantee the control of odours and emissions.
Our Woodlands In-Vessel Composting Facility in Whitesmith is capable of processing up to 60,000 tonnes of biodegradable waste, which is used in a range of agricultural and horticultural applications. All our IVCs guarantee the highest levels of sanitation and quality of the final compost ultimately creating a better circular use of the materials by utilising waste as a resource and replacing the need for artificial fertilisers and soil treatment that damage the environment as they are produced from raw materials.
Be sure to keep up to date with insights to find out more about our Veolia facilities.
-Further Reading-
Veolia innovation increases composting recovery by 30,000 tonnes per year
Following successful large-scale trials, Veolia has demonstrated a new way of treating the 25% of green waste that ends up being sent for disposal or re-composting.
Ecological Transformation: Improving Biodiversity
Improving biodiversity is critical to achieving Ecological Transformation.
Hazardous Waste Facilities
Using our in-house treatment facilities provides access to the latest technologies for the best overall environmental option for your waste.
Ecological Transformation: Decreasing Pollution
Decreasing pollution is critical to achieving Ecological Transformation.