Lincolnshire’s energy from waste plant reaches milestone as one million tonnes of our waste turned into green energy

The facility, owned by Lincolnshire County Council and operated by FCC Environment, has burned the waste, converting it via turbine to generate 554,000 Mwh of green energy for 29,000 local homes, and enabled the council to reduce the amount of rubbish to landfill by around 92 per cent.

To mark the occasion, members of the eco-council at St Andrew’s C of E Primary School in Leasingham unveiled a ‘living sculpture’ at the site, along with councillors from the county council and FCC Environment.

On the milestone, Coun Eddy Poll, executive member for Waste and Resources at Lincolnshire County Council, commented: “This facility was the biggest capital investment we have ever made, and it is enabling us to do the right thing with our waste - environmentally and economically. We’ve reduced the amount of waste we send to landfill by 92 per cent, saving us £89 per tonne in landfill tax. Not only that - the waste has been repurposed into electricity to power over 29,000 local homes.”

Juergen Schaper, facility manager at FCC Environment, said: “We are extremely proud to have reached this very significant milestone. One million tonnes of waste diverted from landfill and converted to energy is a real achievement for Lincolnshire.

“We are focused on continuing to exceed performance expectations in our successful partnership with the council as we carry on creating valuable electricity, jobs and community support for the county.”

The site treats up to 190,000 tonnes of residual waste each year, converting it into 13.1 MW of electricity. It also produces around 215,000 tonnes of incinerator bottom ash, which is commonly used in road construction.

The Energy from Waste plant hosts open days throughout the year. To find out more or to book a place on a tour, visit lincolnshire.fccenvironment.co.uk.