8 August 2022
Waste Management Services (WMS) have produced their first bale of compacted waste plastic in the newly developed Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) at Horse Point Landfill Site (HPLS).
Astonishingly, it took 42 (forty two) wheelie bins full of mixed plastic, that was recovered from the Public Recycling Facility within HPLS, to create the bale. Plastic is automatically loaded into the baler and compacted multiple times until there is sufficient material to create a bale, after which it is automatically ejected and ready for reuse. The whole process requires minimal manual handling and is not labour intensive.
Whilst WMS intend to use the plastic waste bales like ‘Lego’ within the site to support landscaping, initially as a bund for the next layer of the bulky waste cell, which will reduce the need for the high volume of excavated soil ordinarily required (soil is a precious resource within the landfill operation), WMS are keen to support private sector use of the bales in line with Goal 3 of the Waste Management Implementation Plan ‘Support existing reduce, reuse and recycle activities and encourage/promote the development of new initiatives’. Persons interested in recycling plastic, through a public / private partnership are invited to contact Environmental Risk Manager, Mike Durnford, on tel: 24724 or via email: mike.durnford@sainthelena.gov.sh.
Landfill Manager, Patrick Crowie, commented:
“When asked what my job is at HPLS I used to say I bury money, because all waste is a potential resource with value. Now I am proud to say that I manage landfill reduction through operation of a Materials Recycling Facility. I encourage the public to dispose of their recyclable waste in the bins provided in order to maximise the remaining useful life of HPLS.”
The public are reminded that recycling bins are located throughout the Island. Bin colours relate to recyclable waste types as follows: red bins for glass, blue bins for aluminium drink cans, grey bins for plastics (once relocated – when no longer required for home quarantine) and Olympic bins which facilitate the disposal of all three wastes for recycling as signposted on the bin. Textiles can be disposed in the relevant area within the Public Recycling Facility at HPLS.
The development of the Materials Recycling Facility was generously funded by the UK Government, through the Climate Change strand of the FCDO’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) Overseas Territories Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change Programme.
Environmental Risk Manager, Mike Durnford, commented:
“The Materials Recycling Facility (known as a MRF) has been developed to process waste aluminium drink cans, plastics, cardboard and textiles for recycling, with a public / private partnership already established for aluminium drink cans. To support the MRF’s output, WMS intend to introduce a recyclable waste collection service from homes and businesses in addition to the existing weekly waste collection service (subject to availability of a specialist recyclable waste collection vehicle within an external funding deadline). Once established the collection and recycling of high volume / value wastes like those aforementioned will significantly contribute to a reduction in landfill. We are grateful for the continuous support from the CSSF Program to enable this.”
Attached is a photo of the Landfill Manager and Operators in the Materials Recycling Facility at Horse Point Landfill Site.
‘Living with COVID’ Update: there are currently no planned changes to waste management services. Any necessary changes required will be communicated before implementation. Residents are requested to clean their wheelie bin regularly.
Waste Management Services ‘working in partnership with customers for a cleaner and greener St Helena’.
#StHelena #WMS #PlasticRecycling #AltogetherGreener
SHG
8 August 2022