Reducing Waste to Landfill

Client: Oxford Brookes University (OBU)

Project: Energy from waste

Department: Recycling and Waste

Date of completion: 5 year contract 2015 – 2020

Background 

OBU’s objective is to “achieve zero waste to landfill for all Oxford based sites by the end of 2020 (utilising incineration, increases in recycling and waste reduction)”. ODS have reduced the quantity of waste sent to landfill from OBU’s sites through improved ways of managing waste such as incineration over landfill and recycling more.

Why ODS

• We have a network of key suppliers and disposal sites,

• We have a track record of reducing waste to landfill with Oxford City Council and other clients.

Challenge

To find a new waste disposal option locally to recover waste (energy recovery) prior to disposing of it (landfill) – following the waste hierarchy. We needed to obtain a contract with a site that had new local technology and infrastructure that that could process the waste more sustainably, safely and following stringent emissions standards of the European Industrial Emissions Directive, which are enforced and monitored by the Environment Agency.

Solution

A new contract was made with Viridor in Ardley in 2015/16 to collect non-hazardous waste to be processed at their new energy recovery plant. This meant that rather than being sent to landfill, the majority of Oxford Brookes’ waste was sent to this site. Waste sent to this plant produces energy which generates electricity to powers homes. Leftover ash is used as aggregate in construction, a more sustainable alternative for Oxford Brookes University’s waste.