Landform modifications & MBT
As waste decays in a landfill it settles and will eventually, over a process of many years, produce a stable landform. This is extremely important at Pitsea, where the site will eventually be given to the community for controlled public access.
However, over the last 10 years legislation has fundamentally changed the nature of the waste delivered for disposal and this has caused increased settlement and has also impacted on the site’s efficient collection of landfill gas.
To counteract this, the company successfully applied for planning permission to modify and redesign the landfill contours that were originally agreed as part of a previous planning consent.
As part of this application, the company also proposed a pre-treatment process – Mechanical and Biological Treatment (MBT). This will help ensure the consistency of the residue that will be landfilled, creating a more stable landform.
How it works
| • |
Dry recyclables are removed from the municipal waste stream |
| |
|
| • |
The residue is delivered to an enclosed building for initial shredding |
| |
|
| • |
Within the same MBT building the waste goes through an initial decomposition process |
| |
|
| • |
When this is complete there is potential to recover ferrous and non-ferrous metals and more plastics |
| |
|
| • |
Air will be drawn from all covered parts of the building and passed through a biofilter of chipped, clean wood and bark |
| |
|
| • |
Bacteria growing on this woody material will consume the nitrogen and sulphur compounds from the air to prevent the release of odours |
| |
|
| • |
Process residues will be deposited on site as landfill cover, or used for restoration. |
|
