Harewood Whin waste landfill site set to close

The site at Harewood Whin, near Rufforth, opened in the 1980s and will now, over time, be transformed into a wildflower meadow, which hopes to encourage more fauna and flora to the area.

City of York Council and its operator Yorwaste will be marking this significant moment in York’s history this month.

Household waste collected in York and North Yorkshire is now being sent to Allerton Waste Recovery Park (AWRP) near Knaresborough.

The plant can process up to 320,000 tonnes of waste per year and is operated by Amey on behalf of North Yorkshire County Council and City of York Council. Diverting this waste away from landfill means AWRP can also use it to generate enough energy to power the equivalent of 40,000 homes in the area. (more…)

Green bin collections start on Easter Monday

Andrew Waller

City of York Council is reminding residents that garden waste collections start again from Easter Monday (2 April).

The collections from nearly 67000 homes will run fortnightly until late November.

Last year City of York Council collected just under 13000 tonnes of garden waste from York homes. All this waste is turned into compost, with some for sale at Hazel Court household waste recycling centre.

Councillor Andrew Waller, deputy Leader of City of York Council with responsibility for the environment, said:
“We run the green bin service when residents do most of their gardening, so Easter Monday is a great time to start this year’s collections.

“For those without a green bin, we offer discounted home compost bins and or they can take garden waste to one of our household waste recycling centres.

“We’d also like to remind all residents that, especially after we make a major change like reintroducing garden waste, the times of collections can change. So please put your bins or boxes out before 7am on your collections day.”

Black bin and recycling collections also continue on the bank holidays.

You can check your bin day on your collection calendar, or online at www.york.gov.uk/refuselookup

You can also get free reminders of all your waste and recycling collections to your smartphone or tablet. Just download the One Planet York app for apple or android.

Residents without a green bin are also able to take garden waste to Hazel Court and Towthorpe Household Waste Recycling Centres. Alternatively, the council offers a special discounted rate on home compost bins. Go to www.york.gov.uk/composting

Harewood Whin tipping to continue for another 15 years

It looks like tipping t the Harewood Whin landfill site near Rufforth could continue for another 15 years.

Entrance to Harewood Whin

A planning application being considered next week will allow tiopping “in the eventuality that it is not possible process the anticipated volumes of waste through the approved Allerton Park Energy from Waste Plant”.

The activity has been subject to criticism n the past and the officers report makes the following observation

“The application site lies within open countryside to the north east of the village of Rufforth although a number of residential properties lie within a 500 metre radius and as a consequence of the elevated nature of the site longer distance effects are sometimes experienced in terms of noise from processing machinery.

The site is however subject to a detailed noise management plan which has proved highly effective in recent times and it is felt that there has been no material change in circumstances in respect of impacts upon residential amenity since planning permission for extension of the landfill activity was initially given in 2004”.

There have been no objections to the proposal

The report recommends that the planning committee meeting on 17^th November approve the plans.

NB: Nearby a proposal to site a poultry farm on land off Bradley Lane, Rufforth is recommended for refusal

Wetherby Road – plans for materials recycling centre

Yorwaste have submitted a planning application to erect a waste transfer and recycling station at Harewood Whin

The station would be used to “bulk up” waste prior to it being transported to the new incinerator being built at Allerton Park

The applicant has agreed to unilaterally revoke earlier planning permissions for the erection of a composting operation in the southern section of the site and the erection of energy from Biomass Plant at the north western edge of the site.

51 objections to the plans have been lodged mainly by residents in the Rufforth area.

Most are concerned about the plants impact on the Green Belt.

The report, which will be considered by the Planning Committee next week, can be read here

NB The site was to have been used as a salvage and recycling centre under plans unveiled in 2011. It would have replaced the Beckfield Lane recycling centre. The Beckfield Lane site was later closed by the new Labour administration which chose to make no alternative recycling facilities available on the west of York.

Quarrying, mineral and gas extraction, and waste disposal in and around York. Consultation starts

People across York and North Yorkshire are being given the chance to have a say on planning policies covering major issues such as quarrying, mineral and gas extraction, and waste disposal.

North Yorkshire County Council, City of York Council, and the North York Moors National Park Authority, are working together to produce a Minerals and Waste Joint Plan. It will contain policies and guidelines to help take decisions on planning applications covering the period up to 2030. It will also identify suitable sites for such developments.

(more…)

£4 million landfill tax hits York as recycling performance crashes

Council performance stats click to access full report

A Council report has revealed that the amount of waste going to landfill in the City is significantly increasing.

As a result York taxpayers face a £3,918,960 bill – up over 17% on budget forecasts.

The fall in performance comes only weeks after a change in collection arrangements brought chaos to some streets in York.

The position is likely to deteriorate further over the winter as the Council is stopping collecting green waste altogether. The winter months accounted for around 18% of this type of waste last year.

The fear is that most of this will now go to landfill.

Historic recycling rates in York. Click to enlarge

During the period when the Liberal Democrats led the council the amount of recycling and green waste sent for composting had substantially increased each year.

Now, against a background of delays on the longer term Allerton Park waste treatment project, prospects look increasingly bleak for both taxpayers and environmentalists in the City.

Allerton Park waste project deadline extended.

The York Council has today agreed to extend the deadline by which planning permission for the new waste disposal facility at Allerton Park must be achieved.

The agreement with the contractors AmeyCespa was due to expire today but a last ditch agreement has extended the agreement until at least the “Cabinet” meeting on 1st October.

Propsed waste disposal facility at Allerton park

The granting of planning permission had been held up following a move by a Parish Council which asked for a judicial review of the terms of the planning permission.

This is still being considered by the Court of Appeal

The North Yorkshire County Council also has to agree a way forward.

If the contract were terminated at this stage, then a payment of £3 million could be due to the contractor.

It is unclear why the York Council was forced into making a decision today with minimal notice. The terms of the contract have been known for over 2 years.