That’s why we want to answer your individual concerns. This website will be updated regularly as we answer your questions.

To find out more about these proposals you can contact us by any of the following:

• Call the information line on 0845 300 4430. This low cost information line has been set up so you can ring our team to ask questions and get more information. The lines will be open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, with an answer phone facility in operation at all other times
• Write to us at - FREEPOST STAFFS WASTE 2020

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some other questions you might already have thought about.

1. What will the environmental impact of the facility be?
2. Will this facility affect air quality and residents’ health?
3. How will the facility affect the local wildlife, soil quality and water quality in nearby rivers, canals and reservoirs?
4. Where exactly will the Lorries carrying the waste go? How many will there be? When will they use the site?
5. Will lorries be based at the site?
6. What will be done with the waste ash?
7. Will the jobs created in the construction of the facility go to local residents?
8. Will local councils abandon any recycling and waste reduction plans?
9. How much electricity will be generated?
10. Does this facility have the capacity to grow?
11. How big will the facility be, what will it look like?

• Noise levels for the facility will be heavily regulated, strictly monitored and enforced and in effect are very insignificant
• Regarding odour, EfW facilities are far less smelly than many other waste treatment technologies. This is due to the way the facility operates ensuring smells do not escape the building
• There will be no “smoke” from the stack. Sometimes, you may be able to see a heat haze from the top of the stack; in damp and cloudy condition you may observe a white plume, this is water vapour not smoke
• Vermin is not a problem as everything is contained, from delivery through to combustion and removal of the ash. Strict vermin control measures will be implemented and closely monitored.

2. Will this facility affect air quality and residents’ health?
EfW facilities are subject to strict UK and European Commission regulations. There are very tight controls on the emissions from EfW facilities. This facility will operate to these strict standards as an absolute minimum. Many heath experts acknowledge that any adverse health effects of modern EfW facilities are miniscule. Similar facilities in the UK and Europe are in the middle of cities, such as Paris.

3. How will the facility affect the local wildlife, soil quality and water quality in nearby rivers, canals and reservoirs?
The council has commissioned a full environmental impact assessment for the site. The impacts on wildlife habitats within the Four Ashes area and on Cannock Chase will be minimal and the plans include actions to protect any animals, facilities or insects that might be affected.

Local soil will not be affected in any way. During construction and operation of the facility rigorous control of water on the site will ensure that surface and groundwater is protected.

4. Where exactly will the Lorries carrying the waste go? How many will there be? When will they use the site?
The delivery vehicles will travel entirely via the main roads which serve the Four Ashes industrial estate and will not make any of these routes any more dangerous than at present. Lorries will not be travelling through any of the local villages. If the facility was not developed, the site would be given some other industrial use as it has been designated as industrial land. This would probably result in increases of traffic similar to or beyond that forecast for our proposal.

A detailed breakdown and analysis of traffic movements will be provided as part of the planning application. Initial figures show that about 75-100 lorries will deliver waste to the site each day. At present Vicarage Road has a two way daily movement of about 5,600 vehicles of which about 500 are lorries.

The majority of waste deliveries will be during the normal working day Monday-Friday, but there may be some limited lorry movements outside of these hours.

5. Will lorries be based at the site?
There will be no lorries based at the site, it will not be a depot.

6. What will be done with the waste ash?
The bottom ash from the burning process is perfectly safe to be recycled in concrete, breeze blocks, road construction and other building materials. Any that is land filled it will go to one of the licensed non hazardous landfill sites in the area. This is common practise across in nations across the world.

7. Will the jobs created in the construction of the facility go to local residents?
During construction, a large number of jobs will be created. Many of these will be contractors from outside the area, but some local jobs will be created. Once the facility is operational it will have a permanent staff of about 35, it is hoped that most of these will be local employees.

8. Will local councils abandon any recycling and waste reduction plans?
On the contrary, local councils will be increasing their recycling rates to achieve at least 50% recycling. This facility is proposed as part of our integrated waste strategy which includes waste reduction, re-use and recycling before any residual waste is converted to energy.

9. How much electricity will be generated?
Our EfW facility at Hanford in Stoke on Trent exports about 13 mega watts of power. We expect this facility will export at least 18 megawatts. That is enough power for about 20,000 homes.

This energy export is a major benefit to the taxpayer and to the environment, helping to finance the facility and cut the need for energy derived from virgin fossil fuels and playing a role in combating climate change.

10. Does this facility have the capacity to grow?
No. We have absolutely no intention of increasing the capacity of the facility.