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Minister Hails Pod Bright SparksEnvironment Minister, Mike Russell today officially opened the new 'In Vessel' tunnels which will transform kitchen waste into Pod compost.The Minister cut the ribbon to open the pioneering plant at the Deerdykes Composting and Organics Recycling Facility in Cumbernauld's Westfield Industrial Estate. Mr Russell said : "In January the Scottish Government announced a number of ambitious targets aimed at achieving a 'zero waste Scotland'. "One of the things we want to see is an increase in the amount of industrial and commercial waste being recycled or composted. "The extension to Deerdykes is precisely the kind of forward-thinking that we want local authorities to undertake as we push to minimise the waste generated in Scotland." In addition to the latest expansion of the composting process Business Development Manager, Donald MacBrayne and his team will shortly be producing 'green' electricity, which it is hoped will not only power the plant, but may be sold on to neighbouring sites in the Industrial Estate and even sold back to the National Grid. Donald outlines exactly how the scheme will work and the benefits it will deliver to both the environment and the local community: "The good bacteria which are all around us will help to break down the kitchen and green waste. As part of this process of Anaerobic Digestion they produce gases which can be harnessed and burned to produce electricity. Everything from potato peelings to soggy old tea bags can be transformed into an efficient and environmentally friendly energy source. "We are looking to develop this environmentally friendly way of producing electricity to the point where we will not only be able to power our own plant, but also sell green energy back to our neighbours at a reduced rate, and eventually even sell some back to the National Grid."  Around a third of the refuse in our kitchen bins can be recycled. The Deerdykes facility will help Scottish Councils meet their strict recycling targets and avoid passing potentially costly Landfill fines onto council tax payers. Already at the Deerdykes facility Scottish Water has transformed around 90,000 tonnes of green waste into Pod, the compost equivalent. As well as being used in domestic gardens the product is helping to create Scotland's first new town in 50 years, at the site of the former Ravenscraig steel works in North Lanarkshire. Pod is also driving a similar development at Polkemmet in West Lothian, where a major housing project is being backed up with a business park and golf development, on the site of a former open cast mine. And, at Dirleton Castle in East Lothian the product helps the world's longest herbaceous border thrive. The Deerdykes facility has come a long way since it was opened by celebrity gardener Charlie Dimmock in October 2006. On average 1300 tonnes of green waste is recycled at the former wastewater treatment works every week. And, Pod is also helping businesses reach their green targets. Last year 24 tonnes of bananas were recycled at the plant, alongside potatoes and the waste barley from the whisky manufacturing industry. This year Deerdykes recycled around 4 tonnes of discarded Christmas Trees, with plans to extend that even further next year, having signed a deal with Europe's leading DIY chain.  |
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