LAWR

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT APRIL 2014 MAPPING THE MRF Materials recovery facilities (MRF) are increasingly important in provid- ing quality raw materials to industry. In most cases, MRFs are designed to separate commingled recyclables into their individual material streams and prepare them for sale in the commod- ity markets. MRFs have never been so closely scrutinised nor challenged as in recent years. The Government recently laid the final version of the regulations for the materials recycling facility Code of Practice to mixed reactions from the industry. The regulations, which come into force this autumn, will require all per- mitted MRFs processing more than 1,000 tonnes of dry recyclate per annum to measure and report the quality of the input, output and residual waste streams every three months. The Code has been incorporated into the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations, under amendments which came into force last month. However, the sampling and report- ing requirements will only apply from October 2014 to allow MRF operators sufficient time to adjust their operations and comply with the new requirements. In light of the increasing focus on MRFs, this special LAWR feature will aim to 'map the MRF'. LAWR will be looking at the whole supply chain of the MRF including focusing on the start of the MRF process, the middle of the MRF process and the end of the process. LAWR will be analysing issues such as the challenges of MRFs receiving high-quality inputs, a special look at how Viridor's Ford MRF in West Sussex produces quality feedstocks, and a focus on outputs, such as refuse derived fuels (RDF). Essentially, MRFs need to produce high –quality outputs to be sustain- able. And there is a growing awareness among recyclers in the UK that pro- ducing quality recovered materials will give their businesses the best chance of securing competitive prices for their recyclate. If MRF outputs are of a high quality, householders can be confident that the materials they send for recycling are being processed effectively. Similarly, if MRFs can rely on the quality of mate- rial being delivered to them, they will be able to consistently produce high- quality outputs, which will attract the best prices. And the reprocessors they sell to will be able to select from a greater range of high-grade recyclate at competitive prices. But where does the process start? I have learnt from the interesting people I have spoken to that improving the quality of materials going into MRFs is of particular importance because this is intrinsically linked to the quality of outputs. South Oxfordshire and Vale District Councils and Ashford Borough Council, for example, will explain in the feature how they achieved high recycling rates through closer collabora- tion and communication throughout the supply chain. Industry efforts to raise the quality of MRF outputs have already extended across a number of sectors. Let's hope they continue. LOCAL AUTHORITY WASTE & RECYCLING LAWR

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