16 million tonnes of municipal waste are landfilled every year in the UK. The EU Landfill Directive requires member states to dramatically reduce the amount of waste that is landfilled or face heavy fines. The UK government is committed to reducing landfill and increasing recycling, evidenced by the continuing increases in Landfill Tax. Landfill Tax has increased from £12 per tonne in 2003 to £40 per tonne in 2009 and will reach £72 per tonne in 2013. Further, the UK government’s introduction of the Landfill Allowance Scheme on 1st April 2005 has placed even greater financial pressure on councils to secure waste treatment technology services. For every tonne of organic waste (around 60% of the waste stream) that each council sends to landfill in excess of its annual (decreasing) landfill allowance, it must pay an additional penalty of £150 per tonne (£200 per tonne in Wales), in addition to the cost of landfill void space and the cost of Landfill Tax.

The Solution

The sterecycle® system is capable of recycling and recovering up to 80% of domestic waste with a sterile and environmentally-friendly process. The system is cleaner, safer, more cost effective and more efficient than other technologies.

• No incineration
• No smell or eyesore – the system is enclosed in a warehouse type building
• Recycling is dramatically increased, diverting 70-80% of black-bag
waste from landfill
• Plastics recycled : 1 tonne of plastics recycled means 1.5 tonnes of
carbon saved
• Aluminium recycled : aluminum cans produced from recycled
aluminum instead of raw materials use 95% less energy
• Flexible and robust system – residual domestic and commercial
wastes are inputted directly into the process without pre-sorting
• Valuable recyclables are recovered for reuse (metals, plastics, wood,
aggregates, glass), plus a high biomass organic fibre (sterefibre®)
• Sterilising process - removes health hazards associated with
landfill and standard Mechanical Recycling Facilities
• Resource efficient - Sterecycle's patented autoclaving system is
energy and water efficient – it has a beneficial carbon footprint and
allows significant process control.
• Cost Effective - able to offer attractive gate fees