Cawleys is delighted to announce that it has signed a long-term supply deal with Covanta’s Rookery South Energy from Waste (EfW) plant based in Bedfordshire. This new deal will mean the Luton based recycling firm can now use a facility here in the UK to turn its residual waste into energy.

Residual waste is the waste that is left over once all the recycling has been recovered. Traditionally this would have been sent to landfill, however Cawleys have been using EfW facilities in mainland Europe to transform this into energy and divert it away from landfill for some time. Until now, these facilities have been limited in the UK but the opening of this new Energy from Waste plant in Bedfordshire, the same county as Cawleys’ head office, will mean that residue waste will be put to good use much closer to home.

This deal will significantly reduce Cawleys’ overall waste journey by cutting the road and sea miles previously travelled to deliver RDF to Europe and will allow Cawleys to progress further on the road to net zero, a key focus for the organisation.

The facility operated by Covanta treats waste that would otherwise be landfilled, to generate over 60 megawatts of baseload electrical energy – enough to power the equivalent of over 112,500 homes. Cawleys will be supplying non-recyclable residual waste to the plant.

Commenting on the deal, Nigel Ingram, Operations Director said: Cawleys have always been dedicated to finding the most sustainable solutions for its residual waste. Previously, sending this residual waste to Europe was the best option, however now that we have this fantastic facility on our doorstep, it is an opportunity too good to miss.

We will always recycle as much waste as possible but where that can’t happen it’s great to be able to ensure any residual is put to good use. This year will be Cawleys’ 75th anniversary and a deal like this where our carbon footprint is considerably reduced is a great way to celebrate!”