Obviously we are in no position to speak for either Cumbria County Council or Dumfries and Galloway Council, but as you said this solution is designed to back up the Council's kerbside recycling programme. In terms of recycling the plants will recover the fraction that isn't recycled at kerbside, but primarily the resource parks will divert waste away from landfill.
If you could email shankscumbria@shanks.co.uk I would be more than happy to pass on your concerns to the Council and to answer your questions/concerns in more detail.

Thanks for the info - I thought the stuff was burnt on site. Call me cynical but I can see the council in a few years scrapping kerb side segregation which produces well sorted materials for recycling. I've looked at the shanks site which explains exactly what happens and it does get dispose of material that would otherwise go to land fill - but it cant recover stuff to anywhere near the same quality as 'pre bin sorting.' Dumfries & galloway council already use this system - and are stopping kerbside collecting paper for recyling in 2010 - after that it will be burnt.

To address both of the above comments.

1. The facilities planned for Cumbria are NOT incinerators, waste is dried and then mechanically sorted removing metal and aggregate which will then be recycled. The main output is a fuel (SRF) that can replace fossil fuels at existing facilities in electrical generation and a range of industrial processes including cement manufacture. Waste will NOT be burnt on site. The technology is proven to work, Shanks operate three such facilities in the UK and sites have been in operation in Europe for the past decade.

2. The best way of recycling is still source segregation, householder recycling at the kerbside, HWRCs or bring banks. This solution is designed to bolster the Council's existing recycling schemes, but the primary aim is to divert waste away from going to landfill.

3. Shanks are experienced in securing markets for recyclate and are developing links with companies in Cumbria but have a widespread national coverage.

If you would like any more detailed information then please contact us at shankscumbria@shanks.co.uk or alternatively please consult our website www.shanks.co.uk/shankscumbria

Funny how a few years ago people were up in arms at the thought of incinerators being built, now the council packages them as 'recycling centers' because some waste is recyled while the rest is burnt, ok some electricity is produced. Are these systems good for recycling or just the cheapest way of dealing with waste? I personally cant see how these plants can seperate yesterdays newspaper from last nights curry!

2012. In the meantime... China is refusing to accept anymore recycling materials (FTWeekend Newspaper) due to low recessionary prices and councils are having difficulty with planning consents so what happens in between - Expensive rates and landfills? Quick in wartime measures but deadslow bottoms in peacetime.........