Hazardous waste incinerator could open next year

The hazardous waste incinerator will generate electricity

The company behind a hazardous waste incinerator plant which attracted thousands of objections says it hopes to be in operation in the first quarter of 2026.

The structure on Heighington Lane in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, has already been built by Fornax North East but requires additional building work and an environmental permit from the Environment Agency (EA).

The firm said the plant will use "the best available techniques to safely dispose of waste".

Durham County Council approved planning permission for the incinerator on 5 December 2022 following an appeal, but more than 2,000 residents living nearby have submitted objections to an EA consultation over the permit.

About 70% of the waste treated in the plant will be clinical waste from across the North East and North Yorkshire. The remaining 30% will be classed as hazardous waste.

Fornax said clinical waste will include used needles and blades, scrubs and surgical materials from clinical theatres.

Hazardous waste will comprise waste medicines, pharmaceutical waste, packaging, along with some plastics from discarded electricals, as well as paints and DIY chemicals, cleaning products from industrial settings and agricultural chemicals.

Ian Jones said his company aimed to set a "gold standard" for safety and sustainability

Ian Jones, CEO of Fornax, said: "This part of the sector has seen years of underinvestment in the UK and high temperature thermal treatment plants, such as this, are desperately required.

"Fornax will be using state-of-the art technology, aiming to set a new gold standard in how the UK manages this waste safely and sustainably."

He said that the company is committed to "delivering cleaner, greener and safer solutions for high temperature thermal treatment".

Hannah-Lucy Jackson, who lives in Heighington, previously said she did not want her community to become the next waste "horror story".

Fornax said all waste will be brought on to the site in sealed airtight containers and emissions from the plant will be closely monitored.

The EA is expected to announce a draft decision on the permit in the winter and then another public consultation will be held on that decision.

A spokesperson said: "We are now making our technical assessment, taking all the evidence and issues raised during the public consultation into account."