£800m North Wales Residual Waste Treatment talks start

The plan is to process 150,000 tonnes of non recyclable waste a year

Public consultation is starting over plans to process non-recyclable waste in north Wales, possibly building an incineration plant.

Two sites in Deeside and Anglesey have been earmarked in the £800m project.

Officials say nothing has been finalised and all ideas are being considered.

They are holding talks with residents across the region, starting at Holyhead on Friday.

North Wales' five main councils have joined forces and invited firms to draw up plans for processing plants like incinerators to deal with waste currently put into landfill.

They expect it will process more than 150,000 tonnes of waste a year in a project costing an estimated £800m over 25 years.

Flintshire council is taking the lead among the group made up of authorities covering Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, and Denbighshire.

The partnership is called the North Wales Residual Waste Treatment Project (NWRWTP).

'People against'

Councillor Eryl Williams, chair of the NWRWTP's joint committee, said the Welsh Government has set target of recycling 70% of household waste by 2025, and using landfill was no longer an option.

He told BBC Radio Wales "there are bound to be people against" plans put forward.

"People don't want things on their doorstep," he said.

"You can't please everybody all of the time."

He said: "We are keen to hear as many people's views as possible, so I would urge any residents who want to know more about the project or want to ask questions about the project to come along to one of the sessions."

Last year, the project team announced Deeside Industrial Estate could potentially be used as a site to locate an energy from waste incinerator.

That has prompted concerned among local councillors Bernie Attridge and Aaron Shotton and residents amid health concerns.

But NWRWTP says nothing has been agreed.

They say the Deeside processing method and location was only used to demonstrate a "business case" to secure funds from Welsh Government.

It has agreed to put in £142m over the life of the project.

In May, the NWRWTP revealed it has been in talks with Anglesey Aluminium Ltd about securing an option to purchase land on the former aluminium works near Holyhead for a site.

The former aluminium works near Holyhead has been earmarked as a potential site

Now, a series of local public consultation meetings are being held across north Wales in August and September.

The next step in the process is for several bidders to submit their detailed solutions before November.

This could include other suggested sites as neither the Deeside or Anglesey sites are set in stone.

The bids will be shortlisted until a preferred bidder emerges with the winner expected to be appointed in late 2012.

A planning application will then be submitted to the relevant authorities.

But work on the plant is not expected to start before 2016.

People can find out more online and take part in the consultation via the NWRWTP website.