Enviroparks - a major £170m energy from waste facility at Hirwaun on the Heads of the South Wales Valleys has applied to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) for an environmental permit for its Phase 1 operations to ensure it meets the required environmental criteria - a significant step forward in getting the plant up and running.

Enviroparks has partnered with major waste management specialists Biffa to manage the site and help deliver the pioneering project of 240,000 tonne annual capacity that will create energy and jobs in this 20 acre corner of Wales.

Enviroparks already has planning consents with both Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council and Brecon Beacons that cover a materials recovery and fuel preparation plant, pyrolysis and gasification, anaerobic digestion and a Biomax separator for the production of biofuels.

The site is to be developed in two phases:

Phase 1 will be the construction of a materials recycling and fuel preparation facility and associated site infrastructure. Enviroparks has applied to Natural Resources Wales for this phase only at present. Phase 2 will see the development of a gasification plant to produce electricity from the fuels produced on site by Phase 1. The Phase 2 development will be subject to a completely separate permit application. NRW will now make an initial assessment of the application and consult with appropriate public bodies, and invite views from the general public before making an in-depth assessment and reaching a decision. Enviroparks director David Williams said: “The permit application has been made and we will now comply with Natural Resources Wales on whatever they need to help their assessments, while also communicating with local councillors and community councils, and through our website to ensure transparency with local communities throughout the whole process.”

Once the plant is operational, non-hazardous domestic and commercial (shops, small businesses etc.) waste will come on site before dangerous items, such as gas bottles, are removed. The waste is then shredded and sorted according to size, and metals and plastics are removed. What remains is Refuse Derived Fuel, which will be wrapped in plastic and sealed before being exported to be used to generate electricity. The Enviroparks development will provide significant economic benefits for the South Wales Valleys, creating a number of jobs while the site is being developed, and a similar number of full time jobs on completion. Inward investment into the region is expected to reach as much as £170m.