Waste

Our coal-fired power stations produce ash and gypsum as by-products during combustion. We’re currently investing in an ash processing plant, which would allow us to produce pulverised fly ash – a material that can be sold for use in the manufacture of cement, and also provides a low-calorific coal substitute for re-burning in our own power stations. We are also investigating the feasibility of a second ash processing plant.

At present, both of our coal-fired power stations produce nearly 700 ktonnes of ash a year. Introducing this new technology could reduce the ash sent to landfill by 50% by 2012.

Our Networks branch excavate several 100,000 tons of materials from the ground a year. Surprisingly perhaps, legal standards governing street works mean that most of this ‘spoil’ is sent to landfill. We are determined to reduce this impact.

Since January 2006, our Networks branch has been working with Surrey University to investigate ways of reducing or re-using waste material from excavations. We are working with our contractors in the South to ensure more material is re-used during projects and we’re working with recycling companies and local authorities to trial the various recycling options.

Progress against our recycling targets is monitored monthly. In 2006, 18% of the excavated material was recycled or reused. In 2007, we increased this figure to 54% - cutting the emissions from our vehicles in the process.

EDF Energy launched a number of recycling initiatives in 2007 and is currently involved in Project Rake – a move to standardise the way we recycle materials right across the business. The project aims to simplify the process by introducing mixed recycling bins and using Materials Recycling Facilities to avoid the ‘contamination’ of collection vessels that often results in waste materials being sent to landfill.