Sizewell C’s waste management must consider the impact on Suffolk villages

By Mathew Stewart

Late last year, the Sizewell C nuclear power plant was given the greenlight by the UK government, along with the announcement of a £679m stake in the facility.

This was great news following a period of uncertainty as to whether or not the plant would go ahead after a significant investor pulled out and talks between the government and energy firm EDF hit a deadlock.

Sizewell C presents a lot of opportunities not only for the nation, but also for the Suffolk area where SunSkips operates, with a wealth of jobs and contracts available for local suppliers.

But along with all the benefits Sizewell C brings to the region, there also comes plenty of challenges, not least of all the waste management for such an enormous project.

At SunSkips, we believe waste management of this type and scale requires specialised, local solutions that consider the impact on Suffolk’s communities and environment. And to achieve this, there’s only one strategy that we think makes sense…

What challenges does Sizewell C face for its waste management?

Sizewell is located on Suffolk Coast & Heaths, which is designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), between Aldeburgh and Southwold. The closest village is Leiston, which has a population of around 5,500 people.

The construction of Sizewell C will generate high levels of waste that will require a smart strategy to manage without making a negative impact on the surrounding area.

There are expected to be up to 8,000 workers at the plant during the peak of its construction, which means a lot of food waste and general recycling, as well as the obvious construction waste.

And with it comes fears of restricted vehicle access and local environmental concerns that have already been strongly expressed by campaigners, who argue there was a “failure to assess the environmental impact of that project” before it was approved.

In 2020, even Suffolk County Council didn’t recommend EDF’s plant due to lack of information about its impact on local communities, water procurement and local nature reserves.

SunSkips shares these concerns about Sizewell C’s impact on the local area and we believe creative solutions are in order to achieve a steady, cost-effective outflow of waste.

A local firm that specialises in sustainable waste management could reduce waste onsite using innovative methods for segregating, consolidating and compacting to make transportation and disposal cheaper, greener and less problematic.

A sustainable solution that considers the local community

SunSkips proposes a temporary facility onsite at Sizewell C, managing processes directly with tier one contractors to make sure all the plant’s waste is properly separated at source.

By training staff to put waste in the correct bins, the screening machinery that we typically use to sort mixed waste won’t be necessary, saving significant energy and labour.

Waste can be shredded, compacted and stored in large onsite ro-ro containers, massively reducing the number of trips required to clear it.

This is the most efficient solution for managing such a high volume of waste while keeping the surrounding villages’ roads clear and local pollution down.

Why vehicle movement at Sizewell C matters

One of the biggest concerns for locals is the amount of vehicles and emissions Sizewell C will bring to road infrastructures that run through the villages surrounding the plant.

Standard waste management methods involve the coming and going of lorries on a daily basis, which not only brings an unwanted level of traffic to residents but also contributes to local air pollution.

To cut down on the amount of lorry traffic coming in and out, waste can be transported via sea or rail to go directly to waste transfer sites ready to be processed and reintroduced into the circular economy.

OPINION: Government won’t help build our circular economy – it’s up to us!

Solving problems for Suffolk’s future

Suffolk communities are understandably concerned about what Sizewell C means for their standard of living and it’s well worth working to address their concerns so we can get to work on reaping the rewards for both the good of the country and local area.

Cheap, low-carbon, and reliable energy sources are vital for England’s future and Sizewell C offers a valid solution. A double-reactor nuclear plant should calm the nerves of citizens concerned about spiralling energy costs and the reliance on foreign oil to fuel their homes.

Sizewell C presents an opportunity for a well-needed boost for the Suffolk area during a period of widespread economic hardship. Young people looking to enter the workforce for the first time need to start seeing safe paths for personal economic growth coming to their towns.

And while the development will eventually run its course, a growing waste management firm like SunSkips could keep local workers employed long after construction is complete.

What SunSkips can do for Sizewell C and the local community

SunSkips currently operates four recycling sites in East Anglia (Stowmarket, Cambridge, Ipswich and Haverhill), processing more than 60,000 tonnes of the region’s waste.

Recycling is a big part of what SunSkips does, from the basic sorting of waste collected from domestic skip hire to large-scale management for commercial clients.

The company is always on the cutting edge of sustainable waste management and actively advocates to protect our countryside from fly-tipping and reduce carbon emissions.

MORE: Why you should care about SunSkips’ commitment to sustainable waste management

The SunSkips team is passionate about diverting waste from landfill, so as soon as the new site in Cambridge was opened, staff were quick to start sorting waste that could be turned into SRF (solid recovered fuel), meaning even more of the waste passing through the site was being put to good use.

With this expertise in sorting and compacting waste, SunSkips can ensure that very little of the waste generated at Sizewell C would end up in landfill:

• Inert soil and rubble can be recycled back into construction onsite or sent off for other projects.
• Cardboard can be pulped and used in manufacturing.
• Wood chips are easily repurposed for animal bedding or fuel for EfW.
• Soft plastics can also be processed to be used at EfW plants.

But it’s not only expertise in managing construction waste that’s required at Sizewell C, there’s also a lot of food waste that needs to be diverted from landfill.

Not just any skip hire company

SunSkips is first and foremost a skip and commercial waste management business, I also dedicated a significant part of my career to developing innovative approaches to recycling food waste.

With so many workers onsite at Sizewell C, the volume of food waste is going to be exceptionally high, but I believe it can all be recycled.

With proper management and storage onsite, food waste generated at Sizewell C can be processed onsite to produce fertiliser for local agriculture and even fuel for the power station itself.

OPINION: Food waste is valuable and we should’ve been recycling it years ago

The unfortunate alternative is for all the food waste to be sent to landfill, where it will rot and emit harmful gas into the atmosphere.

But with the right knowledge of its value, the environmental impact of food waste coming out of Sizewell C can be massively reduced, further aiding Suffolk’s efforts to hit net zero by 2030.

The waste management company that prioritises people

SunSkips can offer something that other waste management providers don’t, because we’re happy to put in the extra work to give local people what they want.

We’re prepared to strategise transport routes that consider the local impact and look at better alternatives to bulk standard waste removal.

MORE: People come first: How SunSkips’ personal touch grew the business

SunSkips has big plans for national expansion, but the company is committed to being part of the communities we serve – both in terms of environmental protection and the livelihoods of its residents.

MORE: LOOKBACK: SunSkips’ East Anglia community impact in 2022

I believe SunSkips is the best choice to manage the waste at Sizewell C and that it’s in both the interest of Suffolk’s communities and its environment to choose a local, sustainable supplier.

SunSkips is a growing waste management business with four sites in East Anglia. Get in touch to discuss how we can help strategize your large-scale waste management projects.