Jones Bros engineers complete major environmental project15th Dec 2015

Leading civil engineering firm Jones Bros has completed a major project to design and build a waste transfer station (WTS) in Buckinghamshire.

The new High Heavens WTS at High Wycombe will manage the county’s household waste as well as that from the household waste-recycling centre.

It will then be bulked for transportation to nearby Greatmoor EfW (Energy from Waste) facility where it will produce enough energy to power the equivalent of 36,000 homes – as well as delivering significant economic and environmental benefits.

It comes after Jones Bros constructed a four and a half kilometre access road for transportation of the waste in larger vehicles to Greatmoor.

Waste transfer stations are needed to reduce the distance it is transported around the country, reducing the environmental impact of managing it and the costs of transporting it.

Jones Bros engineers began constructing the 50m x 40m steel framed building in October 2014 on a former landfill site, presenting a challenge for the designers.

Geraint Thomas, Southern England regional manager for Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK, said: “In conjunction with our designers, we were tasked with coming up with a viable foundation solution that would be fit for purpose and satisfy the requirement set out by the Environment Agency.

“The team opted for piling, which works by inserting large amounts of wood, steel or concrete into the soil of the ground. The deep insertion of these elements ensures a sturdier base for the construction project to take place and it all went to plan.”

The work, carried out by Jones Bros on behalf of client FCC Environment, forms part of FCC’s 30-year waste treatment contract with Buckinghamshire County Council (BCC). The waste transfer station will employ seven full-time, permanent operatives.

Steve Brown, operations director for FCC Environment’s Green Energy+ division, said: “The completion of the High Heavens WTS is a significant step in our journey with BCC to reduce the county’s dependence on unsustainable and expensive landfill disposal.”

Bulking waste at High Heavens WTS will allow greater volumes to be moved using fewer vehicles, further improving environmental performance and reducing the overall volume of waste traffic movements.

All waste loading and unloading operations at High Heavens WTS will take place inside the building – no noise impact is expected and the station has been designed to prevent dust and odours escaping.