Climate Change

The Portland ERF is an energy recovery technology and is nationally recognised as low carbon generation. It is fully aligned with Dorset’s declaration of a Climate Emergency.

840,000 tonnes of household and commercial/industrial waste is generated within Dorset each year. This is forecast to grow by 20% to over 1,000,000 tonnes in 2033.

Post recycling the residual waste can only be disposed of in two ways:- landfill or energy recovery through incineration.

Dorset Council, by not managing its own waste in Dorset, is effectively exporting its waste responsibilities to other parts of the UK or Europe where it is either landfilled or incinerated.

The Portland ERF (excluding district heating) would reduce Dorset’s effective CO2 equivalent emissions by around 27,000 tonnes per annum.

The technical analysis, reviewed by Dorset Council’s independent technical adviser (Tetra Tech), has shown that in all scenarios the use of the Portland ERF to manage Dorset’s post-recycling waste results in a lower carbon impact than any other option available to Dorset Council.

The analysis has also shown that the carbon impact of the Portland ERF is significantly lower than the current practice of exporting waste to other areas which, directly or indirectly, increases the volume of waste that is landfilled or incinerated elsewhere in the UK.

Read Powerfuel Portland's ERF Proposal Summary document here.