A project to link the electricity networks of Wales and the Republic of Ireland is aiming to benefit the environment - by recycling the roads it excavates to lay a new cable.
The road recycling initiative means that much less material is taken to landfill sites, and instead can be recycled by special equipment to be used again on road reinstatement.
Work on the East West Interconnector is using innovative equipment for the first time in the UK to enable over half of the excavated road waste material to be recycled. Since work began on the project in north Wales last November, road waste recycling rates have increased to 62%.
The construction of the interconnector, which is being developed by EirGrid – the independent electricity transmission system operator in the Republic of Ireland - involves the laying of undersea and underground cables to enable the flow of electricity in both directions between the two countries. Engineering firm ABB is the contractor for the project and is responsible for the design, manufacture and installation of the interconnector.
Plastic ducting required to house the underground cables is currently being laid by ABB’s appointed subcontractor, Welch Civils, along the road linking Prestatyn and Shotton.
Waste generated from road trench excavation is often sent to environmentally damaging landfill sites. Welch Civils however has opened a recycling treatment station for the waste at Flintshire County Councils Recycling, Composting and Soil treatment Centre in Greenfield, near to where the work is being carried out.
Once at the treatment station, bitumen road surface is firstly separated from the road waste. The remaining waste is then processed through a grader before passing through a purpose built mixer where a stabiliser is added, making the finished product suitable for re-use in reinstating the trenches.
Alan McHugh, EirGrid’s East West Interconnector project manager said: “We’re delighted with the levels of recycling being achieved on our project in north Wales. Recycling in this way makes sense on many levels and brings with it a number of benefits including a reduction in waste sent to harmful landfill sites, reductions in emissions from haulage and movement and a reduction in waste disposal costs.”
We are starting to recycle bituminous materials which will take us up to 68% of all materials recycled.
This is the first project within the UK that is using a purposely built mixing machine to produce hydraulically bound material to comply with the New Roads and Streetworks Act.
Keith Williams from Flintshire County Council’s Environment Directorate said: “Such innovation and forward thinking is reducing the risk on the environment and does not compromise the quality of the reinstatement work. This is setting a precedent in the development of recycling techniques in the construction industry.”
Welch Civils and Flintshire County Council are also working together to develop ways of further increasing recycling rates from the road waste by developing, amongst other things, a fine fill material to surround utility apparatus.
Work laying the ducting is likely to be completed in December 2010. Cable pulling and joint bays will continue to be carried out on the highways up to mid 2011 with the Interconnector scheduled to be operational by 2012.
When completed, it will have a capacity to carry 500MW and will be able to transport power in bulk and high quality in both directions between Ireland and Wales. This will provide benefits to electricity consumers on both sides of the Irish Sea as it will have the potential to create access to a new market for energy generated in Wales, supporting the energy sector in adapting to meet the challenges posed by climate change and fuel security.
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