Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the maximum tonnage of waste is that the Viridor Energy is entitled to burn at its waste facility in Runcorn under its permit; and what the tonnage of waste is that is currently being burnt at that site.

The maximum throughput of waste specified in the permit for Viridor’s Runcorn Energy from Waste site is 850,000 tonnes per year. This was based on the predicted number and length of plant stoppages for inspection, maintenance and repair. In 2017 this routine shut down was shorter than expected, and the Environment Agency authorised a temporary increase of throughput on a trial basis. The total throughput of waste for 2017 was 890,933 tonnes. This increase will not have led to an unacceptable impact on the environment.

Viridor will need to apply for a permit variation in order to permanently increase its annual throughput of waste. Any such permit variation is likely to be subject to public consultation.

There has been no change in fuel composition from that specified in the permit in 2009.