Government is expanding the Tynes Bay waste treatment plant to include a new ash processing facility.

The new plant will remove non-ferrous metals, wood and plastics from incinerated garbage before the ash is mixed into cement blocks, thus making the end result more environmentally-friendly.

The Ministry of Works and Engineering has applied for Planning permission to excavate the hillside north of the Tynes Bay Ash Plant to make way for the processing plant.

This involves the removal of an area of 2,410 metres square, which includes a row of Casurina trees, but Government says the remaining hillside will be replanted.

Dr. Derrick Binns, Permanent Secretary of Works and Engineering, said: "The majority — 95 percent — of the hillside we plan to excavate for the new ash processing plant is not forested, rather it is grassed.

"The woodland area is situated directly along the North Shore Road and we intend to retain this area.

"Our intent is to leave a minimum buffer zone of up to 40 feet from the main road. Since we will be removing a row of large Casurina trees as part of the excavation plan, we intend to replant additional native vegetation in the buffer zone along this area."

The waste treatment facility at Tynes Bay currently incinerates up to 70,000 tonnes of garbage each year in two incinerators.

The ash is mixed with concrete to form two-ton cement blocks, which are used for shoreline protection at the Airport Waste Management Facility.

Dr. Binns told The Royal Gazette: "Once the ash is encapsulated in concrete, it is pretty much environmentally safe. But the new ash processing plant will be designed to remove additional by-products from the ash prior to mixing with concrete. This includes non-ferrous metals, wood, plastics, etc.

"Currently, we only remove 'ferrous metals' from the ash, which is very good; however, it is our intent to produce an even more environmentally-friendly product by removing non-ferrous metals also.

"We hope to have the new ash processing plant in operation by April 2009."

The Planning application also reveals that Government is exploring the possibility of a third incinerator.

In an accompanying letter, Dr. Binns writes: "In order to accommodate the growing needs of the Island with regard to waste disposal, the Ministry is currently undertaking a project to expand the Tynes Bay Waste Treatment Facility with a third waste disposal stream."

Dr. Binns said yesterday: "A future third stream will provide the capacity required to address Bermuda's waste incineration needs into the future.

"It is too soon to report on the future expansion, except to say that it requires a feasibility study, followed by design, procurement, then construction."

He added: "While we have noticed a levelling-off of waste coming into Tynes Bay over the past few years, (i.e. the amount of annual waste has been constant), we are projecting a growth rate of two percent per annum for the future."