Plans for a £17 million waste facility in Orkney have taken a step forward after winning support from councillors.
The islands council’s asset management sub committee agreed that the former abattoir at Hatston Industrial Estate in Kirkwall should be designated as the preferred site for the proposed integrated waste facility.
The plans incorporate the household waste recycling centre nearby.
In January, it was was agreed that the demolition of the current buildings should be progressed ahead of the council leasing the site.
Concern waste facility could be a ‘bad neighbour’
However, it has not been able to move forward with the plans due to the pandemic.
A report to the committee said a site selection exercise for the waste facility viewed 23 locations.
Provision for onward shipping of residual waste to Shetland was particularly important for the new site and the former abattoir was chosen as the best fit.
However, sub committee chairman Leslie Manson repeated his concerns that the waste facility could prove to be a “bad neighbour” in terms of the effect on air quality and smell.
He said he was “slightly surprised and slightly disappointed” to see appropriateness with surrounding buildings was not given more importance in the council report.
The abattoir site scored highest in the selection exercise which was based on 13 criteria.
The council also looked at other sites around the Orkney mainland.
Mr Manson also said he was surprised that the former abattoir site has “just edged” being selected as the preferred location and it has been “quite a narrow victory for it.”
The council has been seeking to address concerns over the current waste management arrangements and to meet more stringent recycling targets.
Less rubbish will be shipped to Shetland
The Scottish Government proposes long term targets of recycling 70% of all Scotland’s waste, and only 5% of remaining waste ending up in landfill by 2025.
The latest figures show that Orkney’s current recycling rate is 18.8% compared with a Scottish average of 44.9%.
The new waste management facility will also mean less rubbish will be shipped from Orkney to Shetland for burning in an incinerator.
More than 8,000 tonnes of waste a year has been taken from Orkney for more than 20 years, at a cost of £190 per tonne.
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