Largest investment in public recycling facilities opening in north London
Over £150 million has been invested in north London to secure new recycling facilities for local authorities. Seven boroughs have backed the redevelopment of Edmonton EcoPark into a modern, sustainable waste hub that includes a new resource recovery facility for managing local authority waste, including food and garden waste, mattresses, and bulky items.
The capacity of the new facility provides provision for north London to double its food waste collection ability, ahead of the planned compulsory food waste service for all residents across England by 2026.
Cllr Clyde Loakes, Chair of North London Waste Authority who is redeveloping the site, has said: “The site has been a dedicated waste management spot for over 50 years and now for the first time ever will allow our residents to bring their waste directly to be recycled. This marks a key achievement in the development of the EcoPark into a sustainable waste hub and to continue to provide vital services to north Londoners.’
“NLWA is constantly innovating, as recognised by our recent MJ award for innovation, and this development continues to build on the success of other new services we have added; like our mattress, carpet and DIY waste recycling schemes.”
The flagship facilities at Edmonton EcoPark were constructed by Taylor Woodrow as part of the North London Heat and Power Project. The building took 4 years to complete and began operating on a trial basis in April 2024. The phased ramp-up of local boroughs delivering waste was successful and the second building on the site, a brand-new reuse and recycling centre, is now planned to open to the public on 15th July.
Residents of local boroughs, including Enfield, Haringey and Waltham Forest, are invited to bring materials to recycle from 15 July 2024. Spaces are open now to make a booking at www.nlwa.gov.uk/EcoPark-RRC
Over 22,000 tonnes of materials have already been recycled through the new facilities by LondonEnergy and 3,000 mattresses were saved from going to incineration. The facility also includes north London’s largest solar array which has generated 215,000 KWh of energy and is set to take EcoPark House off-grid; a community centre on the River Lee Navigation.
EcoPark House will be the final building to complete the developments at the south of the site and is expected to open to the public later this year. It will serve the Edmonton SeaCadets, longstanding residents of the site for river activities, and enables greater education and community engagement at the EcoPark to teach about waste issues and circular economy principles.
The front of the EcoPark now features a district heat network energy centre built by Energetik, an Enfield Council Company, which has been designed to take heat from the new Energy Recovery Facility when it is commissioned. Construction continues for the new waste to energy plant with concrete structures now clearly visible on the site.
