Visits to the Hanson Environmental Study Centre and the Materials Recycling Facility
TMAEG Visit to Hanson Environmental Study Centre
One of the advantages of TMAEG having links with The Conservation Volunteers is that we get to meet and work with other like-minded groups around Milton Keynes. The Friends of Hanson Environmental Study Centre (MK) is a group of volunteers (permit holders) who wish to protect the wildlife and environment of the nature reserve at Great Linford. They carry out regular practical conservation tasks, and enjoy bird and wildlife watching, photography and nature in the unique environment that the centre provides.
Via our Green Gym contacts with the chairman of the FoHESC, Tony Bedford, we were able to arrange for a small group to visit the centre (which is not generally open to the public) on 13 April for a guided visit. After and introductory briefing over coffee in the centre building, Tony led us around the extensive site, including the opportunity to use the various “hides” in order to view the wildlife.
The two hour tour passed very quickly with so much to see. We have been promised (“as you behaved yourselves”) that a second visit will be possible later in the year. I suspect that the demand for places will be very sought after.
Dave
Visit to the Materials Recycling Facility 6 March 2013
The group of 12 TMAEG members who gathered at the Recycling Facility at Old Wolverton on the evening of 6 March were directed to an upstairs lecture room where, with other visitors, we met Sarah Spicer, the Educational Officer of the MRF, who gave us an introductory presentation.
We learned that Milton Keynes is in the top league of Local Authorities when it comes to recovering recyclable materials from our waste. At present 56% of what households, businesses, schools etc. leave out for collection is in the pink sacks. However, the aim is 95% by 2016. By then, the planned AmeyCespa waste facilty, which will stand adjacent to the MRF, will be capable of extracting recyclable materials from remaining black sack waste, converting organic material to compost and utilising the methane produced as a fuel to create electricity.
We also learned that glass put out for collection (in blue boxes) must only consist of food jars and bottles – NO tableware, window glass or lightbulbs should be recycled, as, when processed, those glass types do not melt at the same temperature and the whole batch is considered ‘contaminated’. Wrap that glass safely and deposit in your black sack, or take large quantities to the Winterhill or New Bradwell Recycling Centre. Glass, incidentally, is stored and handled separately from the pink sack contents, which are separated mechanically and electronically, with a little sharp-eyed human intervention.
After the talk and a short film showing the conveyor- belt operations of the facility, we were equipped with ear muffs – to protect us from the noise generated by the machinery – and led to the viewing gallery that runs above the sorting floor. We saw the piles of materials released from the pink sacks and the rapid journey of each item as it was removed from the process to be deposited in its own hopper. As a hopper filled, the contents were compressed into a bale for transportation to the site where they would be recycled. Every day 300 bales are dispatched, 400 around Christmas. The whole cycle from floor to bale takes only minutes! Below are a couple of responses to the visit. Enjoy them and – if your curiosity is piqued – contact the MRF for its monthly open evening, or join us next year when we hope to repeat the visit.
Pavla Gossop
So there we were in Wolverton, re-cycling was the theme An evening with our rubbish, zero landfill is the dream Machinery can separate, conveyors going round The future’s looking bright, as new technology’s been found 55% recycled, Milton Keyens is at the top But we can do more to assist, our standards must not drop Our thanks to Jill and Sarah for their interesting talk Once we were full of info it was time for us to walk So go on to their website, even better book a tour Then you will get what we got, the incentive to do more !! Sorted (Kevin R)
“. . Thanks for sending the photo showing TMAEG members attending the recycling area. We all look happy. The leaflets we collected there were interesting, important and very useful too. I have placed them on our notice board for future reference. I am very pleased that I went to the meeting and learned more information. Richard thought it was interesting too.”
Rosina