McLanahan hold successful open day at SunEnviro.

McLanahan Corporation recently held an Open Day at SunEnviro in Thetford, Norfolk which was attended by a large number of industry figures who were treated to an exclusive tour of the McLanahan Aggregate Processing Operation to learn about how SunEnviro are able to process C&D and Construction waste for reuse while limiting waste sent to landfill. The SunEnviro partnership with McClanahan created a C&D Waste Processing System which included an UltraSCRUB Modular Scrubbing Plant, UltraSAND Plant, 10m EcoCycle High-Rate Thickener and an Overhead Beam Filter Press.

Changes to UK Landfill Tax:

The significance of this open event was to illustrate the wide machine portfolio that McLanahan has to provide a processing system that gives a maximum return on materials whilst limiting waste to landfill. Trommel fines are at the top of the agenda in this area.

The most significant upcoming "new" change to UK landfill tax legislation for trommel fines is the removal of the Qualifying Fines Regime from April 2027. This will mean that, from that date, all fines disposed of to landfill will be subject to the higher standard rate of landfill tax, unless the fines are listed under the landfill tax (Qualifying Material) order 2011. This is part of a broader government plan to transition to a single rate of landfill tax by 2030, a process that will involve an escalator on the lower rate to eventually meet the standard rate.

Key aspects of this proposed change will be the removal of the Qualifying Fines Regime which starting in April 2027 will mean the specific rules that allowed certain fines to qualify for a lower tax rate will be removed. This will then be transitioned to a single rate of landfill tax by 2030. This will be achieved by annual increments until it reaches the standard rate in 2030.

The impact on businesses that produce or dispose of trommel fines will face higher landfill costs from 2027, as all fines will likely fall under the standard tax rate. 

The existing LOI testing regime prior to 2027 means that the requirement for loss on ignition (LOI) testing to qualify for the lower rate will still apply. Loads of fines must have an LOI of 10% or less to be eligible for the lower rate under the current rules.

These changes are happening to eliminate misclassification as the current system is seen as open to exploitation and misclassification of waste with the new measures incentivizing more efficient waste management and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. 

Alternative Solutions
The McLanahan Open Day encouraged the visitors to explore alternative solutions through their wider machinery portfolio with a working example of what has been achieved at SunEnviro.

Prior to a tour of the plant Donal McNicholl discussed how with a McLanahan solution it is straight forward to process material responsibly and sustainably.

With the whole philosophy to support a circular economy and minimize waste McLanahan machine solutions for C&D recycling help to support a circular economy by recovering aggregate material destined for the landfill and processing it for reuse in the construction industry.

Once the aggregate material recovered from C&D debris streams has been properly sized and sorted, it may need to undergo additional processing before it can be used for certain construction projects. The wet processing part of the C&D recycling operation includes washing and scrubbing away deleterious material from the sound aggregate. It can also include classifying and dewatering the sand fraction. To add to the sustainability of the wet process, the resulting waste stream can include liquid-solid separation equipment for recycling reusable process water and getting the solids fraction to a drip-free, easy-to-manage state.

These previously used construction materials are given new life as recycled aggregate to be reused once again, minimizing the amount of material sent to waste.

As Donal pointed out McLanahan supports these efforts with complete packaged solutions for feeding, crushing, screening, scrubbing, washing, classifying, dewatering, sampling, water recycling, and tailings management in C&D recycling applications.

The importance of recycling plant growth in the UK.
HUB4 spoke to Donal McNicholl – Director of Sales at McLanahan, “The UK produces approximately 220 million tons/year of aggregate with 79 million tons of that material made through recycling plants. So, if you look at the UK you have a large population on a small island with little mineral reserves. If you look at the biggest core of population which is London; this area has very few hard rock quarries, mostly sand and gravel. There is very little hard rock until you get over to the Mendips in the South-West  and then no hard rock until you reach Birmingham and moving North until you reach Scotland.

“The UK leads Europe and as a total supplier of aggregates it is sitting around 30%. Now personally, I think this percentage is higher as that was from a study produced in 2008 to which an inflationary rate needs to be added to that and realistically I don’t think the market has an idea, but I think they underplay the amount of recycled aggregate that are used.

“Recycled aggregates are used for load-bearing concrete, kerbs, Lego blocks, used for drainage, pipe bedding and the sand fractions can be used for under pavement slabs and similar types of applications; so recycled aggregates play a massive part.

“As far as McLanahan is concerned our business is focused on aggregates and recycling centres with 90% of the work I am involved in is C&D, excavation waste, concrete waste and skip waste. All of our plants are tailored to pulling valuable resources  out of those waste streams and we are well positioned having such a large basket of products that enables us to tailor a plant specifically for a customer’s needs.

“A plant that does concrete wash-out or a plant that does railway ballast, skip waste or a plant that processes C&D or excavation waste are generally all different in make-up; you generally can’t find a plant that covers them all, you have to have a tailored plant that fits all those needs.

“McLanahan has played a big part in supporting customers meet this with a wide product basket that can meet all those needs, with the company currently investing heavily in the UK marketplace we built a new factory in Dungannon in NI two years ago and this year we have extended it, so it is an exciting time for us.”