Energy From Waste Facility School Visits

As part of our educational and social value initiatives, Smiths has been hosting student and teacher visits at the Gloucestershire Energy from Waste Facility, operated by FCC Environment on behalf of Gloucestershire County Council.

The latest visit was held over two sessions for Aurora Hedgeway, a Bristol-based SEN school who have also just earnt the prestigious Eco-Schools Green Flag Award, inspiring students to lead environmental change.

Melanie de la Torre Zamora, Community Relationship Manager for the facility, Smiths’ Nick Grove and James Godwin welcomed the school’s Eco-Council and its teachers. Melanie’s tour included visiting where the waste is delivered, sorted, then past the furnace and through to where the energy is converted into electricity to power the equivalent of approximately 25,000 homes.

The students then learnt that over 90% of the waste that arrives on site is diverted from landfill and produces around 40,000 tonnes of sustainable aggregates for the construction industry and recovers around 3,000 tonnes of metals, each year.

Jonty Leigh, Hedgeway School Business Manager, The Aurora Group expressed his gratitude for the school trips “Thanks very much again for all your help organising the Javelin Park trips – everybody loved it!”

Many thanks to Mel for facilitating the trips.