Administrators ‘abandon’ Sterecycle autoclave

Let's recycle by Steve Eminton 15 October 2012

Creditors of Sterecycle (Rotherham) Ltd are likely to get a dividend from the demise of the business but the amount could depend on the outcome of any talks with the Health and Safety Executive and South Yorkshire Police with regards to legal action following a fatality at the plant in 2011.

In January 2011, an explosion in one of the vessels at the plant resulted in two men being injured, one of whom subsequently died (see letsrecycle.com story). An investigation into the explosion is ongoing and is being led by South Yorkshire Police.

However, it is thought that because of the administration of the business, the Crown Prosecution Service and the HSE might weigh up the costs of any case and likelihood of funds recovery when determining the extent of any legal action.

A spokeswoman for South Yorkshire Police said: “It’s true that Sterecycle have gone into administration and will unfortunately be closed down. However, South Yorkshire Police, along with Health and Safety Executive are continuing their investigation and evidence will be placed before the CPS for a decision in the near future.”

Observers put the failure of the Sterecycle plant down to various factors including financing and difficulties in securing the markets for compost like outputs. The bulk of the material into the plant came from a grouping of councils – Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham – who are now sending their waste to the Veolia ES energy recovery plant in Sheffield (see letsrecycle.com story).

Court: Italy cruise ship captain must stay under house arrest

CNN by Hada Messia 10 April 2012

Italy's highest court ruled Tuesday that the captain of the wrecked Costa Concordia cruise ship must remain under house arrest while he is investigated for possible criminal charges.

Schettino has previously said managers of the Costa cruise line instructed him to sail close to the island and has denied allegations that he was sailing too fast. He has said the rock the ship struck was not indicated on his charts of the area.

Bryan Burrough on the Costa Concordia Captain's Deadly Error and the Dramatic Rescue That Saved Thousands of Lives

Vanity Fair 5 April 2012

After a desperate hairpin turn away from the open sea—a maneuver that Captain Schettino claimed saved hundreds, maybe thousands of lives, Schettino made an error that led to many deaths the night the Costa Concordia ran aground off the coast of Giglio, Italy. John Konrad, an American captain and the editor in chief of the maritime-news site gCaptain, tells Vanity Fair special correspondent Bryan Burrough that the ship had already been listing starboard, toward the peninsula. When Schettino dropped the ship’s anchors in an attempt to prevent it from falling farther, he instead created the opposite effect. “You can see they let out too much chain,” Konrad says. “I don’t know the precise depths, but if it was 90 meters, they let out 120 meters of chain. So the anchors never caught. The ship then went in sideways, almost tripping over itself, which is why it listed. If he had dropped the anchors properly, the ship wouldn’t have listed so badly.” How to explain so fundamental a blunder? Video of the chaos on the bridge that night gives insight into the captain’s state of mind. “You can tell he was stunned,” says Konrad. “The captain really froze. It doesn’t seem his brain was processing.”

After Schettino left the ship, Giglio’s police chief, Roberto Galli, was stunned to find the captain sitting on the rocks at the shore watching the ship sink. When he encouraged Schettino to return to the ship the captain told him, “No, I want to stay here, to verify conditions on the ship.” Galli stayed with him for 30 minutes. “At one point, Schettino asked to use my telephone, because his was running out of juice. I wasn’t giving this guy my phone. Because, unlike him, I was trying to save people,” Galli says. “Finally, when I was about to leave, they asked for a blanket and tea. I said, ‘If you come back with me, I’ll give you whatever you want.’ But he didn’t move. So I left.”

HSE to publish autoclave guidance

Lets Recycle 22 March 2012

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is set to publish new guidance for the operation of autoclaves following an on-going investigation into a fatal incident at Sterecycle’s facility in Rotherham.

In 1990 the HSE published the PM73 document which outlined guidance for the operation of autoclave technology. The guidance was later updated in 1998 and now is set to be updated further owing to developments in the technology and due to industry demand.

Commenting on the reasons behind the update Paul Grady, HM Specialist Inspector at the HSE, said: “The guidance was prepared because there have been two fatalities in the UK since 2008 and three near misses where the door has come open but nobody has been injured.

Royal visit to factory reopened after blast

The Star Friday 8 July 2011

His Royal Highness the Duke of Kent visited the Sterecycle plant on Sheffield Road, Templeborough, Rotherham, to see how the company had got back on its feet after it reopened in April.

Sterecycle worker Michael Whinfrey, aged 42, died after an explosion at the plant on January 11.

The blast is thought to have been caused by a sudden loss of pressure following the failure of a pressure vessel used in the waste treatment process.

The Duke was given a tour of the facility by Sterecycle CEO Tom Shields.

Mr Shields said: “We’re delighted to have had the opportunity to host His Royal Highness and to show him around the facility.

“He was particularly interested in our Sterefibre, which is the clean biomass that our process recovers from the organic portion of the waste we treat.

“It’s a valuable product which can be used as a soil improver, and we will use it to generate clean energy in the future.”

Sterecycle blast plant back in operation

Rotheram Advertiser 7 April 2011

Sterecycle appointed a specialist in process safety, ABB Engineering, to carry out an internal investigation.

And the company says it has now complied with all Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stipulations and implemented the recommendations of safety specialists ABB.

A pressure vessel, which was not involved in the January 11 incident has been modified according to ABB's recommendations and the plant has officially resumed taking waste from the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham (BDR) Waste Partnership.

Sterecycle says the second pressure vessel will be brought back into use over the coming weeks.

Blast probe continues

Rotheram Advertiser 22 March 2011

HEALTH and Safety officials are still investigating the blast at the Sterecycle waste recycling plant in Rotherham.

The plant was closed two months ago after a blast which killed worker Michael Winfrey and left his colleague Peter Davis seriously injured.

Sterecycle has said that it plans to restart waste treatment at the plant, in Sheffield Road, Templeborough, soon.

The company says it has met various requirements put on it after the explosion.

The blast was in one of two autoclave machines and Sterecycle has said it plans to restart operation using the undamaged unit and then bring the other into use after it has been repaired.

HSE call for vigilance

Letsrecycle.com 27 January 2011

The Health and Safety Executive has stressed the responsibility of employers and those with a duty to ensure safety in the workplace to safeguard workers following a spate of incidents across the waste and recycling sector this month.

The HSE made the comments while outlining its ambitions for 2011, revealing that waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) would become an increased area of focus for its work.

The waste and recycling sector is traditionally seen as one of the most dangerous professions in terms of injuries and fatalities, although it managed to record seven deaths in 2009/10 compared the 12 to 16 usually recorded in the sector annually (see letsrecycle.com story).

However, despite this improved performance, 2011 has already seen two fatalities in the industry.

These include an explosion at the Sterecycle autoclave facility in Rotherham resulting in the death of an employee (see letsrecycle.com story) and a SITA UK refuse collection operative in Kent being fatally injured following an incident with a collection vehicle (see letsrecycle.com).

The HSE said it was unable to comment on specific incidents due to legal issues. However, a spokesman said: "The incidents earlier this year are a reminder of the health and safety responsibilities of duty-holders and employers. HSE will continue to work with industry through the Waste Industry Safety and Health (WISH) forum to look at ways to prevent people being killed or injured."

Funeral

Rotherham Advertiser 27 January 2011

Family and friends made a final farewell today to waste worker Michael Whinfrey, who was killed after an explosion ripped through a Rotherham waste plant.

Dozens of mourners gathered at Rotherham Crematorium today for the father-of-three’s funeral—while waste treatment work at the Sterecycle plant in Templeborough remained on hold following the fatal blast two weeks ago.

Mr Whinfrey, a 42-year-old site operator, from Wickersley, died at Leeds General Hospital after being airlifted following the explosion, which left best friend Peter Lindon Davis (51), with serious injuries in hospital.

Mr Davis was badly burned and is still recovering..

CCTV footage of explosion

Two videos on YouTube

The first has no sound but shows more time leading up to and immediately after the explosion

The second is shorter but includes sound

Council turns to Veolia after Sterecycle blast

letsrecycle.com 12 January 2011

Rotherham metropolitan borough council has today (January 12) revealed it is in talks to temporarily send material to Veolia's Sheffield incinerator after its waste treatment contractor Sterecycle's autoclave plant was closed by an explosion which left one man dead and another seriously injured.

Health and Safety Executive today said there was the potential for it to issue guidance in relation to autoclave technology following the incident. "If we do need to issue any guidance to people then we will do it," a spokesman said.

Man killed is named

The Star 12 January 2011 (11:10am)

The man has been named as Michael Whinfrey from Wickersley, aged 42. He leaves a widow and three daughters.

Peter Lindon Davis was also injured and remains at the Northern General Hospital where his condition is serious but stable. He is being treated for "potentially life-changing, head and body injuries."

Eye witness accounts included:

"The explosion was absolutely massive," he said. "I've never heard anything like it - if I'd been any closer I wouldn't be here now. It blew a hole in the wall, and waste went all over the road. It was a complete mess.

"All the rubbish went onto the car park, and smashed some of the car windows," Craig added. "We don't know if there's been a backdraft or something like that, but it just blew up."

A worker at a nearby engineering firm told The Star: "We were all inside working at the time, and I came out just after the explosion happened. There was rubbish all over the road.

"I've heard it's a pressure malfunction, and it's exploded. It sounds like a tragic accident."

Valve or vessel failure

www.mrw.co.uk 12 January 2011 (approx 9 am).

According to media reports, Sterecycle has confirmed the cause of the explosion will be investigated, but it is thought there was a sudden loss of pressure due to the failure of one of the pressure valves used in the waste treatment process.

We now have some confusion. Was it a valve or vessel that exploded, or was it a valve that failed that led to a sudden loss of pressure that caused the vessel to fail?

Sterecycle process

Taken from the Sterecylce website on 12 January 2011

Sterecycle is a waste management business focused on recycling and green energy. We have our own patented technologies that are capable of recycling and recovering up to 80% of the typical household waste stream.

Since June 2008 Sterecycle been operating a full scale plant in Yorkshire that processes 100,000 tonnes per annum of waste. This is the World's 1st full scale commercial autoclave plant to treat residual household waste. The plant is processing "black-bag" waste from 3 local authorities under a contract for up to 10 years: Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council. Whilst autoclaving has been used for a number of years for sterilising small batches of medical waste, Sterecycle has pioneered its use at industrial scale and for recycling municipal solid waste. In addition, the facility uses Sterecycle’s own unique autoclaving system which is highly energy efficient and integrated with a green energy plant is self-sustaining with a beneficial carbon footprint. Sterecycle's technology is protected by a series of granted patents and patent applications.

Our business model is to build, own and operate waste recycling plants, processing residual waste as a substitute for landfill. Sterecycle is a well funded business, backed by blue chip investors including Goldman Sachs, Fidelity International and Impax Asset Management. Sterecycle currently has 55 full time employees and with further recycling plants will employ over 300 staff in 2013. We plan to have at least 6 plants operational by 2013 including in Yorkshire, Wales, London and Glasgow.


The Sterecycle process is 2 stage – sterilisation at temperature and pressure followed by mechanical separation.

The heart of the sterecycle® system is a series of interconnected sterecycle® autoclaves. These are pressure vessels similar to those used in hospitals to sterilise surgical instruments but are much larger and have unique patented characteristics. Unsorted household bagged waste is loaded directly into the vessels and heat is applied at around 130 degrees C. A combination of the steam and pressure raised internally and the rotation of the vessels results in:
(i) the organic fraction of the waste being broken down into a fibrous lignocellulosic biomass;
(ii) the non-organics being sterilised and steam cleaned;
(iii) the organics can now be easily separated from the non-organics; and
(iv) reduction in volume of the input waste material by 60/70 %

Extent of the damage

BBC website on 11 January 2011 at 21:27

Eyewitness Paul Barnfield told BBC Radio Sheffield he had been driving to work along Sheffield Road when he had seen part of a building "exploding out into the road".

"It blew all the side of the building out," he said. "Black debris was just spread across the road. Another 10 seconds and I'd have been in it."

Part of Sheffield Road was closed for nearly three hours.

Police said the explosion had also caused damage to cars parked across the road from the site.

Was it an incinerator?

According to the Press Association and repeated in Allvoices on 11 January 2011 "The explosion took place in an incinerator." I think they are wrong - it was an autoclave.

Man dies

South Yorkshire Police report at 7pm that "The 42-year-old Rotherham man airlifted to Leeds General Hospital this afternoon has now died as a result of the injuries he suffered in the industrial explosion at Sterecycle on Sheffield Road."

Second report

Letsrecycle.com reported the incident approximately 1 hour after The Star.

A statement released by South Yorkshire Police said: "We had a call come in about 2.40pm of a possible explosion at Sterecycle recycling business on Sheffield Road in Rotherham. It appears that a pressure valve has exploded and two people are described as ‘badly injured'."

** This should probably read pressure "vessel" not pressure "valve" **

A statement released by Sterecycle said there was a "sudden loss of pressure as a result of the failure of one of the pressure vessels used in the waste treatment process".

The company said there was some damage to the side of the building housing the pressure vessels and that the adjoining road, Sheffield Road, has been closed temporarily.

Sterecycle confirmed that two of the site operators had been "seriously injured" but said it had initiated its emergency procedures immediately and medical attention was provided as "quickly as possible". The two injured employees have been transferred to hospital.

Operations at the plant have been suspended and will remain so until a full investigation into the cause of the incident has been carried out.

Tom Shields, chief executive of Sterecycle, said "We clearly regret this incident and have advised the Health and Safety Executive. Our immediate priority is for the welfare of our employees who have been injured. Thereafter we will urgently investigate the causes of the incident and ensure that all necessary actions are taken."

Initial report

The Star (Yorkshire) 11 January 2011 (4:23 pm)

Emergency services called to deal with a major explosion which ripped through a recycling plant in Sheffield - leaving two people seriously injured.

South Yorkshire Fire Service said the casualties, who have not yet been named, are believed to have been trapped after a pressure vessel exploded at Sterecycle on Sheffield Road, Tinsley.

The explosion was reported to South Yorkshire Police at 2.40pm and when emergency services arrived two people were trapped in the depot.

Firefighters were brought in to free them and paramedics and the air ambulance were also scrambled to the scene.

A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "The call came in at 2.40pm to report a possible explosion at Sterecycle - a recycling business.

"It appears a pressure vessel has exploded and two people have been badly injured.