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."
Friday, 28 January 2011
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..
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..
Friday, 14 January 2011
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
The first has no sound but shows more time leading up to and immediately after the explosion
The second is shorter but includes sound
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
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.
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."
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?
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 %
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 %
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