Press release - Jul 24, 2009 09:00 AM

United Mines landfill opens to the public

SITA Cornwall’s landfill at United Mines is opening its gates on Friday 7th August for visitors to learn more about what happens to the waste they don’t recycle.

Tours of the landfill site and an exhibition will be on offer at the open day, which takes place between 10am and 4pm. Visitors will have the opportunity to see waste being delivered, compacted and buried, to find out how the site controls birds, dust and odour and to take a closer look at the landfill gas engines.

SITA staff will be on hand to answer any questions and representatives from the Environment Agency, SITA Cornwall Trust and Recycle for Cornwall will also be present.

Stuart Higgins, Landfill Operations Manager for SITA UK said: ‘After the success of last year’s open day, we would like to give people another chance to see what happens to their black bag rubbish. The landfill operation emphasises the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling waste and the sheer scale of it never fails to amaze visitors. We would really like to encourage people to come along, to what promises to be a fascinating and informative event.’

In 2008, nearly 300,000 tonnes of waste were accepted at United Mines landfill, the equivalent to 120 lorries a day. The landfill gas recovered from the site produces  renewable energy equivalent to that needed to heat and light more than 5000 homes. SITA is working towards closing the site in October 2010, when all the waste will be diverted to Connon Bridge landfill near Liskeard.

To book places on the landfill tours and for more information, please contact the SITA Cornwall Helpdesk on 08456 300300 or email cornwallhelpdesk@sita.co.uk