A WASTE treatment facility on the edge of Bradford city centre has submitted plans to build a 33 metre tall steel chimney to replace a vital piece of equipment.

P Waddington & Co operate a rendering plant on Buck Street, off Leeds Road.

The business currently uses a thermal oxidiser to deal with foul odours, but the company says their existing equipment is near the end of its operational life, and now needs to be replaced.

A 33 metre chimney is required to go along with the replacement.

A new planning application submitted to Bradford Council for the chimney says it will “lead to enhanced efficiencies and emissions in thermal oxidisation process at the site.”

The Waddington facility has operated a thermal oxidiser for odour control since the early 2000’s and it was one of the first rendering companies in the UK to install such a unit.

Explaining the need for the equipment, the application says: “The oxidiser abates the main process fume flow from the rendering plant along with extracted foul air from specific points of high odour release potential.

“Rendering plants are recognised as having the potential to emit offensive odour and at large release rates if not carefully managed.

“The existing system has operated well with a resultant low incidence of odour incidents. however, the unit is now in need of replacement to ensure its continued operation and a new chimney is required in connection with the replacement oxidiser.

“The proposal represents best available technology and will lead to significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions and fuel savings due to improved energy efficiency.

“To provide effective continuity of odour destruction the new unit will be installed whilst the old unit remains operational. “During commissioning and initial operation of the new unit the old unit will be retained as available contingency capacity. As such the new unit needs to be installed with its own chimney stack.”

The company says the plant is in an industrial area of the city, and despite its size, the chimney would not seem out of place. The application adds: “The site is dominated by the large scale of the main process building and the height of the main chimney stacks fronting Buck Street. The site is fundamentally industrial in appearance and looks not unlike a refinery in view of the extent of visible external plant and stacks.”

A decision on the application is expected before the end of the year.