A waste incineration plant is being built on the site of the existing Szadółki waste treatment plant in Gdańsk, in the Polish region of Pomorskie. It will thermally neutralise some 160 000 tonnes per year (t/year) of the municipal solid waste left over following waste processing and sorting in the north, west and east of the region.
- 10 January 2020
Thermal transformation of the waste will make it possible to recover energy from it via high-efficiency cogeneration, in line with EU energy efficiency directives. This energy will be supplied to the district heating system and the national electricity grid.
A powerful energy source
The project is being implemented under a public-private partnership whereby municipal company, Port Czystej Energii will own the plant, while its construction and operation, and the production of heat and electricity, will be the responsibility of the private partner. To manage residual waste properly, the plant needs to be near existing waste facilities, hence the decision to build it on the Szadółki site.
Tests show that the waste processed at the plant will have a higher energy value than that from the existing installations at Szadółki, Tczew and Gilwa Mała. It will thus generate heat and electricity more effectively.
Cogeneration of heat and electricity should lead to energy savings of 23 %, allowing for equivalent reductions in energy production at other facilities and less fossil fuel consumption. Savings of water used in the process of around 1 m³ per hour, or about 9 %, should be achieved thanks to use of rainwater.The incineration process will produce residue, much of which can also be used to generate energy. Less than 10 % of all waste processed at the unit will be stored in landfill.
Preventing waste
Educational and promotional activities will be undertaken within the project. The aim is to educate the 1 million residents of the area to be served by the unit about the importance of preventing waste and ensuring that any waste that is created is managed in line with applicable regulations.
In relation to this, given the 2025 target of a 60 % recycling rate laid down in the regional waste management plan, it is assumed that within the calendar year following the completion of the project, separate collection will be in place for at least 50 % of municipal waste generated in the area.
Currently, Pomorskie’s waste processing installations lack the capacity to neutralise the residual fraction of municipal solid waste. The main objective of the project is therefore to reinforce the regional waste management system in this area.
The new plant will eliminate deficiencies in the system as regards thermal processing of residual waste. Diversification of energy sources thanks to subsequent energy recovery will improve security of supply and cut greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, the plant will prevent waste from going into landfill, benefiting groundwater, soil and the wider Baltic Sea environment. It will eliminate the need to transport waste elsewhere for neutralisation, thus reducing noise and pollution from vehicles.
Total investment and EU funding
Total investment for the project “Construction of a municipal waste treatment plant in Gdańsk” is EUR 144 726 484, with the EU’s Cohesion Fund contributing EUR 62 952 745 through the “Infrastructure and Environment” Operational Programme for the 2014-2020 programming period. The investment falls under the priority “Environmental protection, including adaptation to climate change”.