Jason Simon, from the Simon Sand quarry in St Ouen’s Bay, claims that issues surrounding the processing and storage of waste water have not been properly considered.
He also alleges that the development would cause an increase in noise, traffic and carbon emissions.
Mr Simon’s comments follow the lodging of a planning application for the installation of the machinery at the aggregate waste recycling centre, situated at the southernmost section of the La Collette reclamation site.
Currently, all of the inert waste received is put into landfill to fill the remaining vacant section of the reclamation site. However, AA Langlois, who are behind the project, say that the site will reach capacity within 12 months unless action is taken to prolong its life.
In its application AAL say a specialist waste-aggregate washing machine will increase the quantity of matter that can be recycled into building materials and minimise the amount that has to be buried.
If approved, it is also hoped that the machine will enable the company to ‘mine’ recyclable material which has already been deposited into landfill at the site to free up even more space.
In his letter of objection, Mr Simon says: ‘The waste product of this wet-screening is an effluent contaminated from the washing process that now includes whatever contaminants were present in the construction and demolition waste.
‘In turn this effluent is then processed further into compacted cakes which the applicant suggests in the explanatory letter could be mixed with organic matter to produce topsoil – a contaminated waste product spread Islandwide with no consideration given to the consequence of such actions. Contaminated waste products that will ultimately end up further polluting our already threatened raw-water supplies.’
In the design statement accompanying the application, it says that the equipment will enable contractors to extract sand from the waste and, when the Simon Sand quarry closes, will provide an additional
environmental benefit by minimising the amount of sand
that has to be shipped into Jersey for the construction industry.
However, Mr Simon claims that the ‘unclean and consistent’ nature of the waste aggregate means any recycled materials will only have ‘limited uses within the construction industry’ marketplace.
