This week Year 12 Environmental Scientists went on a visit to the Gloucester incinerator on the M5. As part of their course they need to look at ways to manage waste and also ways to reduce pollution.  The building is a large grey green structure by the motorway with a tall chimney. It is officially called an 'Energy from Waste' recovery centre.

Over 130,000 tonnes of waste arrive at the facility each year from the Gloucestershire area. Including our school waste and waste from our homes. This rubbish would have traditionally gone into landfill sites, however this is something we are running out of in this country. Instead the rubbish is incinerated at high temperatures, (850 degrees C). This heat is then used to create steam and generate electricity. It creates enough power to power 25,000 homes. 

The year 12's got to dress up in high viz safety gear and tour the plant, visiting the 'grabber arm', the furnace, the generator and the area where the steam is cleaned to lower the amount of NOx, SOx and VOC gasses. 

It was a great opportunity to see the application of some of the theory the students have been learning in lessons.