Suffolk energy-from-waste facility

20/07/2026

It was such fun joining our waste colleagues at Mid Suffolk District Council in the Stowmarket Carnival procession on Saturday! 🚛

Working together to put all of Suffolk's waste to good use!

13/07/2026

09/07/2026

It was a pleasure to welcome Councillor Morgan Brobyn, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Food, Waste and Rural Affairs, to the Suffolk EfW last week. We're always grateful for the opportunity to showcase the important role the facility plays in managing Suffolk's non-recyclable waste, generating electricity and supporting a circular economy. Thank you for taking the time to visit and for highlighting the importance of recycling and responsible waste disposal.

06/07/2026

🍎🥚🥘🍟 🥗🥝🥔🍔🍛
What belongs in your food waste caddy? Our latest workshop helpers are here to show you!

As Suffolk residents begin using the new food waste collection service, we're proud to support efforts to increase participation and help more food waste be recycled rather than thrown away.

One of our talented colleagues has crocheted a collection of everyday food waste items, including an apple core, mouldy bread, a used teabag, an eggshell, a chicken drumstick and a plate of leftovers. These colourful creations are already proving popular with the school groups who visit the Suffolk EfW visitor centre each week, helping children to learn in a fun and hands-on way about what can go into a food waste caddy.

Food waste collected from homes across Suffolk will be taken to an anaerobic digestion facility, where it is transformed into renewable energy and useful products, helping to reduce waste and make the most of valuable resources.

We think our crocheted food waste friends are a great way to start conversations about recycling at home. Which one is your favourite? 😊

22/06/2026

𝐁𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐬𝐡 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞

What happens to what’s left after energy recovery? We make sure it doesn’t go to waste.

At our bottom ash facility, the incinerated bottom ash in the piles on the left is sorted into different aggregate sizes as seen on the right. Metals are separated into ferrous (magnetic) and non-ferrous (non-magnetic).

These materials are then reused:
• Aggregates go into the construction industry where they are used to make concrete structures, or used as a base layer under parking lots
• Metals are recycled into new products including even railway lines 🚆
The circular economy in action, turning waste into valuable resources and closing the loop in a truly sustainable way!

15/06/2026

𝑮𝒓𝒊𝒛𝒛𝒍𝒚 𝑮𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔: 𝑺𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝑳𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝑩𝒆𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒅

What happens to the materials left over after waste is burned? We’re processing up to 30 tonnes of waste an hour, which produces a lot of what we call bottom ash. This hot as is first cooled down safely in an ash quencher. From there, an ash discharger pushes the cooled material onto the grizzly grate.

This is where sorting begins:
• Smaller ash particles, metals, and other materials fall through the gaps onto a conveyor
• Larger items move across the grate and are handled separately
Everything is then sent on to the bottom ash facility for further processing.



Visitors are often surprised by how many recyclable metals still appear at this stage – a reminder that putting the right items in your recycling bin really matters.
Even after energy has been recovered, we’re still able to recover valuable materials 🔄

11/06/2026

𝗔𝗶𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿: 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗽 💧
What happens to the steam after it’s been used to power the turbine? That’s where our air-cooled condenser (ACC) comes in.

The steam exits the turbine at a very low pressure and enters the condenser. Here, five large fans draw in cool air from below, helping to turn the steam back into water by a process known as condensation.

This water (called condensate) doesn’t go to waste. Instead, it’s sent back to the economisers, the final stage of the boiler, where it begins warming up again before restarting the whole cycle. It’s a continuous loop: Steam → Water → Steam again ♻️
By recycling water within the system, we maximise efficiency and minimise waste – another way we make the most out of every step in the energy-from-waste process.

05/06/2026

05/06/2026

We are so proud to be a part of this amazing team!

01/06/2026

𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗺𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀: 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗶𝗿
This image shows our chimney stacks from a different perspective! If you’ve travelled past Great Blakenham you may have seen them, but did you know that they’re 81.5 metres tall? That’s about the height of 18 double-decker buses stacked on top of each other 🚍

And those white plumes you sometimes see on cold days? They’re not smoke, just water vapour, similar to your breath on a chilly morning.
A visible reminder of an invisible process working safely and efficiently.