One of the by-products of the refining process is solid waste. Each year Chelsea Sugar Refinery generates around 2,500 tonnes of production waste which includes packaging (paper and plastic), old and damaged pallets, metal and filter cake (a process mud).
Since 2006 Chelsea has diverted much of this waste from landfill and currently recycles between 90-95% of all production waste.
Milton Green (pictured) has been with Chelsea for nine years, oversees much of the waste management responsibilities on site. Paper and plastics are separated from landfill by using designated receptacles throughout the Refinery with plastics baled and caged for collection and all paper and card waste compacted in a designated compactor.
Fig 1. Green tipper bins collect paper and card recycling.
Old or damaged pallets are either repaired or chipped for motorway planting mulch and scrap metal is sent to a designated skip.
The filter cake which annually makes up 2,000 tonnes of the production waste produced is dried and trucked to a fertilising manufacturer.
Fig 2. Over 25 tonnes of filter cake is produced each week.