SUEZ marks 250,000 container milestone at Kirkby rail transfer loading station
This landmark highlights the scale of the partnership between SUEZ and Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA), which manages residual household waste from across Merseyside and Halton.
At the facility in Kirkby, residual waste is compacted into containers before being transported by train to the Wilton energy-from-waste facility in Teesside, where it is used to generate electricity for the national grid, providing enough electricity to power over 63,000 homes.
Since contract start in 2016, the RTLS has handled over 3.52 million tonnes of residual waste, with more than 5000 train journeys transporting containers safely and efficiently from Merseyside to Teesside. Each train can carry 66 containers, helping move large volumes of waste in a single journey, while significantly reducing the number of heavy goods vehicles required on the road network.
Alongside the operational milestone, SUEZ also recently upgraded the site’s compaction system, including the installation of smart hydraulics and variable-speed motors. The improvements have increased compaction efficiency and reduced energy consumption by up to 65%, delivering around £33,000 in annual savings per compactor while improving container loading performance.
The RTLS employs 47 people and has created a number of apprenticeship opportunities. Additionally, as part of the 30-year contract with the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority, SUEZ provides £50,000-a-year fund for community groups, with a value of 10p per tonne exported by rail from the RTLS. Since being launched in 2018, the Kirkby Neighbourhood Community Fund has now invested more than £445,700 into good causes in and around Kirkby, delivering community improvement, health and wellbeing, or environmental projects.
Carl Verburg, Operations Manager at SUEZ, said: “Reaching a quarter of a million containers is a fantastic achievement for the site and a real credit to the team here at Kirkby. We process the residual waste of over 600,000 homes and it takes a huge amount of coordination and professionalism from everyone on site to keep things running safely and efficiently. I would like to thank the whole team for their hard work in helping us deliver an effective operation.”
Victoria Crabtree, Regional Manager at SUEZ, said: “Reaching 250,000 containers is a significant milestone and reflects the strength of the longstanding partnership between SUEZ and MRWA. By working closely together, we have developed an efficient rail-based solution that moves large volumes of waste safely and sustainably and delivering a critical part of the region’s waste management infrastructure.”
Lesley Worswick, Chief Executive of MRWA, said: "Since 2016, this rail-based solution has allowed us to manage the residual waste of over 600,000 homes across Merseyside and Halton. By prioritising rail transport over road, we are removing the equivalent of approximately 18,000 HGV journeys from our network every year and significantly reducing our carbon footprint. This milestone, alongside the impact of the Kirkby Neighbourhood Community Fund, reflects our shared commitment to delivering sustainable, climate-conscious waste management for our residents.”