WATCH: Structures rise from the ash

Sunday 04 August 2019

A new video has shed light on how ash from Jersey's incinerator is repurposed into building materials for bridges, roads and footpaths.

IBA (incinerator bottom ash) was previously stored securely in the La Collette headland, but is now being shipped over to the UK and now usefully formed into various building materials.

Jersey currently has roughly a third of its waste recycled, with the rest being incinerated at La Collette's commercial facilities.

Ash is produced when this non-recyclable waste is incinerated- producing electricity for over 10,000 homes in Jersey.

Hampshire-based company Fortis Ltd have been receiving IBA from Jersey since 2017, but, in a bid to educate more islanders about what happens to the waste and dispel myths, the government has specially produced a video to make the process clearer.

Video: What really happens to incinerator ash?

“We have been working with industry leader Fortis IBA since 2017 to ensure that Jersey’s incinerator bottom ash is fully recycled. We have now jointly produced a video to help islanders see the process and understand that this is the best solution for Jersey’s IBA," Deputy Kevin Lewis, Minister for Infrastructure, explained.

"This demonstrates Jersey’s progressive approach to recovering as much as possible from our waste and reduces the reliance on natural resources.” 

Lee Thompson, who is the Managing Director for Fortis IBA, added: "Jersey produces around 12,000 tonnes of IBA every year, and, once this is processed, we create a significant amount of fully sustainable secondary aggregate for construction projects in the UK.

"It is fantastic that the Government of Jersey has taken steps to recycle the ash produced by the island’s waste.”