We respond to national and international priorities in waste management and resource efficiency which require resource use to be maximised whilst minimising its global impact.
Specific priorities for waste management are:
- Diversion from landfill
- Recovery of resource
- Pollution prevention
- Reduction in greenhouse emission/ energy recovery.
Specific priorities for resource efficiency are:
- Maximising life cycle utility of resources
- Providing evidence and assurance for new materials and markets
- Closing the loop to promote a circular economy from design, manufacture and future resource use.
About our research
We focus on applied research to deliver impact to develop and transform industrial processes and products, energy production, emission control, process monitoring and market development for recovered resources. We conduct this research in partnership with industry, the regulator, industrial consortia, policy makers and national and international NGOs and governments.
Our major themes are:
• Odour and bioaerosol monitoring and control
• Quality protocols
• Risk assessment for evidence for publicly available standards
• Waste characterisation
• Bioremediation technologies
• Landfill gas and AD gas modelling
• Public receptivity of new infrastructure, processes and products
• Environmental management system implementation and benchmarking regulatory practice.
Facilities and resources
Our waste management and resource efficiency capability is superbly supported by analytical laboratories, facilities for pilot-scale experimentation, and portable equipment for field monitoring and survey.
Our Environmental Analytical Facility is equipped with state of the art laboratories for advanced chemical and microbiological analysis of air, water, soil, biomass and waste samples.
Working with us
Waste management and resource recovery is strongly associated with the needs of business. We directly respond to both the immediate and longer term needs of industry through short-term consultancy and research, and strategic research for single companies or through developing and supporting consortia.
We have a substantial network of business partners and active mechanisms of communication. We both initiate new ideas and bring them to the attention of potential partners, and respond to industrial requests for advisory and research services.
We focus on adding value and maximising leverage from our extensive postgraduate resource base and unique facilities.
Our work with business spans the range including short term consultants, bespoke training, short-term postgraduate thesis, MSc group projects, PhD projects, and large-scale industrial consortia.
Clients and partners
Our waste management and resource efficiency work is highly applied and is dependent upon our close working relationship with industrial partners.
Our partners include:
• International and national grant awarding bodies eg. EU, UK research councils
• Government departments eg. Defra
• Regulators eg. Environment Agency
• Not for profit organisations eg. WRAP
• Commercial waste management companies eg. WRG, Sita UK, Shanks
• Commercial associations eg. Renewable Energy Association.
