Cardiff ERF
Diverting 95% of South Wales’ residual waste away from landfill.
Cardiff Energy Recovery Facility (ERF) is the largest ERF in Wales treating waste from the local authority and local business contracts. The facility, which has been operational since 2014, handles around 425,000 tonnes of residual waste (non-recyclable) waste, per year. It diverts at least 95% of South Wales’ residual waste away from landfill and generates 266MWh of electricity for the National Grid. That is enough to power around 98,820 households.
About 172,000 tonnes of the waste treated at the facility is delivered by the five Councils that make up the Prosiect Gwyrdd (Project Green) partnership: Cardiff, Newport, Monmouthshire, Vale of Glamorgan and Caerphilly. Visit the Prosiect Gwyrdd website.
As well as treating household waste on behalf of Prosiect Gwyrdd, the facility also receives non-recyclable waste from other contracts, helping local businesses to divert their waste away from landfill.
Let's take a look
Cardiff ERF has been awarded R1 status which officially certifies that the ERF is operating at, or in excess of, the energy efficiency threshold required to be officially classified as an Energy Recovery Facility, as opposed to a disposal facility. Cardiff ERF is operating around 35% above the energy efficiency threshold required to achieve this certification.
Engaging with the wider community about the need for energy recovery technology, working in partnership with the waste hierarchy to reduce, reuse and recycle waste is important. At Cardiff ERF, we have invested in an environmental education centre to encourage people to learn more about the process.
Take our virtual tour
You don't have to visit Viridor to learn how an ERF works. You can find out all about how we recover energy from non-recyclable waste right here.
