WORK on the £200m waste incinerator plant in Ardley near Bicester has now finished.

The facility is expected to process 300,000 tonnes of residential waste every year, enough to power 38,000 homes, according to waste firm managing the site Viridor.

David Nimmo Smith, cabinet member for environment at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “I am delighted that the facility is complete and treating our waste.

“Oxfordshire is the best county council in the country at recycling and composting and this new facility will generate electricity from the waste that is not recycled. Oxfordshire County Council places a great deal of importance in using waste in an environmentally viable way.”

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Construction started in 2011 and the plant first received waste deliveries in June before exporting electricity for the first time to the National Grid a month later.

According to Viridor the site will divert around 95 per cent of Oxfordshire’s residential waste away from landfill disposal.

Viridor regional manager Paul Rowland, said: “Thanks to everyone’s hard work and determination, our time spent without lost time accidents has enabled us to put £18,000 back into the local community through donations to charitable projects and schools.

“All of this has only been possible with everyone working together in partnership, and it’s a proud moment for us all as we start full operations of a world-class facility for Oxfordshire.”

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