Burnley facility set to accept waste from across East Lancashire
A facility in Burnley is set to accept waste from across East Lancashire when the county council's contract for the use of the Whinney Hill landfill site comes to an end in April.
From April 1 2026, Envirofuel in Burnley has been awarded a two year contract to take waste that would otherwise need to be taken to Lancashire County Council’s site at Farington, which is much further away. This would have meant longer journeys, higher transport costs for the district councils and more impact on the environment.
The Envirofuel site, which is a long-established waste processing facility, currently accepts more than 100,000 tonnes of waste a year from as far afield as Cambridge, Newcastle, Carlisle and Birmingham, in larger vehicles. These inputs will be replaced by the waste from East Lancashire.
This solution provides time to develop longer-term waste disposal solutions across East Lancashire and for extensive engagement with the community and partners.
Councillor Joshua Roberts, cabinet member for Rural Affairs, Environment and Communities at Lancashire County Council said:
"We would like to reassure Lancashire's residents that we are ready for the contract with Suez UK Ltd for the use of Whinney Hill landfill site to come to an end as planned.
"The costs of using the Envirofuels site are significantly lower as well as being much better for the environment than landfill.
"From April, Lancashire County Council's waste will stop going to Whinney Hill. All that waste would have needed to been sent miles away to Farington, pushing up costs, traffic and emissions, so we have secured a temporary solution.
"From April 2026, waste will go to the Envirofuel site in Burnley. This site isn't new, it has been operating there for over 25 years. This will replace existing loads, not create new ones. That means no major increase in traffic and, in some cases, fewer large vehicles on the road. This waste will be turned into fuel for cement works, cutting landfill and delivering a better environment outcome.
"Using the Envirofuel site provides continuity of service, avoids disruption or the collection vehicles undertaking long journeys and keeps costs down for taxpayers. The changes will not impact collection services.
"While this solution is underway, we will work with the districts to explore the best longer-term arrangements for waste disposal in East Lancs. We will continue to monitor the site closely to make sure everything operates within the rules."
Notes to editors
Notes to editors: Envirofuel in Burnley has been awarded a two year contract following a competitive procurement process.
East Lancashire Waste Transfer Site FAQs
Where does residual household waste currently go?
Residual and bulky household waste from Burnley, Pendle, Hyndburn and Rossendale is currently disposed of at Whinney Hill landfill. The County Council’s contract for use of the site ends on 31 March 2026 and cannot be extended. Without new, localised, arrangements in place all of this waste would have to be transported to the county council's facility in Farington, near Leyland. It is important that we end the landfilling of waste. Costs of landfilling have increased dramatically over the past few years, and it is also seen as the least favourable option from an environmental perspective.
What arrangements will be in place from 1 April 2026?
From 1 April 2026, residual household waste and bulky household waste will be treated at the Envirofuel (SRF) Ltd in Burnley.
How was this decision taken?
In September 2025, the County Council’s Cabinet approved the procurement of waste treatment arrangements in the east of the county in an attempt to avoid the need to transport waste to Farington.
The contract was awarded following a public procurement exercise carried out in accordance with the Public Contract Regulations.
Was there public consultation on the choice of facility?
No. Public consultation does not form part of the procurement process. Where a bidder meets the required criteria, the Council is required to award the contract in line with the regulations.
Is Envirofuel's site a new waste facility?
No. The site has operated as a waste management facility since 1995.
Envirofuels (SRF) Ltd has operated the site since 2015. The facility has the necessary planning permission and environmental permits.
What type of waste will be accepted?
The contract covers residual waste collected from households (grey bin in many areas, claret bin in Burnley) and bulky household waste.
How much waste is expected to be delivered?
It is estimated that the facility will receive between 70,000 and 80,000 tonnes per year from the council's contract.
The facility already manages more than 100,000 tonnes per year.
Will there be an increase in traffic?
The facility has a limit on the amount of vehicle movements in and out of the site. Accordingly, the operator has confirmed that waste from East Lancashire will replace existing waste deliveries rather than being additional.
As such, overall traffic levels are not expected to increase.
How will the waste be managed on site?
Waste will be received and processed indoors, within buildings. It will not be deposited outdoors. This will avoid the issue relating to the presence of Gulls, which has consistently raised concerns at the current Whinney Hill site.
What happens to the waste after treatment?
The waste is processed into Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) for use in cement kilns.
What types of waste are delivered to the facility currently?
The County Council is not party to the historical operation of the site and therefore cannot comment on all waste types previously accepted. However, the operator has confirmed that they already receive similar waste types.
The facility has all relevant permits to accept collected household residual waste and the tonnages anticipated.
Will it also take food waste when separate collections commence?
No. Separately collected food waste will be treated through a process called Anaerobic Digestion, which creates electricity, at Farington Waste Recovery Park.
What about the risk of vermin or fires?
Waste facilities operate under strict environmental controls. The facility already has robust pest control processes in place, given the types of waste it already receives. The company invested over £1m in 2024 on new fire suppression systems.
How will compliance be monitored?
The facility operates under a planning consent and a waste management permit (licence). The County Council will monitor compliance against the planning consent in its role as planning authority. The Environment Agency monitor compliance against the waste management permit. The Council will also be ensuring that Envirofuels meets all its obligations under the contract.
How long will the Envirofuel arrangement last and what will happen after it?
The contract is for a minimum term of two years with options for the council to extend by up to a maximum of a further two years.
Local Government is currently undergoing reorganisation. New unitary council's may be formed to replace the existing district and county council arrangements. This contract is intended to provide certainty of arrangements during the transition period for all of the councils concerned.
Why is the proposed Heasandford site not being used?
The Heasandford site is being proposed by, and for the sole use of, Burnley Council. This contract provides arrangements for the four councils.
But the proposed Heasandford site is a waste transfer facility rather than a waste treatment facility. Waste transfer facilities are just used to bulk waste up for onward transportation in larger vehicles. The county council's role is to have waste treated and, as such, whilst the proposed Heasandford site will deliver a function for Burnley Council in being able to manage its transfer and transportation of different wastes, it isn't a facility where the waste can be treated.
Will this cost more than transporting waste to Farington?
No. The new arrangement will cost less than transporting waste to Farington Waste Recovery Park.
What will happen to Whinney Hill landfill?
Whinney Hill is a privately operated site. The County Council’s contract ends on 31 March 2026. The Council has no role in decisions about the future use of the site.