COMPOST made from domestic waste could soon be nourishing farmland and gardens across the county. Plans have been drawn up to create Hertfordshire s first domestic waste compost centre. The centre, which will be built at the old Thames Water sewage treatm

COMPOST made from domestic waste could soon be nourishing farmland and gardens across the county.

Plans have been drawn up to create Hertfordshire's first domestic waste compost centre.

The centre, which will be built at the old Thames Water sewage treatment works at Mill Green, Hatfield, will be capable of handling 55,000 tonnes of green waste every year.

The site will be managed by Terra Eco Systems, the UK's largest organic recycler, although the ambitious scheme is still subject to full planning approval and the company obtaining a waste management licence.

If the project reaches fruition, the new centre will help local authorities in the county recycle and utilise more of the organic waste produced by residents.

This will include kitchen waste and cardboard, along with other materials collected in existing garden waste collection schemes operated by councils.

Material collected from residents' doorsteps will be recycled and then sent to local farmland as a soil conditioner and enhancer. It is hoped that compost produced by the plant will in the future be made available for people to use on their gardens.

"Composting garden and kitchen waste is something we are encouraging people to do at home. But we still have to bury thousands of tonnes of it every year, which is inconsistent to say the least," said Cllr Stuart Pile, Hertfordshire County Council executive member for transportation and environment.

"If this new facility gets the go ahead, it will not only reduce the pressure on landfill sites, but will also help us to put something back into the environment on a major scale."

Martin Hammond, general manager of Terra Eco Systems, said: "The new composting facility will convert waste into a safe and valuable organic fertiliser, helping to return nutrients to the ground."

It is hoped the plant will come into use this coming November.