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Incinerator information library

Information for Millerhill Energy Recovery Centre, Former Millerhill Marshalling Yards, Whitehill Mains Road, Millerhill, Dalkeith, Midlothian

Status: Existing
Planning Region: Scotland
Planning Sub-Region: Edinburgh
Operator: FCC / Vattenfall and Green Recovery Projects (GRP) / ICON
Capacity: 189,500
Campaign Group(s): Green Alternatives to Incineration in Scotland (GAINS)
Notes: The facility was officially opened in September 2019 [Source]. Planning Permission approved in September 2015 for an incinerator at this site intended to treat household, industrial and commercial wastes [Source, Source]. Planning permission in Principle for an "energy-from-waste facility" of up to 100ktpa on the site was granted in 2011. It was reported in June 2013 that Edinburgh and Midlothian councils intended to purchase electricity at the facility from one of the three potential operators of the site [Source], and FCC was named the preferred bidder in December 2014 [Source]. It was reported in October 2016 that the Green Investment Bank committed £28m of debt finance to the plant, joining a lending club that includes Investec, Siemens Bank and Credit Agricole [Source]. In February 2020 it was reported that heat from the incinerator "is to be used as part of a district heating network for a new town being built on the outskirts of Edinburgh" [Source]. Permit reference PPC/A/1136072. See public register for permit documents. (Entry updated 2020-03-25)

APR Summary 2025

Details taken or derived from the Annual Performance Report submitted by the operator

Permit: PPC-A-1136072

EntryValueNotes
Plant Size TPA189,500.00Edinburgh and Midlothian Recycling and Energy Recovery Centre
Plant Size MWth50.00
Plant Size MWe13.00
Power Generated Year Total107,967.00
Power Generated kWh per tonne703.24
Power Exported Year Total97,462.00
Power Exported kWh per tonne634.82
Power Imported Year Total544.00
Power Imported kWh per tonne3.54
Parasitic Load Year Total0.10
Thermal Energy Exported Year Total0.00
Total Waste Received Year Total153,529.01
Total Waste Combusted Year Total153,527.35Household / Local Authority (97.94%)
Permit Breaches Year Total2.00
Annual CO2 Mass139,630.94The Annual Average CO2 % is taken from the calibrated CEMs. This was multiplied by 10,000 to convert to ppm. And using conversion factors in the EA's PI guidance note converted to mg/m3. Then multiplied by average stack flow (m3/hr) in 2025.
Annual CO2 Mass Per Tonne0.91
Annual CO2 Mass Per Mwh1.43
Annual N2O Mass0.00Annual Average taken from CEMs = 0.00 mg/Nm3. x Ave flow m3/hr in 2025. Using hours plant operational, calculated the tonnage per year.
Total CO2 N2O139,630.94
Biogenic Percentage Mass0.50REGO waste analysis conducted in September 2024. Qualifying sources (by weight) include Paper/card 17.29%; Textiles 10.28%; Miscellaneous 14.88%; putrescibles 6.73%; Fines 0.27%

Entry on WikiWaste:

https://wikiwaste.org.uk/index.php/Millerhill_EfW

Annual Performance Report files:

99-AnnualPerformanceReport-2019.pdf
99-AnnualPerformanceReport-2020.xlsm
99-AnnualPerformanceReport-2021.pdf
99-AnnualPerformanceReport-2022.pdf
99-AnnualPerformanceReport-2023.xlsm
99-AnnualPerformanceReport-2024.xlsm
99-AnnualPerformanceReport-2025.xlsm

Pollution Inventory Return files:

99-PollutionInventoryReturn-2025-Explanation.pdf
99-PollutionInventoryReturn-2025-v0.xlsx

Environment Agency Compliance Assessment Reports

Click here to see the incinerator compliance documents for existing English incinerators

Standard notice:

UKWIN (and therefore the UKWIN map) focuses on Municipal Waste Incinerators, whereas our colleagues at Biofuelwatch focus on biomass projects. If you are interested in biomass incinerators (including waste wood plants) over 20MW then please see the Biofuelwatch map of UK Biomass Power Stations. Those concerned about biomass plants, including waste wood plants, should email Biofuelwatch at biofuelwatch[at]gmail.com.

Please be aware: There is always room for improvement, so please send updates to coordinator@ukwin.org.uk. Existing Incinerator means a facility that is operational or under construction/commissioning. A Potential Incinerator is a facility where there is a proposal for an incinerator (e.g. planning application or planning consent) or other reason to believe an incinerator might be built/proposed in the future. A Prevented Incinerator is something which used to be a proposal or expected incinerator which we do not believe is currently being progressed (e.g. because the project was cancelled, planning permission refused, or years have gone by since the permission was granted without any progress) - in some cases a facility marked as prevented is being progressed without us being aware or is subsequently revived. Capacity is usually the permitted or maximum advertised capacity of the facility.