Competition brief: Mobuoy Road waste remediation
Updated 17 August 2016
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sbri-funding-competition-mobuoy-road-waste-remediation/mobuoy-road-waste-remediation-competition-brief
1. Dates and deadlines
| Competition opens | Monday 27 June 2016 |
| Briefing event | Wednesday 29 June 2016 |
| Registration deadline | Noon on Wednesday 17 August 2016 |
| Application deadline | Noon on Wednesday 24 August 2016 |
2. The competition scope
Illegal waste sites can have a negative impact on the environment and on public health. Traditional methods of dealing with these impacts can be expensive and environmentally unsustainable.
The aim of this competition is to develop new and innovative remediation technologies and processes. They should be affordable and sustainable. It should also be possible to tailor these methods to different sites.
We are looking to fund projects that provide proof of concept and prototypes of these new technologies and processes. They must be appropriate for use at the Mobuoy Road waste site as well as other illegal waste sites in Northern Ireland. There may also be commercial opportunities to apply relevant technologies to regulated landfill sites.
We will select projects that can provide the best remediation solutions. These can be for full or part remediation of the Mobuoy Road site. They can also propose ways for reducing the negative impact on the surrounding areas. This can include soils, groundwater, surface waters and air quality.
We expect these technologies to lead to cost savings to the public procurer. There could also be wider economic benefits. These include opportunities for new start-up businesses and expansion of existing businesses.
At least 50% of the contract value must be for research and development (R&D) services.
R&D can include solution exploration and design. It can also include prototyping and field-testing the product or service. R&D does not include:
- commercial development activities such as quantity production
- supply to establish commercial viability or to recover R&D costs
- integration, customisation or incremental adaptations and improvements to existing products or processes
3. Funding and project details
The competition is in 2 phases.
In phase 1 you show the technical feasibility of your proposed concept. We expect development contracts to last for up to 6 months. We have allocated £350,000 to fund up to 6 projects in phase 1 of the competition.
Phase 2 is open to organisations that have completed phase 1. We may invite the most promising projects in phase 1 to take part in phase 2. This phase is for developing and evaluating prototypes or demonstrators.
We will decide whether to move forward with phase 2 when we know the outcomes of phase 1. You should provide details of your goals and an outline plan for phase 2 in your phase 1 proposal. This should include plans for full commercialisation.
4. How to apply
To apply:
- register online
- read the guidance for applicants
- complete and submit your online application form
In addition to the information here, you can also view a recording of the briefing for potential applicants that took place in Belfast on 29 June 2016.
We will not accept late submissions. Your application is confidential.
A panel of independent experts will assess your proposal. We will then choose the best proposals from those that meet the aims of this competition.
5. Background and further information
There is increasing pressure on the public sector to deal with the problem of illegal waste. This is at unauthorised sites across Northern Ireland as well as the wider UK. The 2013 Mills Review estimates the long-term public cost could be hundreds of millions of pounds. There is also the risk of infraction costs if the UK fails in its duty under EU legislation.
5.1 The Mobuoy Road waste site
This competition is part of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency’s remediation strategy for the Mobuoy Road illegal waste site.
The site in County Londonderry covers around 46 hectares. This is reported to contain more than 913,105m3 of illegally deposited waste. There are deposits below and above ground level at depths of up to 10m. This includes municipal type solid waste (MSW) and construction and demolition (C&D) waste. It is estimated that there is also 252,050 m3 of waste deposits in an adjacent former licensed landfill site some of which has been deposited illegally. EWC codes for the likely wastes present at Mobuoy Road include 01 04, 17 01, 17 02, 17 03, 17 04, 17 06, 20 01 and 20 03.
There may be other waste types but the remediation of these is outside the scope of this competition. More detailed site investigation data may become available during the project. The chemical composition of leachate from this site is likely to be typical of that from regulated landfill sites of the same waste types.
The River Faughan forms the western boundary of the site. It is an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) due to its Atlantic salmon population. The Carnmoney water treatment works operated by Northern Ireland Water (NIW) abstracts raw water from the River Faughan downstream from the waste site. Remedial targets for the protection of water quality are under development and will be available in October 2016. As a minimum these targets will be those required to achieve the relevant Environmental Quality Standards (EQS).
5.2 About SBRI competitions
SBRI provides innovative solutions to challenges faced by the public sector. This can lead to better public services and improved efficiency and effectiveness. SBRI supports economic growth and enables the development of innovative products and services. It does this through the public procurement of R&D.
SBRI generates new business opportunities for companies and provides a route to market for their ideas. It also bridges the seed funding gap experienced by many early-stage companies.
If you need more information, contact the competition helpline on 0300 321 4357 or email us at support@innovateuk.gov.uk