£65m Energy Recovery Facility Proposed For Hartlepool Industrial Site..

Tofts Road West, Hartlepool, where the proposed new facility could be built

Plans For Hazardous Waste Energy Facility In Hartlepool Go Out To Public Consultation

12th May 2026

Residents in Hartlepool are being invited to give their views on plans for a new hazardous waste energy recovery facility proposed for land off Tofts Road West.

Qualitech Environmental Services Ltd is proposing to construct and operate the Tofts Road Energy Recovery Facility in Hartlepool. The company says the facility would provide additional capacity to treat hazardous waste arising from the Tees Valley and across the UK, while also generating electricity, heat and steam from the treatment process.

According to the project website, the UK currently has limited capacity to treat hazardous waste, with the two existing facilities said to be more than 35 years old and subject to frequent shutdowns. The applicant says this means thousands of tonnes of hazardous waste is currently being exported to mainland Europe each year for treatment, adding to carbon emissions through long-distance road and sea transport.

The proposed Hartlepool facility would treat waste classed as hazardous from sectors including manufacturing, pharmaceutical facilities, engineering, maintenance and industrial cleaning. The developers state that the plant would not deal with general household black bin bag waste, but specialist hazardous waste requiring controlled treatment.

Under the proposals, hazardous waste would be delivered to the site in sealed containers and unloaded inside a purpose-built reception building. It would then be fed into a high-temperature incinerator operating at between 1,100°C and 1,400°C, temperatures which the applicant says would fully destroy the waste.

The heat produced by the process would be used to raise steam, which would then drive a turbine to produce electricity for export to the local grid. Heat and steam could also potentially be supplied to nearby industrial users. The project website claims the facility could generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of up to 2,000 homes each year.

£65 million investment in Hartlepool

Qualitech says the scheme would represent a £65 million investment in Hartlepool. The project is expected to support around 45 construction jobs over a three-year build period, create 40 permanent skilled roles once operational, and provide local apprenticeship opportunities, However, before the facility could be built and operated, it would require two separate approvals. A planning application which is expected to be submitted to Hartlepool Borough Council later this year, & an Environmental Permit which would also be required from the Environment Agency before the facility could operate.

A public consultation is now said to be underway, with feedback invited from members of the public before a planning application is submitted to Hartlepool Borough Council. The consultation closes on 5 June 2026.

Residents can also attend public drop-in exhibitions at Hartlepool Rovers FC, West View Road, Hartlepool, TS24 0BP, on 20 May from 4pm to 7pm and 21 May from 12pm to 4pm. Feedback can also be submitted through the online questionnaire, by email at info@toftsroadefw.co.uk, by Freephone on 0800 689 1095, or by Freepost using Freepost HAVE YOUR SAY.

The plans can also be viewed on their website : https://toftsroadefw.co.uk/the-plans/