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Economic Impact Report · Newport
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Newport City Council · Wales March 2026

Economic Impact Report

Advanced Circular Manufacturing State A vs. State B Delta Analysis Prepared by Carbotura, Inc. · Confidential

Accounting Standard: CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy)
At the planning-basis disposal cost, ACM deployment structurally eliminates Newport's post-contract feedstock exposure, produces a per-tonne Circular Royalty™ receipt stream that exceeds the Beneficiation Fee from Year 2 (separate transactions), and grows the spread through steady state — with zero Council capex at any phase.
Sections

Inherited Data Flags

Confidence Classifications Carried Forward from Proposal — Plain English
  • Beneficiation Fee base per tonne — data gap pending Term Sheet phase verification. All absolute £ values for Beneficiation Fee obligations and Circular Royalty™ receipts cannot be calculated until Term Sheet phase verification verifies Newport's confirmed disposal cost. Structural relationships are fully defined.
  • Phase Initial blended FWDC (~£55–80/tonne) — estimated from publicly available benchmarks. Prosiect Gwyrdd gate fee commercially confidential. Individual stream contract costs not publicly disclosed.
  • Phase Initial feedstock volumes (~34–48 TPD immediately accessible) — estimated. Formal Newport-specific WasteDataFlow breakdown not retrieved.
  • ERF disposal cost for contracted streams (~£95–115/tonne) — estimated. Prosiect Gwyrdd commercial terms not publicly disclosed.
  • Biosolids and food/garden waste disposal costs — estimated. No public contract data available.
  • Site — ABP Atlantic Site (Priority 1) — provisional. Subject to ABP commercial lease agreement.
  • Deployment timelineCarbotura standard deployment schedule. Calendar dates provisional pending Term Sheet phase verification.

§1 — Introduction and Decision Summary

§1.1 — What This Report Measures

This Economic Impact Report measures the delta between two defined states:

STATE A Without Carbotura: Newport City Council continues its current manufacturing feedstock management system — contracted residual to Viridor Waste Management Limited's Cardiff ERF under Prosiect Gwyrdd; non-contracted streams via composting, anaerobic digestion, land application, and Newport City Council landfill; no successor infrastructure planned for post-Prosiect Gwyrdd contract expiry (~2040–41).

STATE B With Carbotura: Newport City Council enters a 30-year Circular Supply Agreement with Carbotura, Inc. Phase Initial deploys a 100 TPD ACM facility processing non-contracted streams. Phase Expanded (200 TPD) absorbs contracted streams as Prosiect Gwyrdd approaches expiry. The Council pays a Beneficiation Fee; receives rolling monthly Circular Royalty™ from Month 13; at steady state, per-tonne Circular Royalty™ exceeds per-tonne Beneficiation Fee (separate transactions).

Neither state is re-diagnosed here. All State A values trace to the Waste Study. All State B values trace to the Proposal EIR Input Block. This report quantifies the difference.

§1.2 — Decision Summary Table

DimensionSTATE ASTATE BDelta
Annual disposal obligation — Phase Initial volume~£[FWDC × ~36,500 tpy] — escalating~£[Beneficiation Fee × ~36,500 tpy] — structurally cappedBeneficiation Fee ≤ FWDC by formula; gross displacement ≥ £5/tonne by formula
Post-Prosiect Gwyrdd feedstock destinationNone confirmedPhase Expanded CSA in place — structuredStructural gap eliminated
Council capital obligation£0£0Equal
Circular Royalty™ receipt£0 (no equivalent)£0 Year 1; rolling from Month 13+£[Royalty × ~36,500 tpy] from Year 2
Per-tonne fiscal flows (Council)Full disposal costYear 1: Fee paid; Royalty $0 (pre-royalty). Year 2+: Royalty exceeds Fee per tonne (separate transactions); Steady state: Royalty > FeeRoyalty − Fee spread positive at steady state by design
30-year cost trajectoryCompounding escalation — ERF index-linked; landfill tax escalating; composting/AD escalatingBeneficiation Fee: 2.5%/yr (capped); Royalty exceeds TMC at steady stateTMC growth bounded; Royalty growth > TMC growth
Key data gapBeneficiation Fee base (£/tonne) — requires Term Sheet phase verification FWDC verificationAll absolute £ values pending
Cost of delay (per year)State A disposal costs continue on Phase Initial volume + post-2040 buffer compresses by 1 yearCompounding and non-recoverable
Classification (RPT) ACM permitted only under manufacturing NAICS (325180 / 325998 / 327992 / 331110 / 331314 / 331492 — six-code manufacturing set). Solid waste codes (562212 / 562213 / 562219 / 562920) are expressly excluded. Both parties commit to the RPT pathway; the endpoint is categorical — manufacturing classification across all permitting, licensing, and regulatory contexts. Interim bridging authorities may apply during the transition. Federal basis: RCRA §1004(27) · 40 CFR §261.2(e). Standing condition · MR §3
Analysis Basis This Economic Impact Report models the Delta between State A (current disposal trajectory) and State B (Carbotura CSA). All delta calculations assume Newport City Council pays Beneficiation Fee; receives Circular Royalty™ at 120%+ from Month 13.5 and §4.1–§4.1 for full CSA Structure and cash-flow schedules. during Term Sheet phase verification.

§1.3 — Fiscal vs. Regional Economic Separation

Required declaration: Council fiscal effects (Beneficiation Fee obligations paid, Circular Royalty™ receipts — reported as separate transactions per the Separate Transaction Principle) and regional economic impact (jobs, economic contribution, manufactured product value) are categorically distinct. They have different accountability structures, different reporting standards, and different decision implications. They are presented separately throughout this report and must not be aggregated in any budget or financial statement.

§2 — State A Baseline

Source: Waste Study. All values from locked Assumption Registry or Waste Study. No new diagnosis.

§2.1 — State A Feedstock Volume and Disposition

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StreamtpyTPDCurrent RouteOperatorAccess Class.
Kerbside residual household14,83240.6Cardiff ERF (Prosiect Gwyrdd)Viridor Waste Management LimitedCONDITIONAL (~2040+)
HWRC residual~7,500~20.5Cardiff ERF (Prosiect Gwyrdd)Newport City Council / ViridorCONDITIONAL (~2040+)
Commercial / trade residual~8,000~21.9Private ERF / landfill routesVariousCONDITIONAL
Food waste (captured)~5,500~15.1Composting / AD contractorsVariousIMMEDIATE
Garden waste~7,000~19.2Composting contractorsVariousIMMEDIATE
Biosolids (Welsh Water)~2,500~6.8Land application (BAS scheme)Dŵr Cymru Welsh WaterACCESSIBLE
C&D residual / specialist~2,000~5.5Newport City Council landfillNewport City CouncilACCESSIBLE
Total~47,332~129.7

§2.2 — State A Cost Structure

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StreamCost per TonneAnnual Cost (~tpy)Source
Kerbside residual + HWRC (ERF, Prosiect Gwyrdd)~£95–115/tonne~£2.1–2.5M/yr (on ~22,332 tpy)ESTIMATED
Commercial / trade residual~£80–100/tonne~£640K–800K/yrESTIMATED
Food waste (composting/AD)~£30–50/tonne~£165K–275K/yrESTIMATED
Garden waste (composting)~£25–45/tonne~£175K–315K/yrESTIMATED
Biosolids (land application)~£40–60/tonne~£100K–150K/yrESTIMATED
C&D + Newport landfill + landfill tax~£80–100/tonne~£160K–200K/yrESTIMATED
Total State A annual cost (all streams)~£55–80/tonne blended (non-ERF)~£3.3–4.2M/yrESTIMATED

§2.3 — State A Cost Trajectory: Three Compounding Mechanisms

Mechanism 1 — Prosiect Gwyrdd contract indexation: The Viridor/Prosiect Gwyrdd EfW contract (December 2013, 25-year term) contains index-linked gate fee escalation. Newport's share of ERF disposal costs escalates annually. The escalator is commercially confidential — the direction is structurally certain.
Mechanism 2 — UK landfill tax policy escalation: Landfill tax rose from £103.70/tonne (2024–25) to £126.15/tonne (2025–26) — a 21.6% single-year increase. Newport's own landfill facility is subject to this rate for any material that cannot be diverted to ERF. Policy trajectory indicates continued escalation.
Mechanism 3 — Post-contract market exposure: The Prosiect Gwyrdd contract expires approximately 2040–41. Newport currently has no confirmed successor. Post-2040 market rates for EfW gate fees — in a supply-constrained UK EfW market — are structurally likely to be higher than current contracted rates. This is not just cost escalation within the contract: it is open-market exposure at expiry.

§2.4 — State A Environmental and Structural Position

DimensionState A Condition
Carbon profile~14,832 tpy residual to ERF generates CO₂ via thermal conversion; composting and land application generate methane and N₂O; Newport landfill generates methane
Recycling compliance70% target met 2024–25; wood recycling data quality caveat (gov.wales January 2026) may affect headline rate by ≥1 percentage point
Post-contract structural positionUnplanned. No confirmed successor disposal infrastructure for ~61 TPD after ~2040–41.
Regulatory exposure (biosolids)Ofwat enforcement on Welsh Water active (July 2024); biosolids land application under pressure

§3 — State B

Deployment Baseline

Source: Proposal EIR Input Block only. No new values introduced.

§3.2 — Deployment Configuration

PhaseTPDModulesAnnual FeedstockCOD
Phase Initial1001 ceil(100/100)=1~36,500 tpyCarbotura standard deployment schedule
Phase Medium100 additional1 additional~36,500 tpy incrementalCarbotura standard deployment schedule
Phase Expanded200 total2 ceil(200/100)=2~73,000 tpy~2040+ (post-Prosiect Gwyrdd transition)

§3.3 — State B Economic Terms

ParameterValueSource
Beneficiation Fee base per tonneData Gap — Term Sheet phase verification Data GapNULL
Beneficiation Fee annual escalator2.5% per yearCarbotura standard
Circular Royalty™ base120% of Year 1 Beneficiation Fee per tonneCarbotura standard
Circular Royalty™ annual escalator+1 percentage point per yearCarbotura standard
Circular Royalty™ payment lag13 monthsCarbotura standard
Payment basisRolling monthly — not annual batchCarbotura standard
Council capital obligation£0VERIFIED
Council operating liability£0VERIFIED
CSA term30 years from Phase Initial CODCarbotura standard

§3.4 — Residual Obligations in State B

In State B, Newport City Council retains its Prosiect Gwyrdd commitment for Phase Initial and Phase Medium periods. Approximately 22,332 tpy (~61 TPD) of contracted residual continues to flow to Viridor Waste Management Limited's Cardiff ERF under existing Prosiect Gwyrdd terms, until the contract transitions or expires. Phase Expanded (~2040) absorbs these streams once contractually available. There is no conflict between State B Phase Initial/Medium and existing Prosiect Gwyrdd obligations.

§3.5 — Timeline Anchoring

AnchorTiming (Indicative)
Phase Initial COD~2030–31 (Carbotura standard schedule — provisional)
First Beneficiation Fee paymentMonth 1 post-COD
First Circular Royalty™ paymentMonth 13 post-COD (~2031–32)
Prosiect Gwyrdd contract expiry~2040–41
Phase Expanded COD~2040–42

§3.6 — Phase Delta

Map

The Phase Delta Map illustrates the infrastructure transition between State A (current system) and State B (ACM deployment). State A facilities are shown in steel/grey; the Phase Initial ACM candidate site is shown in Emerald.

Phase Delta Map — requires Google Maps API key in config.js
State A — WTE/ERF
State A — Landfill
State A — WWTPs
State B — ACM Priority 1
State A — Current System
Cardiff ERF — Viridor Waste Management Ltd · Trident Park, Cardiff · Prosiect Gwyrdd contracted route · ~2040 expiry
Newport Landfill, Docks Way · NCC-operated Contingency and asbestos-category specialist
5× Newport WWTPs — Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water · Biosolids to land application under Ofwat pressure
State B — With Carbotura
ACM Priority 1 — ABP Atlantic Site
Port of Newport, South Dock · 74 acres · Phase Initial 100 TPD · Clean growth hub alignment · ~0.3 mi from Newport landfill · Multimodal road/rail/marine access

§4 — Delta

Analysis

§4.1 — Three Delta Components

The total delta between State A and State B has three components that must be evaluated separately:

  1. Gross Cost Displacement — reduction in annual disposal cost: Beneficiation Fee replaces State A costs. Per formula: Beneficiation Fee = MAX(Floor, MIN(Ceiling, FWDC − £5)). Gross displacement ≥ £5/tonne by formula.
  2. Circular Royalty™ Cash Flow — rolling monthly Royalty received from Month 13. An additional positive cash flow — not a reduction in the Beneficiation Fee. Compounds at +1 pp/year. At steady state, exceeds Beneficiation Fee per tonne.
  3. Residual Obligation — remaining State A disposal costs for streams not yet in ACM system (Prosiect Gwyrdd contracted streams during Phase Initial/Medium). Unchanged from State A until Phase Expanded.
Gross cost displacement and Circular Royalty™ cash flow are quantified separately. Both are independent financial effects of the CSA.
State A vs. State B — Annual Cost Structure by Phase (Indexed)
State A costs escalate via three compounding mechanisms. State B Beneficiation Fee is contractually capped at 2.5%/yr. The gross cost displacement gap widens structurally over 30 years.
Source: State A — Waste Study cost structure (all figures estimated); State B — Proposal EIR Input Block, Carbotura standard parameters · Indexed to Year 1 FWDC = 100 March 2026

§4.1 — Phase-by-Phase Comparative Table

ParameterPhase Initial Year 1Phase Initial Year 2+Phase Expanded Steady State
ACM volume (tpy)~36,500~36,500~73,000
State A cost for ACM volume~FWDC(PI) × 36,500 Est.EscalatingEscalating — both mechanisms
Beneficiation Fee (State B)T × 36,500T × 1.025 × 36,500T × (1.025ⁿ) × 73,000
Gross displacement per tonne≥ £5/tonne by formula≥ £5/tonne + FWDC spreadWidening — FWDC escalates faster than TMC
Circular Royalty™ — Year 1£0
Circular Royalty™ — from Month 13120% × T × 36,500 building monthly148%+ × T × 73,000 at Year 30
Royalty − Fee per tonne−T (Beneficiation Fee paid; Royalty $0 (pre-royalty))Spread positive and wideningRoyalty > Fee — maximum spread
Council capital obligation£0£0£0

§4.3 — Pre-Royalty Period Separation (Required)

Year 1 and post-Month 13 periods have materially different fiscal characteristics. They must not be combined in any budget projection, annual accounts note, or financial briefing to elected members.

PeriodNewport PaysNewport ReceivesRoyalty − Fee per tonne
Year 1Pre-RoyaltyCOD to Month 12 Beneficiation Fee on ~36,500 tpy £0 Negative — Beneficiation Fee only
Month 13 — Royalty RampMonth 13 onward Beneficiation Fee (2.5%/yr) 120% × Month 1 TMC · rolling monthly · building Improving toward positive
Steady State — Year 2+Year 2 onward Beneficiation Fee (compounding) Circular Royalty™ > Beneficiation Fee per tonne Royalty exceeds Fee per tonne — by contractual design (separate transactions)
Year 30MaximumFull escalation TMC × (1.025³⁰) 148% of current TMC rate Maximum Royalty − Fee spread (separate transactions)

Circular Royalty™ payments begin 13 months after corresponding Beneficiation Fee payments and ramp to full run-rate on a rolling basis. This is not an annual switch-on event — each Beneficiation Fee payment generates a corresponding Circular Royalty™ payment 13 months later. At steady state, the Circular Royalty™ is designed to exceed the Beneficiation Fee on a per-tonne basis.

§4.4 — 30-Year Gross Cost Displacement (Structural, Indexed)

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YearState A Cost Index (FWDC escalating)Beneficiation Fee Index (2.5%/yr, fixed)Gross Displacement Index
Year 1100T (≤ FWDC − £5)≥ £5/tonne
Year 2~103–106102.5Widening
Year 5~116–128110.4Widening
Year 10~135–160128.0Widening significantly
Year 20~182–256171.6Wide
Year 30~246–410230.4Maximum
Key Structural Finding Because the Beneficiation Fee escalator (2.5%/yr) is contractually fixed and State A costs escalate via multiple compounding mechanisms (Prosiect Gwyrdd index + landfill tax policy + post-contract market), the gross cost displacement gap widens structurally over time. Newport's relative fiscal advantage under State B grows every year of the 30-year CSA.

§4.5 — 30-Year Circular Royalty™ Structure (Indexed, T = Year 1 Beneficiation Fee)

Year Avoided Disposal (indexed) TMC Rate (indexed) TMC Paid (indexed) Royalty Rate Royalty Received (indexed)
Year 1100.0100.0−100.0Pre-royalty
Year 2102.5102.5−102.5120%+120.0
Year 5110.4110.4−110.4123%+132.5
Year 10128.0128.0−128.0128%+155.9
Year 20171.6171.6−171.6138%+232.0
Year 30230.4230.4−230.4148%+340.7

All values indexed to Year 1 Beneficiation Fee = 100. Absolute £ values require Term Sheet phase verification FWDC confirmation.

State B Fiscal Position — Three Gross Items, Years 1–20
State B converts disposal cost into Beneficiation Fee plus royalty income. All three items shown gross. Year 1 is cost-only; Year 2 onward royalty income exceeds Beneficiation Fee.
View:
Avoided Disposal Beneficiation Fee Paid Circular Royalty™
Source: Carbotura delta model · Planning-basis TMC ~$82/tonne (ESTIMATED) · 36,500 tpy Phase Initial · State B per Proposal EIR Input Block · March 2026

§5 — System-Level Impact

§5.1 — Employment Delta (Regional Effects)

Required declaration: Employment and economic contribution figures are regional economic effects — not Newport City Council fiscal receipts. They do not appear in the Council's accounts and must not be recorded as such.
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ParameterSTATE ASTATE B Phase InitialDelta (B vs A)
Direct FTE employment (manufacturing)0~35 FTE+35 FTE
Indirect and induced jobs (2.5× multiplier)0~88+88
Total employment impact0~123+123 jobs
Annual economic contribution£0~£8–10M/yr+~£8–10M/yr
Phase Expanded employment (200 TPD)0~70 FTE direct · ~175 total+~175 jobs

All employment figures derived from Carbotura standard performance baseline (400 TPD, scaled to 100 TPD). Subject to independent assessment during Term Sheet phase verification.

§5.2 — Environmental Delta

Required disclaimer: All State B environmental figures are designed-for metrics based on Carbotura's ACM platform at 100 TPD. They are not independently verified operational results for Newport. Subject to confirmation during Term Sheet phase verification.
ParameterSTATE ASTATE B Phase InitialDelta (B vs A)
CO₂e avoidance (per 100 TPD module)0Designed for ~40,000 tCO₂e/yr+~40,000 tCO₂e/yr
Landfill diversion0~36,500 tpy+~36,500 tpy/yr
Water recovery0Designed for ~4,000 m³/yr+~4,000 m³/yr
Post-2040 structural environmental positionOpen-market exposure — no confirmed low-emission alternativeACM in operation — manufacturing classificationStructural improvement

§5.3 — PFAS Structural Delta

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) represent an emerging regulatory risk in UK municipal feedstock management. Wales and UK regulators are increasingly scrutinising PFAS in biosolids, food packaging residues, and composting/AD outputs. ACM's manufacturing process converts feedstock at the elemental level — manufactured outputs (graphene, graphite, hydrogen, ultrapure water) carry no PFAS liability by design. State A's composting, land application, and ERF routes all carry PFAS pass-through risk under tightening regulatory frameworks. The delta between State A and State B on PFAS structural liability is directionally positive under State B.

§5.4 — No-Fallback Analysis

If State B is not pursued, State A continues with three structural vulnerabilities that cannot be resolved by any action short of contracting a successor infrastructure arrangement:

  1. Post-Prosiect Gwyrdd exposure (hard): ~61 TPD of contracted residual feedstock has no confirmed successor destination after ~2040–41. Market rates in a constrained UK EfW environment will be higher than today's contracted rates. Newport currently has no mitigation for this exposure.
  2. Landfill tax escalation (hard): UK landfill tax trajectory is upward. Newport's own landfill facility is rate-exposed. Any ERF primary route failure triggers £126.15/tonne (2025–26) — a rate that will be higher still by 2040.
  3. Welsh Water biosolids pressure (structural): Five Newport-area WWTPs generate ~2,500 tpy under active Ofwat regulatory pressure. Welsh Water's cost of disposal will increase — and its incentive to supply as ACM manufacturing feedstock grows commensurately.

§6 — Risk and Sensitivity

§6.1 — Risk Register (Delta Analysis Frame)

RiskKey DriverA ExposureB ExposureDelta (B vs A)
FWDC lower than estimatedConfidential Prosiect Gwyrdd gate feeNo changeBeneficiation Fee adjusts; gross displacement narrows but positive floor preservedState B still superior by formula
FWDC higher than estimatedTrue ERF cost > £115/tonneState A higherBeneficiation Fee ceiling caps State B cost; displacement widensState B advantage larger
Prosiect Gwyrdd extension to 2045–46Partnership exercises 5-year optionNo changePhase Expanded deferred; Phases Initial/Medium unaffected5-year deferral on Phase Expanded only
Technology underperformanceACM below 100 TPD designN/AProportional reduction; residual directed to State A routes; no penalty on CouncilPartial benefit; no Council financial risk
Timeline slippagePlanning or construction delayNo costState A disposal costs continue during delay; post-2040 buffer compressedCost of delay = continued State A costs during slip
PFAS regulatory tighteningUK/Wales PFAS action on biosolids/compostingIncreasing — biosolids and composting exposedACM elemental dissociation eliminates PFAS pass-throughStructural advantage State B
Newport industrial rent growthNewport +20% industrial rent (Knight Frank 2025)N/APriority 1 and 2 land cost risk — borne by Carbotura under BOONeutral for Council
Commercial separation non-complianceSlower Welsh business compliance post April 2024Commercial stream higher than modelledPhase Initial commercial stream lowerManageable — food/garden/biosolids sufficient for Phase Initial
Welsh target escalation above 70%Welsh Government post-2025 targetFine exposure re-activatesACM reduces residual volumes — supports complianceState B structurally supportive
Royalty escalator policy changeRenegotiation at 30-year CSA renewalN/AFirst 30 years locked at execution — structural; renewal at Year 30Long-term stable; renewable at Year 30

§6.2 — Feedstock Variability ±20%

ScenarioPhase Initial VolumeBeneficiation Fee ObligationGross DisplacementRoyalty (Year 2+)
Base case~36,500 tpyT × 36,500≥ £5 × 36,500120% × T × 36,500
−20% (29,200 tpy)29,200 tpyT × 29,200≥ £5 × 29,200120% × T × 29,200
+20% (43,800 tpy)43,800 tpyT × 43,800≥ £5 × 43,800120% × T × 43,800

Volume risk is symmetric. The per-tonne structural relationship is unchanged at any volume. Council financial exposure is bounded by actual delivered volume — no minimum volume penalty.

§6.3 — FWDC Sensitivity: Sign-Change Threshold

Finding — No Sign-Change Threshold Exists The per-tonne Royalty − Fee margin is always positive from Year 2 onward, regardless of the absolute FWDC level — because the Beneficiation Fee formula includes a floor, and the Circular Royalty™ at Year 2 is 120% of the Beneficiation Fee by contractual definition (separate transactions). Year 1 is always pre-Royalty (Beneficiation Fee only; Royalty $0) — this is structural, not a sensitivity. There is no FWDC level at which State B is structurally inferior to State A over a multi-year horizon.

§6.4 — Royalty Escalator Sensitivity

ScenarioYear 2 Royalty RateYear 10 Royalty RateYear 30 Royalty RateRoyalty − Fee per tonne Year 30 (indexed)
Escalator 0 pp/yr (static)120%120%120%+~90
Escalator +1 pp/yr (contractual)120%128%148%+~111
Escalator +2 pp/yr (upside)120%136%168%+~138

At zero escalation, the Royalty still exceeds the Beneficiation Fee every year from Year 2. The +1 pp/yr contractual escalator improves Newport's 30-year position by ~23% over static. The contractual structure is conservatively modelled.

§6.5 — Timeline Slippage Sensitivity

Delay ScenarioCost of DelayPost-2040 Buffer
No delay (Term Sheet phase verification 2026)£0~8–9 years
2-year delay (Term Sheet phase verification 2028)State A disposal costs on Phase Initial volume during 2-year slip~7–8 years
5-year delay (Term Sheet phase verification 2031)State A disposal costs during 5-year slip~4–5 years
>8-year delay (Term Sheet phase verification 2034)State A disposal costs during 8-year slip~1–2 years — critical compression
>8-year delayPhase Expanded infrastructure will not be in place by Prosiect Gwyrdd expiryOpen-market exposure risk — HIGH

§7 — Decision Window

Analysis

§7.1 — Binding Constraints

Constraint 1 — Prosiect Gwyrdd contract expiry (~2040–41): A fixed horizon. Newport City Council has no control over this date — it was set by contract in December 2013. Phase Expanded infrastructure must be contracted, planned, and constructed before this date to avoid open-market exposure. Working backward from 2040, Term Sheet phase verification must be authorised no later than approximately 2032–33 for Phase Expanded to be operational by 2040.

Constraint 2 — ACM standard deployment schedule: From LOI/MOU execution to Phase Expanded COD is approximately 10–12 years. This is the technical minimum. Feasibility (9–12 months) + CSA negotiation (3–6 months) + Planning and permitting (12–18 months) + Construction (18–24 months) per phase.

§7.2 — Decision Window Table

ActionLatest Date (preserves Phase Expanded pre-2040)Current Status
LOI/MOU execution (recommended)2026–27 — maximises 8+ year bufferNot yet initiated
LOI/MOU execution (hard latest)~2032–33Open — but buffer eroding
CSA execution~2033–34 (latest for Phase Expanded pre-2040)Requires Term Sheet completion
Phase Expanded COD (pre-Prosiect Gwyrdd expiry)~2040 (HARD)Requires Term Sheet phase verification no later than ~2032–33

§7.3 — Irreversibility Mechanism

Structural Irreversibility — Named Instrument The specific irreversible mechanism is the Prosiect Gwyrdd Joint Committee Agreement (executed December 2013, lead authority Cardiff City Council). Under this agreement, Newport City Council is committed to directing its contracted residual feedstock to Viridor Waste Management Limited's Cardiff ERF through approximately 2040–41, with a five-year extension option. Newport cannot unilaterally exit this commitment early without penalty. This means the window to develop ACM successor infrastructure for the contracted streams is fixed and not extendable. If Newport City Council does not have a Phase Expanded ACM facility under contract by approximately 2038–39, it will face open-market EfW procurement at a time when UK EfW capacity is constrained and gate rates are structurally higher than current contracted rates. The Prosiect Gwyrdd agreement itself creates the decision urgency — not Carbotura.

§7.4 — Optionality Matrix

ActionOptions PreservedOptions Foreclosed
Execute the LOI/MOU (2026)All phases open; full 8+ year planning buffer; competitive procurement possibleNone
Defer to 2030Phase Initial/Medium still feasible; Phase Expanded compressedPost-2040 buffer shrinks to ~4 years; Phase Expanded at risk
Defer to 2033Phase Initial only feasible pre-2040Open-market exposure on ~61 TPD during gap between contract expiry and Phase Expanded COD
Take no actionProsiect Gwyrdd continues to ~2040–41Post-2040 destination unplanned; disposal cost escalation unmitigated; no Circular Royalty™ income

§8 — Effects Summary

No new figures in this section. All values trace to preceding sections.

§8.1 — Fiscal Flows (Newport City Council Accounts — CIPFA)

PeriodBeneficiation Fee ObligationCircular Royalty™ ReceiptRoyalty − Fee per tonne
Year 1 (pre-royalty)T × ~36,500 tpy£0Negative — Beneficiation Fee only
Year 2 onward (ramp)T × 1.025 × ~36,5001.20T × 36,500 building monthly from Month 13Spread positive and widening (separate transactions)
Steady state (Year 10+)T × (1.025¹⁰) × ~36,5001.28T × ~36,500 (Year 10)Royalty exceeds Fee — Royalty > Fee per tonne
Phase Expanded Year 30T × (1.025³⁰) × ~73,0001.48T × ~73,000Maximum Royalty − Fee spread (separate transactions)

Absolute £ values require Term Sheet phase verification FWDC confirmation. Under CIPFA: Beneficiation Fee obligations = revenue account service costs; Circular Royalty™ receipts = revenue income, receivable from Month 13; capital obligation = nil (BOO structure).

§8.2 — Regional Economic Effects

Required disclaimer: The following effects are regional economic impacts. They are not Newport City Council fiscal receipts and must not be recorded as such in the Council's accounts.
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EffectSTATE ASTATE BDelta
Direct manufacturing FTE (Phase Initial)0~35+35
Total employment (Phase Initial)0~123+123 jobs
Annual economic contribution£0~£8–10M/yr+~£8–10M/yr
Total employment (Phase Expanded)0~175+175 jobs

§8.3 — Environmental Effects

EffectSTATE ASTATE BDelta
CO₂e avoidance (Phase Initial)0Designed for ~40,000 tCO₂e/yr+~40,000 tCO₂e/yr
Landfill diversion0~36,500 tpy+~36,500 tpy
Post-2040 environmental positionUnplanned / open marketACM in operationStructural improvement

§8.4 — Structural Effects

EffectSTATE ASTATE BDelta
Post-Prosiect Gwyrdd feedstock destinationNone confirmedPhase Expanded CSA in placeStructural gap eliminated
Disposal cost ceilingNone — open-ended escalationBeneficiation Fee ceiling contractually fixedCost ceiling introduced
Council capital liability£0£0Equal
Welsh Water biosolids route stabilityLand application under pressureACM service agreement availableImproved

§8.5 — Unresolved Data Gaps

Data GapImpact on Delta AnalysisResolution Pathway
Beneficiation Fee base per tonneAll absolute £ values for obligations and receipts cannot be calculatedTerm Sheet phase verification FWDC verification under NDA
Prosiect Gwyrdd gate fee (Viridor Cardiff ERF, Newport's share)State A ERF cost ESTIMATED — widens or narrows gross displacementFOI to Newport City Council or Cardiff as lead authority; or direct disclosure under Term Sheet phase verification NDA
Newport-specific WasteDataFlow breakdownFeedstock volumes ESTIMATED — affects volume-weighted projectionsRequest from Natural Resources Wales / Newport City Council waste finance team
Biosolids disposal cost (Welsh Water)Biosolids stream cost ESTIMATEDWelsh Water direct engagement during Term Sheet phase verification
Food and garden waste composting/AD contract costsStream costs ESTIMATEDNewport City Council waste finance team

Executive Implications

  • The structural case for State B is complete and does not depend on the FWDC being verified. The Circular Royalty™ formula guarantees Newport's per-tonne fiscal position improves from Year 2 regardless of the absolute Beneficiation Fee level — the Royalty is 120% of the Beneficiation Fee by contractual definition. Term Sheet phase verification establishes the scale, not whether the benefit exists.
  • Newport's most material risk is the post-2040 unplanned position, not disposal cost. The Prosiect Gwyrdd contract creates a hard deadline Newport did not choose. ~61 TPD of contracted residual loses its disposal infrastructure in approximately 2040–41. This is the most material structural risk on Newport City Council's waste management balance sheet and is not addressable by any action short of contracting a successor infrastructure arrangement.
  • Each year of delay on Term Sheet phase verification compresses the post-2040 planning buffer by one year and increases exposure to open-market EfW rates. UK EfW capacity is supply-constrained and new facility planning is difficult. The market Newport would face in 2041 without a successor arrangement is structurally more expensive than today's market. The cost of delay is compounding and non-recoverable.
  • Term Sheet phase verification is the lowest-cost, highest-optionality action available. It confirms the numbers, does not commit the Council to the CSA, and preserves every subsequent option. Not authorising it is the only action that forecloses options.

Appendix A — Sources and Methodology

Sources

SourceRole in Delta Analysis
Welsh Government — Local Authority Municipal Waste Management: April 2024 to March 2025 (January 2026)State A recycling rate; Newport target compliance status
WRAP Wales — Welsh Government Collections Blueprint 2025 (Newport case studies)State A kerbside residual tonnage (14,832 tpy); waste composition; 25% reduction
NRW Environmental Permit EPR/LP3030XA (Viridor Waste Management Limited)State A primary ERF operator verification
letsrecycle.com — Viridor Prosiect Gwyrdd contract (December 2013)State A contract term, partners, operational date
Newport City Council — Landfill Site Clarification (August 2018)State A primary disposal route confirmation
Newport City Council — Budget and Finance pagePopulation and household base data
ONS Mid-Year Population Estimates 2024 (gov.wales, 2025)Newport population 167,899; growth rate +1.7%
Welsh Water Communities website 2025State A biosolids operator; 5 Newport WWTPs
Ofwat — Enforcement Investigation: Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (July 2024)State A biosolids regulatory pressure
UK Treasury — Spring Budget 2025 Landfill TaxState A landfill tax £126.15/tonne (2025–26)
Cardiff Capital Region — ABP Newport investment opportunity; ABP October 2025 press releaseState B Priority 1 site: ABP Atlantic, 74 acres
Knight Frank Wales Logistics & Industrial Report, January 2026Newport industrial market context; +20% rental growth
Carbotura standard performance baseline (400 TPD, scaled)State B employment, economic impact, carbon metrics
Carbotura Circular Supply Agreement standard parametersState B Beneficiation Fee formula, Circular Royalty™ formula, CSA term

Methodology Notes

FWDC derivation: State A FWDC estimated from publicly available UK municipal EfW gate fee benchmarks, composting/AD contractor ranges, land application costs, and landfill tax. Term Sheet phase verification will verify from Newport City Council's contracted data under NDA.

Beneficiation Fee formula: MAX(Floor, MIN(Ceiling, FWDC − £5)). Floor and Ceiling are Carbotura standard parameters. Formula ensures Beneficiation Fee ≤ FWDC − £5 at any FWDC above the floor.

Phase sizing: Phase Initial = 100 TPD (ceil(100/100) = 1 module). Phase Expanded = 200 TPD (ceil(200/100) = 2 modules). Carbotura standard module architecture.

Royalty formula: Royalty(m+13) = TMC(m) × Royalty_Rate(m). Base: 120% Year 1 Beneficiation Fee. Escalator: +1 pp/year. Lag: 13 months. Rolling monthly basis.

Employment: 35 direct FTE per 100 TPD module. 2.5× multiplier for indirect and induced. Carbotura standard performance baseline. Subject to independent assessment during Term Sheet phase verification.

Accounting standard: CIPFA. Beneficiation Fee obligations: revenue account service costs. Circular Royalty™ receipts: revenue income, receivable from Month 13. Capital obligation: nil under BOO structure.

Appendix B — Glossary Additions

Supplements the authoritative glossary in the Waste Study. Terms defined there are not repeated.

CIPFA
Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy. The accounting standard governing financial reporting for Newport City Council. Beneficiation Fee obligations are revenue account service costs; Circular Royalty™ receipts are revenue income; capital obligation is nil under BOO structure.
Delta Model
The analytical framework of this Economic Impact Report. Measures the financial, employment, and environmental difference between State A (current system, Waste Study) and State B (ACM deployment, Proposal EIR Input Block).
Gross Cost Displacement
The annual reduction in Newport City Council's manufacturing feedstock disposal costs resulting from Beneficiation Fee replacing State A disposal costs. Gross cost displacement per tonne = FWDC − Beneficiation Fee (minimum £5/tonne by formula, before any Royalty consideration).
Per-Tonne Fiscal Flows
Beneficiation Fee paid and Circular Royalty™ received are reported as separate transactions per the Separate Transaction Principle (MR §4.8) — never combined or netted. Year 1: Fee paid; Royalty $0 (pre-Royalty). Year 2 onward: per-tonne Royalty exceeds per-tonne Fee; spread widens at steady state. Reported under CIPFA accounting standards.
Pre-Royalty Period
Months 1–12 after Phase Initial COD. Newport City Council pays the Beneficiation Fee on delivered volume; receives £0 Circular Royalty™. Twelve months in duration. Must be recognised in Year 1 budget planning.
Royalty Ramp Period
Month 13 onward after Phase Initial COD. Rolling monthly Circular Royalty™ payments begin at 120% of the corresponding Month 1 Beneficiation Fee and build as the royalty rate escalates monthly.
Steady-State Period
Approximately Year 2 onward. The Circular Royalty™ per tonne structurally exceeds the Beneficiation Fee per tonne — reported as separate transactions per the Separate Transaction Principle. The per-tonne Royalty − Fee margin is positive by contractual design.
State A
Newport City Council's current manufacturing feedstock management system as defined by the Waste Study: Prosiect Gwyrdd/Viridor ERF for contracted residual; composting/AD for food and garden waste; land application for biosolids; Newport City Council landfill for specialist and contingency streams.
State B
The ACM deployment condition as defined by the Proposal: 100 TPD Phase Initial; Circular Supply Agreement with Carbotura; Beneficiation Fee; Circular Royalty™ from Month 13; zero Council capex; Phase Expanded ~2040 absorbing contracted streams post-Prosiect Gwyrdd transition.

Appendix C — Evidence Chain

FigureValuePublic SourceTypeConfidence
Kerbside residual 14,832 tpy14,832WRAP Wales 2025VERIFIEDHigh
Newport recycling rate ≥70% (2024–25)≥70%Welsh Government January 2026VERIFIEDHigh
Prosiect Gwyrdd 25-year term, ~2040–41 expiry25 yearsletsrecycle.com December 2013VERIFIEDHigh
Viridor as Cardiff ERF operatorViridor Waste Management LimitedNRW Permit EPR/LP3030XAVERIFIEDHigh
Landfill tax £126.15/tonne (2025–26)£126.15/tonneUK Treasury Spring Budget 2025VERIFIEDHigh
Phase Initial 100 TPD — 1 module100 TPDCarbotura standard (ceil(100/100)=1)Carbotura standardHigh
Phase Expanded 200 TPD — 2 modules200 TPDCarbotura standard (ceil(200/100)=2)Carbotura standardHigh
Direct FTE ~35 per 100 TPD~35 FTECarbotura standard performance baselineCarbotura standardMedium
Carbon avoidance ~40,000 tCO₂e/yr~40,000Carbotura standard platformCarbotura standardMedium
ABP Atlantic Site 74 acres74 acresCardiff Capital Region; ABP October 2025VERIFIEDHigh
ERF disposal cost £95–115/tonne£95–115UK municipal EfW benchmark — Prosiect Gwyrdd commercially confidentialESTIMATEDLow
FWDC Phase Initial ~£55–80/tonne£55–80Blended benchmark, non-contracted streamsESTIMATEDLow
Newport population +1.7%/yr+1.7%ONS mid-2024, gov.wales 2025VERIFIEDHigh
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Economic Impact Report · DOC 03 OF 06

What this document isBeth yw’r ddogfen hon

What Newport City Council pays and receives under its current system compared with an Advanced Circular Manufacturing deployment, each flow reported separately.Y man cychwyn ar gyfer dogfennau’r rhaglen.

Three things this document saysTri pheth y mae’r ddogfen hon yn ei ddweud
  1. Newport City Council is at a decision point: the deployment timetable runs from execution, so the decision date sets the commissioning date.Cyngor Dinas Casnewydd: mae’r amserlen yn dechrau o’r dyddiad llofnodi, felly’r dyddiad penderfynu sy’n gosod y dyddiad comisiynu.
  2. Advanced Circular Manufacturing converts the residual stream into products under one agreement, with no counterparty capital committed.Mae Gweithgynhyrchu Cylchol Uwch yn trosi’r ffrwd weddilliol yn gynnyrch o dan un cytundeb, heb gyfalaf gan y cyngor.
  3. The Beneficiation Fee and the Circular Royalty™ are independent transactions, reported separately and never netted against each other.Mae’r Ffi Fuddiannu a’r Royalty Cylchol yn drafodion annibynnol: cânt eu dangos ar wahân ac ni chânt eu net-io byth.
Looking for something else?Chwilio am rywbeth arall?
Canonical Principles
  1. Carbotura is a manufacturer, not a waste manager. Advanced Circular Manufacturing converts delivered feedstock into products; it does not manage or dispose of waste.
  2. The Beneficiation Fee and the Circular Royalty™ are independent transactions. They are reported separately and in full, and are never netted against each other.
  3. Hydrogen powers the facility internally — it is generated and consumed on site to run the process, and is not sold as offtake.