Consultation launched on £20m plans for plastics recycling facility
Specialist recycler, Enviroo, has launched a consultation on a new £20m facility near Ellesmere Port.
Enviroo wants to build a plastic recycling facility at Peel L&P Environmental’s 54-hectare strategic energy and resource hub, Protos, to recucle some of the 4.9 million tonnes of plastic waste created in the UK.
The facility will take PET – polyethylene terephthalate, the main material used for food and drinks packaging such as plastic bottles and certain food packaging – and convert it into the raw material for new food-grade packaging, without any waste.
The facility will see an investment of around £20m into the local economy and create 50 permanent jobs.
Enviroo will use technology partners Erema and Sorema Technologies to sort and wash the waste, to create flakes which will then form r-PET (recycled -PET) pellets that can be used by packaging manufacturers to create new products.
This technology is able to re-use 100% of the PET it takes in.
The facility is the next plot proposed for the Plastic Park at Protos, following consent of a plastic-to-hydrogen facility earlier this year.
The Plastic Park will cluster together plastic recycling and recovery technologies to create value from plastic waste, helping to avoid it ending up in landfill, exported overseas or in oceans.
From April 2022, new law will see any packaging that contains less than 30% recycled PET taxed.
Some manufacturers have gone further, pledging to include up to 50% recycled material in their packaging under the UK Plastics Pact. The facility will help to meet growing UK demand for recycled PET.
Ahmed Detta, Enviroo chief executive and founder, said: “The UK produces over 13 billion plastic bottles a year but currently only recycles around 50% of them.
“This facility will take these bottles and create a new material that can be used to create new food grade packaging products, reducing the need for virgin plastic and diverting waste from landfill.
“In the future, we are also planning to introduce a deposit return scheme in nearby locations such as shopping centres and universities, where people can return their empty plastic bottles and possibly other products and receive cash rewards which they can spend as they please or donate a to charitable cause that is close to their hearts.
“We are really keen to hear from the local community about our plans for this recycling facility.
“Enviroo wants to make sure people know what we are proposing and can share their feedback.
“While we would normally do this in person, due to COVID-19 restrictions we are having a virtual consultation instead. We have made sure there are many different ways to get in touch so we can answer any questions people have.”
Jayne Hennessy, development manager at Peel L&P Environmental, said: “This is an important next step in the development of our Plastic Park concept at Protos, following planning permission being granted for the plastic to hydrogen facility earlier this year.
“The Plastic Park will be a UK first and offer a one-stop shop for plastic waste. We will be revealing more details of what else is planned for the Plastic Park soon.”
Newsletters have been sent to more than 9,000 homes and businesses in the area. A newsletter can also be requested by calling 0800 689 1095, or emailing consultation@enviroo.co.uk.
Following the consultation, Enviroo plans to submit a planning application to Cheshire West & Chester Council in the Autumn.
