Biffa builds new UK plastics recycling facilities
Biffa builds new UK plastics recycling facilities
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Biffa
The plant will provide 100 full-time jobs in the region, building on Biffa’s established presence in the northern region where it already employs about 1,600 people. According to Biffa, the new facility, which is expected to generate 40 million pounds (about $52.1 million) in revenues per year, is of strategic significance for Biffa as the group continues to expand its nationwide recycling capabilities. The plant will capitalize on the access to plastic waste that Biffa has through its collections and sorting activities, including the 4.1 million metric tons of scrap the group collects from U.K. households and businesses every year.
The Seaham facility also builds on Biffa’s existing capabilities in plastics recycling, including its plant in Redcar, England, where Biffa recycles high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles into food-grade recycled HDPE. According to Biffa, about 85 percent of milk bottles sold in the U.K. now contain Biffa’s recycled plastics.
“This facility will help the U.K. address two of its most pressing issues—plastic waste and the climate emergency,” says Biffa Chief Executive Michael Topham. “Whilst we must work towards reducing overall plastic consumption as a society, the fact remains that plastic has a vital role as a lightweight, durable, low energy-intensity material, that if recycled properly can have a sustainable role in modern life. Facilities like ours at Seaham will help ensure that we can recycle our own plastic waste here in the U.K., creating jobs in the green economy and stimulating the development of more sustainable packaging.”
In addition, Biffa has announced plans to invest 7 million pounds (or about $9.11 million) to build a new facility in Washington, England, which will expand its recycling capabilities for plastic tubs and trays. This site will handle about 20,000 metric tons of plastic per year and create another 30 jobs, Biffa says.
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Source: Recycling Today
Biffa builds new UK plastics recycling facilities
<![CDATA[Biffa, a large waste management provider based in the U.K., has opened a new 27.5 million pounds ($35.8 million) state-of-the-art polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle recycling facility in Seaham, England. The plant is capable of converting 57,000 metric tons of PET plastic per year, equivalent to 1.3 billion plastic bottles, Biffa reports.According to a news release from Biffa, the investment is part of the company’s ongoing drive to invest in the U.K.’s recycling infrastructure to allow more scrap to be recycled in the country.At Seaham, Biffa will convert PET back into high-purity plastic pellets to be sold to beverage companies and other manufacturers to be used for a range of applications, including food and beverage packaging as well as clothing. Biffa hopes the plant will play an “important role in reducing plastic pollution in the U.K. by improving the country’s ability to recycle through sustainable closed-loop systems.” BiffaBiffa’s new plastics recycling facility in SeahamThe plant will provide 100 full-time jobs in the region, building on Biffa’s established presence in the northern region where it already employs about 1,600 people. According to Biffa, the new facility, which is expected to generate 40 million pounds (about $52.1 million) in revenues per year, is of…