Inverclyde to transform recycling rates with new 4m plant

Materials collected from over 40,000 households and recycling points in Inverclyde will be sorted at the new plant at Ingleston Park in Greenock, which has just been opened by Scottish environment minister Ross Finnie.

” Inverclyde council is making real progress in improving recycling, making it easier for residents to recycle. “
– Ross Finnie
The new facility will process 9,000 tonnes of paper, cardboard, cans, glass, plastic bottles and textiles each year over a normal five-day shift. Sorted materials will be sent to reprocessors including Stirling Fibre, WM Tracey Ltd, United Glass and Novelis.

The Ingleston facility is currently operated in partnership with the council's recycling partner, Greenlight Environmental Ltd. A new “not for profit community company” is currently being set up to take on the operational role – Invergreen Ltd – as a partnership company between the council, Greenlight and the community.

Fund
Inverclyde council has received over 11 million from the Scottish Executive's Strategic Waste Fund to improve kerbside collections of recyclable material, improve recycling centres and operate the MRF.

As a result of the funding, most households in Inverclyde have been provided with a blue and a brown wheeled bin to sit alongside their black residual waste bins since March this year. The blue bin will allow householders to recycle newspapers and magazines, plastic bottles and food containers, metal cans and textiles. The brown bin is used for green waste.

Opening the new plant, Mr Finnie said: “Inverclyde council is making real progress in improving recycling, making it easier for residents to recycle. The council's recycling rate was 5.5% in 2003/04 and is now expected to reach 20% in 2006.

“This new facility will also help Inverclyde council implement its waste management plan and significantly improve their recycling performance,” the minister added.

Cllr Jean Stewart, convener of Inverclyde's waste strategy sub-committee said: “Communication with our residents was fundamental to the success of this. We had to ensure that people understood why we were taking this route and we embarked on an extensive public information exercise with leaflets, presentations to Community Groups, visits to schools, advertising on bill boards and local radio.

“The Council received help with this promotion from SWAG, the Scottish Waste Awareness Group,” Cllr Stewart said.