Renfrew-based electronics recycler Environcom announced on Wednesday that it is to invest 25 million in three new reprocessing plants across the Capital.
 /photos/danjo.jpgLondon Remade chief executive Danny Silverstone (left) with Environcom chief executive Jo Quigley announcing the London WEEE project on Wednesday |
As well as the CRTs, the proposed plants will also handle over 400,000 tonnes of general waste electronics from the London area.
Environcom, which currently has a recycling plant in Grantham, Lincolnshire, told letsrecycle.com that it is aiming to have the first new London plant up and running by the beginning of 2007.
The other two sites are then expected to be working by 2008.
Capacity
Each plant will have the capacity to take half a million CRT plants per annum, as well as around 170,000 tonnes of general electronic waste. The company said the new facilities will take waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) exclusively from London boroughs and businesses.
Joseph Quigley, chief executive of Environcom, said: “We will use the same system for these plants as our Grantham plant, but there will be an additional glass cleaning process to be included.”
Mr Quigley also revealed his company is looking into the possibility of establishing an “Eco Fleet” to collect the waste.
London Remade
Environcom is working with public-private market development organisation London Remade to develop the London plants, which could see 500 new jobs created.
Danny Silverstone, chief executive of London Remade, said the partnership with Environcom was moving at “phenomenal pace”, with this week’s announcement coming just two months after the two organisations first discussed the project.
Mr Silverstone said: “London has a bigger GDP than most European countries and the Mayor wants to see London self sufficient. At the moment only 7% of the capital’s waste is dealt with in the capital. This investment is a huge dent in the Mayor’s desires.”
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As the timetable for the government to bring in new recycling regulations stemming from Europe’s WEEE Directive begins to take shape (see letsrecycle.com story), Mr Quigley said a clear announcement from the DTI would see the plans for the new London plants accelerating.
He said: “We did not plan for this announcement to coincide with any government announcement regarding a timeline for implementation, but it has worked out well for us. Our own timeline for these plants may now be accelerated.”
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