Biffa Polymers has reopened its Redcar mixed plastics recycling plant, after investing in new equipment to handle post consumer polypropylene plastic waste.
The 20,000 tonnesper-year capacity plant was the first substantial facility of its kind in the UK to process post consumer mixed rigid plastics, having opened in March 2011 with the aid of 1.187 million in grant funding from the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP).
But, Biffa was forced to close the site, which had been reprocessing plastic pots, tubs and trays (PTT) in late 2012, after finding that a high level of contamination in mixed plastic rigid pots, tubs and trays sourced from the UK meant that the plant could not operate on a financially viable level (see letsrecycle.com story).
After carrying out testing on different plastic feedstocks throughout the year, the plant was closed for refurbishment in September, with work then completed in late October before resuming operations that month.
The plant has resumed processing PTT, although Biffa is targeting a higher quality supply of the material, which is worth around 200 per tonne if sorted to a sufficient quality at a materials recycling facility (MRF).
Feedstock
Investment was made to allow the plant to process PP from local authority kerbside collections, which is then cleaned and ground into a flake that can be used for production of new agricultural, automotive and packaging products.
Biffa currently estimates that it will be able to secure around 14,000 tonnes of the material to feed the plant, but is also seeking additional sources in order to increase throughput at the facility.
The firm claims that demand for high quality PP regrind is currently high, with horticultural markets in particular providing end uses for the product.
Value
Chris Hanlon, commercial manager of Biffa Polymers, said: Its great news for all concerned that our Redcar plant is now fully back in business. Recovering value from waste is what Biffa does best and at Biffa Polymers were completely focussed on maximising the recovery of plastics collected throughout the UK. To be able to include the post-consumer line again at Redcar is an impressive achievement.
Our commitment to the recycling of post-consumer plastics has never waned. We have worked tirelessly to overcome the barriers encountered in the running of the plant. Thanks to the expertise and efforts of the Biffa Polymers team, we are now fully back in business at the UKs largest plastics recycling site.
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The Redcar site also houses the UKs first commercially available rHDPE food grade production plant, which opened in 2008. rHDPE flake produced at the plant is used in the manufacture of dairy packaging.
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