Bristol Waste opens its £5m MRF

The facility is an expansive 2,160m2, 23,250sqft building located in Avonmouth.

By increasing the volume of plastic, metal and cardboard handled and recovered, the new facility will aim for less waste and lead to more items being made from recycled materials.

This development, delivered in partnership with Encon Construction, is said to mark a major step forward in both Bristol Waste’s and Bristol city council’s commitment to sustainable waste management.

Richard Williams, managing director at Bristol Waste Company, said: “Bristol has long been a leader in recycling. We’ve held the top spot for recycling amongst comparable English cities for eight years. Whilst we’re doing amazing things already, this investment allows our city and region to reach even greater heights.

“The new facility will provide a significant increase in capacity for processing, including sorting and baling. We are not only improving our own operations, serving the council and our residents, but providing a valued service for businesses across the region to manage their recyclables more sustainably.”

Dan Kelly, operations director at Bristol Waste Company, added: “We are pleased to be opening this much needed facility. The investments we’ve made in our Avonmouth site are already proving to be invaluable, enabling us to process higher volumes of recyclables, saving more resources from going to waste, whilst generating additional revenue which can be reinvested in our crucial services for the city.”

Councillor Martin Fodor, chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee at Bristol city council, stated: “This increased capacity will benefit our residents and ensure vital capacity for crew across the north of the city to process our recycling collections promptly and get materials ready to market. It also ensures our approach to waste management is sustainable and creates opportunities for collaboration with local businesses, minimises waste, reduces reliance on unused raw materials, and cuts carbon emissions across the region.”

Companies involved in the build and fit out of the facility include: Encon Construction, Shufflebottom, SLR Consulting, Whitham Mills and Fire Shield.