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Grass-roofed paper processing plant opens

A £4 million waste paper processing facility with one of the largest grass roofs in the UK has opened in Earls Barton, five kilometres east of Northampton.

Paper and card being processed at the Earls Barton site
Paper and card being processed at the Earls Barton site
Local paper recycling specialist Reconomy Alibone unveiled the plant at an event on Monday (April 27). The facility is capable of sorting, shredding and baling at least 7,000 tonnes of recovered paper and card a month from sources such as print mills.

Reconomy Alibone was formed when private capital firm Reconomy took over Northamptonshire-based family recycling firm Alibone in 2007 (see letsrecycle.com story) , and is one of 12 acquisitions made by the company in the waste and recycling sector to date – with a particular focus on the East Midlands and East Anglia region.

A spokesperson for Reconomy said: “We are proud to be associated with the development of a facility to serve the recycling needs of the community, and are looking forward to seeing our designs take shape for such an innovative and environmentally friendly building. We have a strong reputation for excellence and this site and building will embody that philosophy.”

At the Earls Barton site, Reconomy has invested £500,000 in machinery including shredders, secure destruction equipment, a Logemann baler and what it claims is the largest Jovisa baler in the UK. Paper is sorted and processed according to the requirements of its end markets – paper mills in the UK and abroad.

A spokeswoman for Recomomy told letsrecycle.com that the facility was unusual in that it processed paper and card indoors rather than outdoors, where it was subject to the elements which could reduce its quality.

The facility has a curved roof which means that its Sedum grass covering gives the facility the appearance of a green field from a distance. The grass also helps to insulate the facility.

Reconomy hopes to process 2,000 tonnes of paper and card at the site by 2010 and eventually increase the size of the warehouse by 10,000 square feet.

 

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