The crushing and sorting facility run by Midland Glass at Southampton docks is the first of its kind in Southern England. It will process 40,000 tonnes of glass a year when running at full capacity – 20,000 more than previously recycled in the area.
The plant was originally due to open in summer 2001 after Midland Glass won a 10-year contract with Hampshire's integrated waste management strategy, Project Integra. Although building work at the site is still going on, the first trials with a limited amount of glass are due to begin today.
Dave Quirk, chair of Project Integra materials marketing group, said: “We are very excited. We have waited quite a while for this plant because of delays in securing funds and so on. Buckinghamshire will also send their glass to the plant and we hope that maybe other councils will start doing the same.”
When colour sorting equipment is fully installed, the plant – which cost Midland Glass more than 1 million to build – is expected to be running at full capacity by September.
Decision
Tim Gent, contracts director of Midland Glass, said: “The decision to have the facility on the quayside meant that there were going to be delays in organising and designing the plant. Involving ABP made it much slower but we felt that the benefits on the quayside were so good, it was worth it.”
The main advantages of the location were being able to transport cullet by sea rather than road, and export any surplus that cannot be sold in the UK, Mr Gent said.
A spokeswoman for Project Integra said: “The contract should have started quite a long time ago and has been extended in chunks, on the grounds that it was worth the wait. We didn't expect it to take quite this long but the site came up and it seemed very sustainable.”
Expense
Midland Glass has been processing Hampshire's cullet at its Nottinghamshire recycling plant since winning the contract. The extra haulage costs have been at the company's expense and it will submit a report to Project Integra on the effects of the delay in September.
Project Integra members include the 14 Hampshire local authorities and Onyx-run Hampshire Waste Services. Hampshire, which has no kerbside collections, produces 44,000 tonnes container glass waste every year.
Subscribe for free