Waste Paper Products, which is part of the Linpac Group, lost 1,500 tonnes of waste
paper in a fire which began at 3pm last Thursday (16/10/03).
The blaze was brought under control by the early hours of Friday, but fire fighters remained at the plant to “damp down” small pockets of fire. As of today (20/10/03) the fire is thought to be out, but fire fighters will be on “fire watch” at the site for another 24 hours.
Range
Waste Paper Products collects a range of waste paper grades from domestic, retail and commercial sources, and sorts, segregates and bales it before exporting it to recycling mills around the world.
Richard Mee is the managing director of Linpac's Salter Paper Group, which includes Waste Paper Products. Mr Mee said the fire began when the warehouse was full of paper bales, just as vehicles waited outside to take the material away.
Destroyed
“Pretty much most of the material was destroyed,” he said. The area covered by the five-metre high bales was as a football pitch. What charred paper is left must now be sent to landfill.
The cause of the fire is not yet known. But Mr Mee told letsrecycle.com the investigation would look at factors such as the current windy weather and the start of the firework season.
The plant is expected to be back to work by Thursday October 23. The cost of the damage is not yet known.
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