Severnside works with Envar to tackle paper sludge

Waste management firm Severnside Recycling has revealed it is teaming with organics recycling specialist Envar to develop new markets for de-inked paper sludge produced in the paper-making process.

Severnside, which is owned by DS Smith, is working with the Huntingdon-based company in order to tackle the 26,000 tonnes of waste material that is generated each year by St Regis' Hollins Mill in Darwen, in Lancashire. The St Regis mill is also owned by DS Smith.

Under the partnership arrangement, Envar will look to use the material in alternative outlets such as animal bedding, land restoration and as an agricultural fertiliser.

Envar claimed that paper crumb from the mills is “ideal” as a bedding product due to its low moisture content and lack of odour. This, Envar claims, will offer farmers a cost effective and sustainable alternative to intensively farmed hay and straw.

Welcoming the arrangement, Andrew Urquhart, development director at Envar, said: “Paper sludge contains excellent organic matter, provides plant nutrients and can be used in restoration projects as an ingredient in manufactured soil helping to grow new trees and providing a complete closed loop when the trees are harvested to produce paper.”

Outlets

Additionally, Envar, which is a fully owned subsidiary of consultancy firm ADAS UK, will look to find new uses for the organic waste in the local area – a move which will aim to improve the sustainability of the product by reducing its carbon emissions and road miles.

Prior to working with Envar, de-inked paper sludge from the Hollins Mill was spread on farmland in the Darwen and Blackburn region as an organic fertiliser. However, the partnership arrangement is intended to allow Severnside to investigate other avenues for the material.

Mathew Prosser, commercial director for Severnside, said: “Envar is able to offer some interesting solutions which are seeing the waste from our companies' mills being put to excellent reuse.

“With our own clients, we pride ourselves on developing innovative solutions to avoid landfill, so working with Envar means that we can ensure that our own waste practices are just as sustainable.”