The company, which has UK headquarters in Taunton, announced the proposal yesterday (January 31) and claimed that large-scale investment in the country would be “vital” if Scotland was to achieve its long-term sustainability goals – such as reducing waste to landfill to 5% by 2025.
Viridor's planned £800 million investment is vital to Scotland's sustainable future
Colin Paterson, Scottish regional director, Viridor
Viridor already has a large presence north of the border, offering recycling and waste services to 96% of Scottish local authorities, as well as undertaking £30 million worth of investment in Scotland over the past five years.
Colin Paterson, Scottish regional director for Viridor, said: “Viridor's planned £800 million investment is vital to Scotland's sustainable future. It will not only develop our industry leading position in offering the latest technologies to help Scottish council's and communities recycle more and avoid costly landfill levies, but will deliver for Scottish business – the next key challenge for Scotland's zero waste journey.”
Future
The £800 million investment is set to take the shape of £600 million being devoted to pipeline projects, such as developing new waste management plants, enhancing current facilities and funding future strategic acquisitions to further expand its presence in the country.
A Viridor spokesman confirmed Scottish media reports that it was currently investigating four sites in the west of Scotland for the development of a £200 million “prior treatment” facility intended to handle municipal and commercial & industrial waste.
The company explained that it was talking to a “number of councils” in the West of Scotland but it would not divulge the exact technology at this stage.
The Viridor spokesman told letsrecycle.com that the company was also investigating three undisclosed sites for the development of as-yet unnamed “bespoke technologies”, with construction at each site believed to be in the region of £80 million.
“Locked up”
The firm added that the remaining £200 million was currently “locked up” in the Scottish planning process, with proposals for facilities in and around Edinburgh having been “stalled”.
The largest of these projects is a planned £193 million merchant energy-from-waste facility at Oxwellmains in Dunbar, which was rejected by East Lothian councillors in September 2009 despite a “strong recommendation” to back the 300,000 tonnes-a-year capacity facility (see letsrecycle.com story).
Viridor explained that it would appeal to Scottish Ministers to overturn the decision and pointed to the recommendation made by East Lothian councillors and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA).
In addition, Viridor said it a public inquiry was set to be launched into its proposed £7 million road-to-rail transfer station at Portobello in the east of the Scottish capital. Plans for the facility were blocked by Edinburgh city council in September 2008 despite recommendations for approval.
Commenting on the planning situation, Mr Paterson said: “Scotland can't afford to wait two, three or four years in planning delays. Viridor is ambitious about the future, we have the ability to deliver and have a clear direction on how to get there. We know the recycling and energy recovery infrastructure we need. Working together with government we need to transform policy into practice.”
Scottish environment secretary Richard Lochhead, who opened Viridor's £7.1 million materials recycling facility at Bargeddie in June (see letsrecycle.com story), said that he, and the Scottish Government, welcomed the announcement by Viridor.
He said: “The Scottish Government welcomes this investment by Viridor, which is exactly the kind of commitment which will help us realise our vision of a zero waste Scotland. Our waste targets are challenging, which is why we need involvement like this from major players, which will not only help protect our environment but provide a welcome economic boost.”
Subscribe for free