WasteCare acquires assets of ailing battery recycler

WasteCare, which operates the BatteryBack compliance scheme, is a major creditor of the Hampshire-based firm and completed the purchase of Loddons site near Basingstoke on July 3.

Loddon has been operating for around 40 years and the company sorts batteries on behalf of four of the UKs six battery compliance schemes, before sending them overseas for recycling.

All of the staff at the Loddon site have now been transferred across to WasteCare, and it claims the site has suffered no disruption as a result of the switch.

Much of Loddons battery recycling facility was damaged in August 2011, when a fire broke out overnight, destroying a storage warehouse containing 300 tonnes of used alkaline, zinc chloride and lithium batteries at the facility in Lasham near Alton (see letsrecycle.com story).

Sorting

Despite attempts to continue operating and optimism from Loddon that the blaze would not adversely affect it meeting its battery recycling targets, the company struggled to stay afloat.

Peter Hunt, managing director of the WasteCare Group said: We have worked closely with the management and staff of Loddon for several years and are delighted to invest in the future of the Hampshire business.

We are confident that their hard work and dedication will continue to provide a high standard of customer care. In the coming months, it is our intention to expand the business at the site and provide a total collection and recycling service for the region.

All activities and infrastructure are transferring to WasteCare, including battery sorting, electrical equipment recycling and fluorescent tube collection and treatment.

Wastecares BatteryBack scheme, whose members include Duracell, Phillips, Varta, Asda, Morrisons, Tesco and Waitrose, is one of the largest compliance schemes for waste portable batteries in the UK.