"We are committed to an ongoing investment programme to build closed loop recycling infrastructure in the United Kingdom. We believe we are pioneering the future in packaging solutions"
Chris Dow, Managing Director of Closed Loop Recycling
London: Closed Loop Recycling (CLR), due to open its first plant in Dagenham in June, announced yesterday a major expansion programme with a number of possible locations for the second food grade plastics recycling plant identified around the UK.
The announcement followed confirmation of second round funding from Foresight Group.
Foresight - a venture capital investor with a strong focus on investments in environmental infrastructure - initially invested £4.6m equity in Closed Loop in February 2007 as part of a £12m funding round and will continue to fund the company's future roll-out of additional plants. Andrew Page, a director at Foresight, sits on the Board of Directors of Closed Loop Recycling.
Dagenham
The Dagenham plant was co-funded by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), the Government-backed waste minimisation and recycling body. It was also supported by public sector funding from the London Development Agency (LDA). WRAP said that the waste plant will divert a significant amount of waste from landfill. There are only six similar plants worldwide.
The Dagenham plant will transform the recycling of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and HDPE (high density polyethylene) in the UK. CLR says that 35,000 tonnes of recycled plastic, including water and soft drinks bottles, will be processed back into new food packaging. This is enough to go around the coastline of the British Isles twice.
The process
There are two main types of plastic bottles that are easily recycled: PET (used for soft drinks and water bottles) and HDPE (milk bottles).
New recycled HDPE technology used in the plant has been developed and funded by WRAP in collaboration with M&S, Dairy Crest and Nampak. The PET bottles will be recycled using patented technology developed by South Carolina-based United Resource Recovery Corporation to sort, granulate and super clean the recycled plastic bottles to produce a high quality raw material that has been tested extensively and is widely used in food applications in both the US and Europe.
The Closed Loop Recycling plant at Dagenham, will produce two main types of food-grade recycled plastic:
- HDPE for making new milk bottles
- PET for making plastic food containers such as bottles, trays and bowls for ready meals/salads etc.
The company says that Marks & Spencer is the first major retailer to commit to sending plastic waste from its London stores to Dagenham for recycling.
Stuart Rose, Chief Executive, Marks & Spencer, commented:
“Recycling is an important way for us all to reduce our impact on the environment and the Closed Loop Recycling plant is a major step forward for recycling in the UK. We will be able to send our own plastic waste to the plant for recycling and use even more recycled plastic in M&S packaging. Reducing the amount of waste from our stores and using more sustainable sources for our packaging is also one of the main aims of our new ‘eco-plan’, Plan A.”
Veolia Environmental, continuing its long term support for CLR, intends to supplying future plants with waste material.
Chris Dow, Managing Director of Closed Loop Recycling said:
“Our first plant when it opens will be at full capacity. We are committed to an ongoing investment programme to build closed loop recycling infrastructure in the United Kingdom. We believe we are pioneering the future in packaging solutions”.
Dr Liz Goodwin, CEO of WRAP commented:
‘WRAP is currently focused on a range of key developments which are delivering a step change in plastics recycling in the UK. The new Closed Loop Recycling London plant represents an exciting and significant move forward in the UK’s ability to recycle plastic, which saves natural resources, reduces carbon and delivers real action on climate change”.