The media has recently been awash with news of the world’s biggest plastic bottle processing plant, which was officially opened by waste minister Lord Taylor in Lincolnshire this month.
A result of the £15m joint venture between Coca-Cola Enterprises and ECO Plastics, Continuum Recycling’s vast Hemswell site is said to now more than double the amount of bottle-grade recycled plastic (rPET) previously created in Britain. Statistics highlighted by industry journal MRW stated that Continuum Recycling can process 150,000 tonnes of plastic waste in a year, an equivalent 450,000 bottles per hour.
The first partnership of its kind between a major drinks manufacturer and a processor, this plant represents an incredibly exciting development for the industry, and a fantastic achievement for our country to boast. How encouraging to read that the UK is leading the way?
However ECO Plastics’ chairman Peter Gangsted seems keen to push further improvements in the UK. And rightly so, because whilst post-consumer plastic collections have improved greatly in recent years, too much high-quality plastic for instance is still being sent to landfill.
At least we can be proud that some significant steps have been taken. Yet it cannot be denied that there is more to be done.
If you have a waste baler requirement for your PET bottles, contact a member of the Riverside team today on T: 01423 325038.
