A "UK First" For Recycling Polythene Bags
Days after the Government announces the 5p charge on the purchase of a single plastic bag to be imposed in 2015, this good news comes to the UK. More specifically is on our door step in South London.
Development of a Plastic Recycle Plant costing investors in the region of £10.7 million is located in Thamesmead and situated between our Bulking Station at Bermondsey London and our main Material Recovery Facility in Swanscombe, Dartford. The PlasRecycle plant has the capacity to take 20,000 tonnes of plastic bags a year.
The plastic bags that we all use from retailers will be collected from a number of sources; the retailers; local authorities and waste management companies. A number of sources are being analysed to ensure the highest quality is accepted into the plant. Contamination can be a problem, therefore the waste management firms need to have their feedstock (this is the material from the Material Recovery Facility) tested for any contamination before being chosen as a preferred supplier. Contamination causes a headache for most recycling processes and the plastic waste in particular because of the Green Fence initiative effecting the export of plastics to China. Therefore this plant is welcomed with open arms by many in the industry.
Technology has been developed to re process the polythene bags to produce plastic granulate that can be used in reproduction of further plastic packaging. This closed loop process has taken negotiations with the polythene bag manufacturers to adapt their own processes, more manufactures need to take this on board and respect the environment with using recycled materials at source.
RTS Waste and Crossways Recycling will be hoping to be involved further with supplying the quality of feedstock required to meet our clients zero landfill needs. However there is extensive competition to be on the PlasRecycle list of suppliers. Further updates will be released in due course.
Read more on our own Recycling Plant and its processes OUR MRF or on the Recycling of Plastic