The PET recycling facility, Enviroo’s first in the UK, received unanimous approval from Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Planning Committee on 6 April.
The application means the plastic recycling facility will be operational in Summer 2022 at Peel NRE’s 54-hectare strategic energy and resource hub, Protos, near Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.
Located at the planned Plastic Park at Protos, Enviroo’s facility will be able to re-use up to 100% of the PET it takes in and help recycle some of the 4.9 million tonnes of plastic waste created in the UK annually. This will become increasingly important from this time next year, when a new law will see any packaging that contains less than 30% recycled PET taxed. Some manufacturers have gone further, pledging to include up to 50% recycled material in their packaging under the UK Plastics Pact. The facility will therefore help to meet growing UK demand for recycled PET.
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The Plastic Park at Protos is part of a £165million investment in plastic processing infrastructure. This enhanced infrastructure will enable greater circularity, increased recycling rates, reduced landfill and reduced export of waste.
Jayne Hennessy, Development Manager at Peel NRE, part of Peel L&P, said: “Less than one third of all plastic waste in the UK is recycled. We are creating the UK’s first Plastic Park at Protos which will increase recycling rates, reducing landfill and the export of waste. This will be done by clustering together different technologies, including Enviroo’s PET recycling facility and the plastic to hydrogen facility also consented at Protos. We will be able to use technology and improved infrastructure to process many types of plastics collected by local authorities. Hopefully giving them the confidence to collect a wider range of plastic in the future.”
