Awards success for £25m Lanarkshire glass plant

The Newhouse recycling centre, operated by Viridor, achieved the Zero Waste Scotland award for ‘Best Private Sector Initiative’ at the recent Scottish Resources Awards held recently in Glasgow.The facility has also been shortlisted for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency backed VIBES Awards and the UK Business Green Awards.

Viridor Newhouse is the UK’s most advanced glass recycling facility, and one of only three of its kind to be found globally. The hub is helping drive Scotland’s circular economy, reducing reliance on imported materials for whisky and beverage bottles, and ensuring 100% of Scottish packaging glass is fit for use by the burgeoning Scotch whisky and drinks sectors.

Recycling glass from 17 Scottish local authorities, the facility recovers up to 97% of input materials, importantly achieving up to 99% product purity, exceeding the quality requirements for a Scotch sector focused on high-end product packaging.

The award was received presented by [far right] Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland and received by [L-R] Viridor’s Operations Manager, Jim McLeary; Project Manager, Scott Reynolds and Facility Manager, David Quinn.

Commenting on the award, Viridor Scottish Regional Managing Director, Colin Paterson, said:

“The Scottish Resources award is real recognition of how significant this £25m investment is in Lanarkshire and Scotland’s green economy. More than that, it’s recognition of the role it will play in boosting the sustainability of Scotland’s largest export – Scotch whisky.

“The award is also a recognition of our people and partnerships – from the team who planned, designed and built the facility – to the work of Councillor Helen McKenna and North Lanarkshire Council in helping transform this abandoned site, bringing jobs and investment to the local community.”

Featuring advanced recycling technology from across the globe, the centre encompasses some 15 ‘scientific eye’ optical sorters, x-ray sorters, over ½ km of conveyer belts and 2.5km of electrical cabling across 3 floors of processing towers.

The latest investment, part of £357m recycling and renewable energy infrastructure programme by the business in Scotland over the last 27-months, retains the firms position as Scotland’s leading recycler and recognises the shifting nature of glass recycling, offering the ability to colour sort mixed glass back to original streams for a high quality recyclate, rejecting material contamination.

For further information on glass recycling for your business, visit here.