Back to News >

A Teesside firm has won Government backing for an innovative project that aims to bring environmental benefits to society.

Recycling company ReNew ELP has won a £4.4m grant from Innovate UK to build a world first plastic recycling plant at Wilton, creating around 40 jobs.

The plant aims to recycle around 80,000 tonnes of plastic a year and uses new technology to tackle some of the sorts of plastic that are currently considered unrecyclable.

It has won the grant from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging programme to help fund construction of the plant, with hopes that building work can start next year.

As well as cutting down on plastic pollution, the plant will help the UK reduce the CO2 pollution that is currently released when unrecyclable plastics are incinerated.

ReNew ELP managing director Richard Daley says:

“This grant demonstrates we are in line with Government policy and its drive towards achieving increased recycling targets in the UK.

“It will increase investor confidence, help innovative technologies such as ours break through and establish the advanced recycling Industry in the UK, helping ReNew ELP to emerge as a global leader in plastic recycling.”

The UK currently recycles less than half of plastic waste, and the Government is aiming to increase that to 70%.

ReNew said its technology can help create a ‘circular economy’ in plastics, with the materials produced from its processes suitable for use in packaging material.

Redcar MP Jacob Young said:

“This is fantastic news for our area, for our chemical sector, but crucially for the environment. ReNew ELP’s technology shows we can go further in recycling those difficult to recycle plastics and help to tackle waste and prevent landfill.

“The Government’s £4.42m Innovate UK grant given to ReNew ELP shows we are willing to try every avenue to win the war on waste and I’m pleased to have such an innovative company on our doorstep in Redcar & Cleveland.”

The scheme is one of four projects around the country to win backing from the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging programme.

Announcing the schemes, Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said:

“The Government is committed to both clamping down on the unacceptable plastic waste that harms our environment and ensuring more materials can be reused instead of being thrown away.

“By investing in these truly ground-breaking technologies we will help to drive these efforts even further, and I look forward to seeing them develop and deliver real results.”

Credit: Teesside Live