Waste management firm Biffa is investing £7.7m to transform a former engineering depot on the Badentoy Industrial Estate, Aberdeen, into a state-of-the-art recycling centre that will create up to 60 jobs.
The Portlethen site will form part of a network of Biffa-run facilities across Scotland that will count, sort and bale billions of drinks containers collected through the deposit return scheme each year. The material will then be sold to be recycled back into new bottles and cans.
Work on the Aberdeen site started earlier this month, with equipment due to be installed from April. Work is expected to be completed by May ahead of the launch of DRS in August.
Gavin Money, Biffa’s DRS Operations Director, said: “Working closely with the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland, we’re progressing well with the exciting and ambitious plans for the launch of DRS in Scotland, which will see new recycling infrastructure developed across the country.
“Aberdeen will play a key role as a regional collection and counting hub, handling some of the billions of plastic, glass and metal drinks containers collected each year from across Scotland.”
David Harris, Circularity Scotland Chief Executive, added: “The deposit return scheme will transform how Scotland recycles, preventing billions of bottles and cans each year from ending up as waste and helping protect our environment for generations to come. The Porthleven site will be the first of several centres across Scotland that will support local economies and play a central role in delivering this ground-breaking initiative. The development of the site is further evidence of the progress being made as we prepare for the scheme to go live in August.”
Circularity Scotland is also working with Biffa to explore the opportunity to build a PET recycling plant in Scotland to support the scheme and deliver further employment opportunities.
