Wincanton has invested £4 million in its UK recycling facility in Billingham, near Middlesbrough, in the form of a machine capable of processing up to 75,000 tonnes per year.
The machine can process the equivalent of 826,500 washing machines, 67 million kettles, or 536 million mobile phones a year, reducing waste electronic and electrical items to the basic material required for recycling, in line with the WEEE Directive requirements.
Goods fed into the machine go through a cross-cut grinder to release all the internal components, such as circuit boards, batteries, and capacitors, without damaging their integrity. These components can then be recycled. The remaining components, including metals and plastics, are granulated and separated to their constituent parts for recycling.
Under the WEEE Directive, retailers and manufacturers are required to take back and recycle end-of-life electrical goods using 'best available treatment, recovery and recycling techniques'. When Wincanton’s new machine is commissioned in time for implementation of the WEEE Directive in January 2006, the company will be able to provide a 'one-stop solution' to meet WEEE collection needs.
This plant will complement Wincanton's existing fridge recycling capabilities, and its national network to collect, sort and consolidate WEEE.
Gordon Scott, Wincanton’s managing director (Industrial), said: “This is a significant investment to facilitate the full spectrum of recycling and reprocessing services across the UK. We have forged strategic partnerships to offer an all-encompassing solution for all aspects of the WEEE Directive, including refurbishment, sorting materials, recycling and waste management.
