Environmental wellness in Birmingham has taken a big hit this month, as it was announced that nappy recycling firm Knowaste will close its West Bromwich facility – with immediate effect – in a disappointing move that councils say throws nappy recycling schemes into ‘disarray’. Last week, a statement on the Canadian owned company’s website revealed that the 36,000 tonne-per-year capacity plant, which was the first of its kind in the UK, has ‘outgrown’ the current site. However, 14 employees have lost their jobs as a result of the closure.
According to a statement released by Knowaste, ‘Today, the Board of Knowaste has announced that the company is looking for a new recycling site in the West Midlands region, having outgrown its existing location in West Bromwich. However, the company regrets that as a result of this decision it will be closing the current site from immediate effect. Whilst the first ever operation of its kind in the UK has proven the concept for recycling absorbent hygiene products – thereby representing a major breakthrough for handling such waste, which has traditionally gone to landfill – the current site does not meet the future requirements of the business.’
Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee chair, Joy Blizzard, expressed the association’s disappointment that current nappy recycling schemes will be thrown into disarray by this announcement. She noted, ‘Having developed collection schemes for nappies, they are now left with nowhere to recycle them. It’s very disheartening. Knowaste is looking for a new site, but there will be a long gap before their future plans are going to be any use to local authorities. In effect Local Authorities are left “holding the baby”.’
Roy Brown, chief executive of Knowaste, commented, ‘First and foremost I would like to thank our staff and customers, who have made this groundbreaking development possible and ensured that significant tonnes of absorbent hygiene products, including nappies and incontinence pads, have been diverted from landfill or incineration for the first time ever in this country.’ He added that the company is committed to having five operational sites in the UK within the next three years, but it is not clear how long councils might be without a dedicated nappy recycling facility in the UK.
