NWH Drives Up Recycling Rates with £4.4m Investment in New Plant

One of the UK’s leading recycling companies, The NWH Group, has broken ground at the site of its new construction and demolition waste recycling wash plant on the outskirts of Edinburgh as it continues its investment into the circular economy and achieve carbon negative status.

The £4.4m investment at the business’ Mayfield site, will enable the recycling of inert construction and demolition wastes through the latest technology washing, screening, crushing and water treatment equipment.  The site will increase the businesses processing capabilities from 75 tonnes per hour to 250 tonnes per hour.

This will enable The NWH Group to further increase recycling rates. It will also improve the quality, reliability, grading and breadth of recycled resources available and expand the product range from three to six product types to include 10mm aggregate, 20mm aggregate, 40mm aggregate, type 1 aggregate, washed concrete sand and ultra-fine sand.

Mark Williams, CEO at The NWH Group, said: “As we continue to increase our contribution to the circular economy, and in turn become even more sustainable as a business, our latest investment facilitates an increase in our production of recycled resources. This not only improves our product offering to customers, but also further reduces waste to landfill. By promoting the use of recycled aggregates, we’re helping reduce the levels of primary production to preserve the depleting natural reserves.”

The new equipment will be installed around existing plant operations to minimise downtime and will be fully operational by May 2022.

Circular, a specialist in the supply of tailored wet processing solutions for sand, aggregates and recycling applications, will be supplying the new equipment and project managing the installation through to completion.

Sean Kerr, Director & Co-Owner at Circular Group, said: “We are delighted to have secured this prestigious contract with The NWH Group. We are excited to bring the latest technology and innovation to market at this flagship site and support The NWH Group with their sustainable business strategy. Once complete, it will be the UK’s largest and most advanced wet processing plant for construction and demolition waste recycling, capable of diverting more than 650,000 tonnes per year from landfill”.  

A little more than a year ago, The NWH Group invested £2.5 million to transform its processing facilities with a new state-of-the-art ‘super plant’ for its Leith site. The super plant features the most up to date technology including Spaleck waste screening and Westeria air separation equipment to sort through construction and demolition waste more effectively, enabling it to capture up to 20 per cent more material for recycling. The new wash plant goes even further to support operations by washing more efficiently – further improving recycling rates and reducing waste to landfill.