Biffa says the multi-million-pound project will create up to 60 jobs in Aberdeen and will play a “pivotal role” in Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).
As Circularity Scotland’s official logistics service partner to DRS, Biffa is investing £7.7 million in the former engineering depot on the Badentoy Industrial Estate to turn it into a state-of-the-art recycling centre.
Following the launch of DRS, the Portlethen site will be part of a network of Biffa-run facilities across Scotland that will count, sort and bale drinks containers collected through the scheme each year by the waste management company.
The material will then be sold to be recycled back into brand new bottles and cans.
David Harris, Circularity Scotland Chief Executive, said: “The DRS 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.”
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.
Work on the Aberdeen site started earlier this month, with equipment due to be installed from April, and is expected to be completed by May ahead of the launch of DRS in August.
In Scotland, from August 16, all drinks producers and everyone selling single-use drinks containers is required to take part in the DRS. A refundable 20p deposit will apply to all single-use PET plastic, aluminium, steel or glass drinks containers ranging in size from 50ml to three-litres.
Biffa says it is also working with Circularity Scotland to explore the opportunity to build a PET recycling plant in Scotland to support the scheme.
Speaking about the project, 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.”