Firm plans £1m expansion plan

From the archive, first published Tuesday 5th Dec 2006.

From the Stern Report to "green taxes", environmental concerns are never far from the top of the business agenda.

And one Bradford firm is hoping to capitalise on this as it prepares to expand its recycling and waste disposal service.

Envirowaste, based on Queen's Road, Bradford, is opening a new £1 million waste transfer station.

The 16-acre site is expected to bolster the firm's recycling rate from 55 per cent to 80 per cent and bosses expect the move will create ten new jobs.

Envirowaste works with large scale building contractors and construction firms to take away the waste products.

The company then recycles the leftover wood, polythene, plastic, cardboard, paper, metal, brick and concrete into new products.

Currently workers have to sift through the rubbish by hand, but the new facility will a trommel to remove soil and a giant magnet to remove metal products from the waste. A 90-foot picking station will also speed up the separation process.

Commercial manager Bobby Barr said: "As a company working in the environmental industry we felt it was important to act now.

"It is expected we will see hikes in landfill tax in the pre-budget report this week and these will come into force in April.

"In Germany, about five or six per cent of waste goes to landfill whereas the average council over here manages a recycling rate of around 23 per cent.

"We have a long way to go to catch up.

"The new site will really help us increase the amount of waste we recycle and help minimise the environmental impact of local companies."

The waste is recycled into a variety of different products by the company. Paper is sent away to be pulped, while concrete is ground into aggregate and reused.

The deal was made possible thanks to a £20,000 investment from regional development agency Yorkshire Forward.

Andy Wallhead, head of strategy with Yorkshire Forward, said: "We are delighted to invest in Envirowaste. It's expansion will create new employment opportunities and reduce the amount of waste going to landfill which is great news for the environment."

The new facility is expected to be up and running by next spring.

e-mail: mark.casci@bradford.newsquest.co.uk