Plastic recycling facility will support net zero goals

The new facility, being developed by Peel Ports subsidiary Peel NRE, will be the UK’s first plastics recycling park.

Based in Cheshire, it’s designed to process 367,000 tonnes of plastic annually and support a circular economy in the North West of the UK.

“We are excited to welcome Enviroo to Protos, marking the first step towards realising our ‘Plastic Parks’ vision,” said Richard Barker, development director, Peel NRE.

“The Plastic Park was conceived to revolutionise the way plastic waste is handled, creating a more sustainable and circular approach to recycling. With an estimated GB£7.5billion needed in infrastructure investment over the next decade, this partnership is a significant milestone in addressing the UK’s plastic waste challenge.”

Plastic processing

The project, led by polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling company Enviroo, has been supported to the tune of GB£1 million by Enterprise Cheshire + Warrington and local councils.

Enviroo’s GB£58 million facility, located at Peel NRE’s £165 million Protos Plastic Park near Ince Marshes, will process PET, primarily used in food and beverage packaging, transforming it into polymers for new products.

The facility is expected to process 35,000 tonnes of plastic annually and generate 83 jobs during the construction phase, alongside 19 indirect roles in the supply chain.

Investment in the new facility supports the region’s net zero ambitions and responds to growing global demand for recycled food-grade plastic.

The project also aligns with wider UK Government regulations aimed at meeting recycling targets for food and beverage manufacturers.

Project approval follows Cheshire’s selection by the UK Government as a key clean energy growth region.

It’s hoped that the facility will contribute to a wider GB£30 billion clean energy pipeline, aiming to reduce carbon emissions and create thousands of jobs into the future.

Committed to repurposing

Peel Ports subsidiary, Peel NRE has a business aim which focuses on re-use, re-purpose and re-energising natural resources to help develop and maintain vital infrastructure across the UK.

It provides expertise in renewable energy, district heating, waste to value, water management, materials management and electric vehicle charging.

The company’s Protos Cheshire energy and resource hub is helping lead the way in low carbon energy and waste management with the deployment of innovative technologies.

As well as the UK’s first plastic-to-hydrogen facility, it also houses a 50MW windfarm, a 21.5MW biomass plant, a 49MW energy from waste plant in construction and a plastic park blueprint to revolutionise plastic recycling nationwide.

In Liverpool meanwhile, Peel NRE’s Mersey Heat energy service company (ESCO) is delivering a low carbon district heat network for up to 9,000 homes and 4million sq ft of commercial space at the Liverpool Waters development.

Over and above, Peel NRE’s parent company, Peel Ports, has consistently said it’s committed to a net-zero future, investing heavily in sustainable infrastructure and reducing emissions associated with its operations.

The ports group is throwing its weight behind energy transition hubs that enable the UK’s renewable energy transition by offering capabilities for Oil & Gas maintenance and decommissioning, as well as the development of on and offshore windfarms.

Peel Ports Logistics meanwhile has a deal to be the exclusive shipping agency service provider for vessels importing biomass into Liverpool, supporting renewable electricity generation at the nearby Drax Power Station.