The manufacturing and recycling division of waste and recycling sack supplier Cromwell Polythene has extended the group’s capacity to recover and reprocess waste polythene.
The move follows investment of an undisclosed amount in new machinery and the expansion of the existing polythene recovery service at Cromwell Plastics Recycling’s facility in Alfreton, Derbyshire.
James Lee, managing director of Yorkshire-based Cromwell Polythene, said: “We’re proud to have strengthened our UK recycling and manufacturing operations to help businesses improve their resource-efficiency and help grow the circular economy.”
The recycling process demonstrated at Cromwell Plastics Recycling’s Alfreton facility
Investment
The additional investment has been provided from within the group, Cromwell Polythene said, and not from the higher PRN prices seen earlier this year.
Speaking with letsrecycle.com, Mr Lee said: “In common with all other UK plastic recyclers, Cromwell Plastics Recycling does not benefit from any revenue from PRNs because the PRN value washes through to the price paid for plastic waste; this unfortunate situation is entirely due to competition from exporters.”
“We’re proud to have strengthened our UK recycling and manufacturing operations”
Mr Lee added: “Right now, the investment doesn’t make much sense from a commercial point of view, but it’s the right thing to do and we are hopeful that change is coming, driven by the circular economy and government initiatives to reform producer responsibility, the plastic tax and consistency of collections.”
Cromwell Polythene says the expansion of its polythene recovery service facilitates the collection of used polythene from customers and ensures resources are kept within the UK, in line with resources charity WRAP’s guidelines for the recycling of plastic packaging.
Alfreton
Cromwell Polythene purchased Alfreton-based Moorgreen Flexible Packaging from Duo Plastics Limited and renamed it Cromwell Plastics Recycling in January (see letsrecycle.com story). Cromwell Polythene says the acquisition of the site has increased the group’s capacity to recover and reprocess scrap polythene.
While the trading name was changed, the business continued to trade as usual and all staff have been retained.
The Cromwell Plastics Recycling site specialises in recycling and film extrusion, along with the manufacturing of polythene, film, bags, and sacks from recycled and prime virgin polythene.
Recovered material is recycled at the and extruded into more film, increasing the recycled content of the factory’s output.
The extrusion process demonstrated at Cromwell Plastics Recycling’s Alfreton facility
Manufacture
The facility manufactures low-density (LDPE), linear low-density (LLDPE), and medium density (MDPE) polyethylene, and compostable films, used for food delivery, industrial packaging and waste management applications.
Bags, sacks and liners are produced for a range of businesses in the ‘away from home’ market, including industrial, hospitality and leisure, local authority and healthcare.
The company says it can produce 100% recycled films, including material certified by the EUCertPlast auditing scheme, which focuses on traceability of plastic materials and the quality of recycled content in the end-product.
Leeds
Leeds-based Cromwell Polythene specialises in the sourcing and distribution of polythene products, including waste and recycling sacks, bin liner, clinical waste sacks, kerbside recovery bags, food-grade polythene and grip seal bags, woven polypropylene sack, personal protective equipment, polythene film, sheeting and tubing, compostable sacks and made-to-order products.
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Source: letsrecycle.com Plastic
