Through investing in its "green economy" infrastructure, waste management firm Biffa aims to increase the UK's recycling capabilities
Waste management firm Biffa has committed to quadrupling its plastic recycling capabilities (Credit: Biffa)
Waste management firm Biffa is to spend £1.25bn ($1.5bn) on its “green economy” infrastructure over the next 10 years.
The UK-based business aims to use this investment to improve the country’s recycling and recovery capabilities.
It says the move will quadruple its plastic recycling capacity, with it currently building a PET bottle recycling facility capable of managing 1.3 million pieces of waste a year.
This commitment is part of its new 10-year sustainability strategy, titled Resourceful, Responsible.
Biffa’s chief executive Michael Topham said: “Resourceful, Responsible fully supports our strategic growth plans and long-term vision, defining the important role Biffa can play in delivering more sustainable solutions to help combat the UK’s waste challenge.
“I am very proud of the great progress that we, and the wider industry, have made in recent years to grow recycling levels and drive a significant reduction in CO2 emissions, but we recognise there is much more to do.
“Resourceful, Responsible is an ambitious but deliverable strategy that is based on proven technologies and is supported by our previously outlined investment plans.
“We look forward to reporting on our progress in the coming years as we deliver this plan and the exciting investment opportunities that it presents to our business.”
Biffa looking to reduce its carbon emissions by 50% by 2030
Alongside improving its recycling capacity, the £1.25bn ($1.5bn) committed by Biffa will go into building energy from waste (EfW) infrastructure in the UK.
The firm says EfW, from 38 locations across the country, currently generates enough electricity to power about 117,000 homes.
Biffa is investing in two more EfW plants, which will produce enough power for approximately 170,000 homes.
These sites are part of the company’s strategy to divert 90% of the non-recyclable waste it collects away from landfills by 2030.
Biffa has pledged to continue to build on its efforts to decarbonise its services, which have already seen the firm slash its CO2 emissions by 65% since 2002.
The company is targeting a further 50% reduction in emissions by 2030.
It intends to do this through increased recycling, the diversion of waste from landfills and improving its collection route efficiency by a further 20% by 2030.
The firm has also started to transport some of its waste types on trains, resulting in a 75% reduction in transport emissions.
As part of its medium-term plans, Biffa is looking to phase out fossil-fuelled vehicles, with its fleet transitioning to electric collection vehicle technology.
Alongside this, the company will install solar farms on its estate of closed and restored landfill sites, which will produce at least 100MW of renewable energy.