Mobile shredder to hit the road

Funded by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) the six-month shredder tour will be carried out by Manchester-based Axion Recycling.

The idea is to target the significant quantities of rigid plastics that build up in commercial and industrial premises simply because they are difficult, or expensive to transport.

On the hit list will be items such as redundant wheelie bins and bakery trays.

The trial will involve a mobile shredding unit being mounted on a curtain sided lorry. This unit will shred the plastics at customers’ premises and collect the shredded material in big bags ready for haulage.

Shredding the items will make them far less bulky and thus more economical to take to a recycling site.

The purpose of the project is to build up information on commercial and industrial rigid plastics collection, processing techniques and costs and the practicality of the use of mobile shredders.

If the project is deemed commercially viable, Axion intend to continue with the service after the trial has ended.

Keith Freegard, a spokesman for Axion said: “Based on the early feedback from the market place, we believe that shredding 600 tonnes of rigid plastic in the first six months is an attainable target.

“If we are able to prove this is a commercially viable process and continue with the service after the trial, this concept has the potential to divert a tremendous amount of rigid plastic from landfill.”

Paul Davidson, WRAP’s material sector manager for plastics, added: “Traditionally these bulky items have been a no-go area for recycling because the transport costs were just not economically viable. We hope that this trial will demonstrate a feasible solution and provide reprocessors with additional plastics for recycling.”

Anyone is interested in the shredding service can contact Axion on 0161 426 7731.

by Sam Bond