Viridor chief calls for recruitment push to drive waste industry forward

Viridor's chief executive, Colin Drummond, provided a boardroom view on what needs to be done to support growth in the waste and recycling industry at this year's RWM show in Birmingham.


Drummond, who starred in Channel 4’s ‘Undercover Boss’ last year, a documentary series where heads of major companies go undercover to find out how their businesses are operating, said he believes “waste is at the centre of the green economy”.

As part of his talk, he outlined how significant the growth in municipal recycling has been in the UK in the past ten years, with current rates around 40%, in contrast to just 10% in 2000 – 2001.

Drummond argued, however that more needs to be done by the Government to encourage and support people into the industry through apprenticeships.

He said: “Viridor welcomes government initiatives to build the number of apprenticeships, in particular in sustainable waste management – it’s not just graduates that we want, and it is clear that has caught on in the industry as a whole.

Currently Viridor has 15 people under its apprenticeship scheme, with plans to double this in the coming year.

Carys Matthews

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