Mhairi Black, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South, has officially opened Enva's new £1.5 million ash recycling plant in Paisley, Scotland.
This unique facility treats up to 20,000 tonnes of fly ash from biomass and Energy from Waste (EfW) facilities a year. The ash, previously destined for disposal in hazardous landfill sites, is washed to remove contaminants and then combined with other materials to create a sustainable concrete product.
Enva has partnered with Anglo Scottish Concrete Holdings (ASCH) to deliver its ash recycling solution, a long-established concrete and aggregate supply company. Both companies share an ambition to be at the forefront of a circular economy and are working to replace quarried aggregates with recovered materials.
Commenting on the opening, MP Mhairi Black said: “Enva’s ash recycling plant showcases how Scottish businesses are innovating and driving the development of the circular economy. In addition to the clear environmental benefits, investment in these sustainable technologies creates jobs and helps to support local economies. This is only the start of the journey, and I look forward to seeing how this exciting facility develops over the coming months and years.”
Enva CEO Tom Walsh said: “The environmental benefits of recycling fly ash are compelling. Every tonne of recycled aggregate produced by this plant reduces demand for quarried materials by the same amount, and working with ASCH can offset 200-300kg of virgin material in every tonne of concrete manufactured.
“In addition to the clear benefits of reducing waste to landfill, the use of this recycled product enables construction companies to utilise secondary resources with comparable characteristics and qualities to those of virgin materials.
“Providing a solution that manages waste near to its point of production also has clear benefits. Reducing the associated haulage has saved an estimated 950,000kg of CO2.”
Enva recently received confirmation from SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) that it has upgraded the classification of the recycled aggregate from a ‘deregulated material’ to full’ end of waste’ status. Significantly, this helps to market and position the product alongside its virgin counterparts.
Enva is also working closely with local construction companies to supply a new sand replacement product for several applications. This will further help reduce the carbon footprint from quarried materials and their transportation.
