Major investment in Midlothian recycling plant boosts circular economy

Thousands of tonnes of industrial waste will be prevented from going to landfill following major investment in a Midlothian recycling plant.

Hamilton Waste & Recycling has invested in its Loanhead facility thanks to a £1.3 million green loan from HSBC UK.

The firm has used the funding to purchase state-of-the-art machinery that uses the latest screening and air separation technology to sort through construction and demolition waste.

Materials, from wood to stone, are salvaged through the sorting process and are then washed and separated before being sold back to the building trade.

The recycling firm is installing the new equipment at its site in Loanhead, and expects the machinery to be up and running by the end of the year.

According to the Edinburgh-based firm, the recycling process not only ensures that no unnecessary waste occurs, it also reduces the need for new raw materials to be manufactured.

Robin Stevenson, managing director at Hamilton Waste & Recycling, said: “This new, sophisticated aggregate recycling plant will stand us in good stead for achieving our circular economy ambitions. With this green loan from HSBC UK, we’re looking forward to significantly reducing the impact the construction and waste sectors have on the environment.”

Marcus Sangster, relationship director HSBC Equipment Finance, added: “HSBC UK green loans are key to our net zero ambitions at HSBC UK, so we are proud to work with Hamilton Waste to help to reduce the carbon emissions associated with the building trade.”

The recycling firm, which was founded in 2002, is installing the new equipment - a Parnaby cyclone technology wash plant - at its site in Loanhead, and expects the machinery to be up and running by the end of the year.