EMR, a global leader in sustainable materials, is marking the further progress of its plastics recycling arm – MBA Polymers UK – with the arrival of a third UK facility at its EMR Duddeston site in central Birmingham.
The state-of-the-art facility will allow UK manufacturers to cut plastic waste from their production lines and “buy back” low carbon, recycled material, creating a ‘closed loop’ supply chain for post-industrial plastics.
A global leader in plastics recycling, MBA Polymers UK treats and recycles 100% of the material it processes within the UK. This unique capability offers unparalleled transparency to businesses who see sustainability as integral to their future.
MBA Polymers UK – which already recycles more plastics per end-of-life vehicle than any other company in the world – will now recycle more plastics from the manufacture of new vehicles than any other global recycler. Its recycled plastic is the first to achieve the Carbon Trust’s Lower CO2 Certification with its material offering a reduction of between 75% and 86% compared to virgin equivalents, according to an independent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
The development of the Duddeston site – in a repurposed former EMR warehouse – is the latest step in the company’s efforts to create a nationwide network to collect more plastic – from Waste Electronics and Electrical Equipment (WEEE), Automotive Shedder Residue (ASR) and post-industrial production.
As part of its ambitious growth strategy, MBA Polymers UK has a target to produce 100,000 tonnes of recycled plastic by 2030, with Duddeston set to provide between 13,000 and 15,000 tonnes of this goal.
The new £400,000 site joins MBA Polymers UK’s original facility in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, and a separation line in Dover which was acquired in 2019. The arrival of a third site will increase the efficiency of its processes and reduce the unnecessary, carbon intensive transportation of material.
Paul Mayhew, General Manager at MBA Polymers UK, said:
“The arrival of our business – and its innovative recycling processes – to the heart of Birmingham is the next exciting chapter in the MBA Polymers UK story.
“Not only will this facility allow manufacturers to join a closed loop supply chain to recycle their post-production plastics, but the location of this new site will also reduce the transportation required to achieve this.
“Duddeston is the latest step in our wider strategic goal of creating a nationwide network of recycling facilities for both post-consumer and post-industrial plastics and – by partnering with our parent company, EMR –providing a ‘one-stop solution’ of a circular supply chain for both plastics and metals here in the UK.”
Ian Sheppard, Managing Director at EMR, said:
“The plastic recycling technology developed by MBA Polymers UK is a game changer for any business looking to join the circular economy.
“I’ve been incredibly proud to see how MBA Polymers UK has continued to grow and expand its network of sites in recent years and Duddeston is an important milestone, helping more business to access MBA Polymers Uk’s recycling service and state-of-the-art low carbon materials/
“By working together in the years ahead, EMR’s metal recycling and MBA Polymer’s plastic recycling technology is set to transform the way both post-industrial and post-consumer material is collected and utilised.”
