Environment

Greenstar, Ireland's largest waste management company, opened its EUR20m (£16m) redeveloped materials recycling facility in Bray, County Wicklow, this week (12 May).

The redeveloped facility, which will accept waste from the Greater Dublin area, will divert 135,000 tonnes of waste from landfill every year and brings Greenstar's investment in the waste sector to €275m over the past seven years.

The facility features an automated dry mixed recyclables line that will process 25,000 tonnes of commercial and household green bin waste per year. It automatically separates materials including aluminium and steel cans, paper, cardboard, plastics and steel. This permits 90% recovery rates and a higher quality of material at the end of the process.

The investment also includes a commercial and industrial waste line that is fully automated and can process 10 different types of materials, including paper, cardboard, plastics, wood and metals. This will increase recycling rates from 42% to 70%.

Greenstar chief executive Steve Cowman said: "This continuing investment by Greenstar is going some way towards addressing the country's critical lack of waste infrastructure.

"However, if Ireland is serious about meeting its EU waste targets before the looming 2010 deadline, then the government needs to create the right regulatory environment to encourage investment in alternative, viable technologies. If the government acts, so too will the private sector."