Why the Port of Sunderland is an 'ideal location' for the new Quantafuel plastics recycling plant

Norwegian firm Quantafuel was granted planning permission for a new facility yesterday, Monday, February 6.

The company will build the plant on a key 12-acre site on the eastern edge of the port to take mixed plastic waste from across the north of England that would otherwise have been incinerated or disposed of in landfill.

In a process known as pyrolysis, the materials will be heated in the absence of oxygen so they melt and break down into raw materials that can be used again in the manufacture of new products, including high-grade plastics.

It will be the first plant operated by Quantafuel in the UK to recycle plastics, which reduces C02 emissions by around 70% compared to incineration.

Construction is expected to start later this year, with the plant opening in 2025.

Over 100 new jobs will be created

The new plant will support 200 jobs during construction and will create more than 100 new, full-time posts when it opens, from highly-skilled mechanical and chemical engineering posts, to management roles, finance, operatives, security, and cleaning.

Apprenticeship and training positions will also be available. Quantafuel is already working with Sunderland College and is in discussion with local universities and training centres to ensure positions are made available to people in the area. It has also given an undertaking to liaise with the community in the East End of Sunderland about vacancies.

Director Winifred Johansen is looking forward to working the the port and city council: “We’re very pleased to have secured planning permission and thank council members for sharing in our ambition to create a long-term, sustainable alternative to incineration and landfill for dealing with plastics,” she said.

“We’re hoping to open similar plants across the UK but chose Sunderland as our first development as the port provides an ideal location, and the city has a good, skilled workforce to draw on.

“Working with the local community is extremely important. We met with Sunderland College and members of the East End community last year and hope to develop those relationships further. We will be holding job fairs and community liaison events to ensure local people gain real benefits from Quantafuel Sunderland, including quality training and job opportunities.”

‘Major investment’

City council leader Coun Graeme Miller said: “This major investment demonstrates what we have to offer global companies, and our transition to becoming a key investment hub for innovative businesses in the sustainable technologies and green industries.

“The port is key to the city’s development plans and we continue to invest in it to develop our rail, road, and sea links.”

The plant will process around 100,000 tonnes of low value plastic waste and the raw materials produced will be shipped to customers while self-generated gas will be used to power the plant.

Port Director Matthew Hunt said: “In recent years, there has been huge investment and effort to stimulate interest and growth at the port, and a lot of infrastructure works have been carried out to attract new business,” said Matthew.

“It’s great to see these efforts paying off with Quantafuel investing, alongside new businesses, such as Wastefront and Brineflow Limited.

For more information about Quantafuel, go to www.quantafuel.com