Recycling and waste management business Levenseat has announced plans to invest £4 million upgrading a new Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Falkirk, which it purchased from Avondale Environmental yesterday.

Levenseat, based in West Lothian, says the MRF is designed to process up to 200,000 tonnes of waste per year – which, if successful, will double Levenseat’s current sorting line capacity. It plans to utilise the facility by continuing to accept waste from existing customers, whilst also expanding the company's public and private sector business across central Scotland.
Improvements to the upgraded MRF are expected by the business to enable the process and recovery of a much wider range of materials, including bulky waste, which has traditionally been difficult to recycle and often ends up in landfill. It announced that the Falkirk site will also process ‘mixed household, commercial, industrial, construction and demolition waste’. According to Levenseat, the site will introduce new processes, so that more of this waste stream is recovered for recycling with remaining non-recyclable materials converted into fuel.
The Central Scotland facility is expected to create up to 50 jobs, as well as introducing new technologies and automated processes on site.
Turmec UK, has been appointed to carry out refurbishment and installation of the MRF’s new equipment.
The landfills and other associated operations remaining on the Falkirk site will continue to be owned and operated by Avondale Environmental Ltd, part of NPL Group.
Angus Hamilton, Managing Director of Levenseat, said: “Today’s acquisition of the Materials Recycling Facility, which includes the land and associated equipment at the Falkirk site, is a core part of our ambitious strategy.
“We are proud to announce our plans to further automate and upgrade the facility and bring a number of skilled jobs to the site. This will ensure we can fully maximise its capacity to further support customers’ recycling objectives and play our part in the circular economy.
“We will build on our experience and expertise in this area to implement innovative approaches to ensure we maximise recovery from any waste stream going through the new site for recycling or conversion into energy.”
resource.co article ai
How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.