A huge fire at a business park in Warwickshire is thought to have started at a plastics recycling firm.
Fire and rescue services were called to Goldicote Business Park, where JFC Plastics is located, on Banbury Road in Stratford-upon-Avon on the afternoon of 16 October. 50 firefighters, 11 fire engines and an aerial appliance were on the scene at the height of the blaze, which started in a 30m² building. The fire had also spread to a number of external storage units, requiring the business park to be evacuated.
Crews operating in four-hour shifts remained on site all throughout the following day to continue damping down the flames, while motorists were advised to avoid the area and seek alternative routes due to smoke.
Group Commander Neil McElvenny said: “This is a large scale incident and there is smoke in the surrounding area, currently moving in a northeasterly direction towards Wellesbourne and Loxley… For any residents who can see smoke please keep windows closed as a precautionary measure.”
Crews are expected to remain at Goldicote Business Park into the evening. The fire is now under control and damping down/fire investigation will take place. Please take care due to smoke in the area and use an alternative route to Banbury Road if possible #incident #firefighters pic.twitter.com/fP6xwdcp81
— Warwickshire FRS (@WarksFireRescue) October 16, 2018
An investigation is now taking place into the causes of the fire, which is thought to have originated at JFC Plastics, a specialist manufacturer of plastic drainage pipes for the civil engineering and construction sectors. The company is a subsidiary of the wider JFC Group, an Irish company that manufactures plastic products for a range of industries.
The source of the blaze is not yet known, but stockpiled plastic can prove hazardous, being highly combustible, easily overheated and producing toxic smoke when alight. In August, thousands of plastic trays caught fire at Ravensbourn Plastic Ltd in Swadlincote, producing a so-called ‘firenado’, a column of fire and smoke that could be seen from across the entire East Midlands.
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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.