A fire broke out at a DS Smith paper recycling plant this morning (1 March), with 30 firefighters and five fire crews sent in to tackle the blaze.
DS Smith, the UK’s largest paper recycler, announced today that a fire had started at one of its recycling depots early this morning, but that the fire is now ‘under control’.
All staff and visitors from the depot at Rose Hill Business Park, Willenhall, near Wolverhampton, were evacuated and accounted for and, according to the company, there have been no injuries reported. The cause of the fire is unknown at this point, but reports say it began from a piece of machinery running papers from recycling. An investigation has been started to determine exactly what happened.
The company provides corrugated packaging in Europe and plastic packaging worldwide, running nine recycling facilities in the UK. The fire comes just weeks after a fire broke out at UPM Shotton’s North Wales paper recycling facility.
West Midlands Fire Service alerted the public that crews were tackling the fire, which they described as ‘severe’, and advised people to keep their windows and doors closed. Teams from Bilston, Willenhall, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Fallings Park Fire Services were called in.
Just last week, DS Smith announced plans to invest £4 million in its recycling facilities in the South West of England and East London, aiming to increase coverage across the South West and improving the management of material quality in the UK. The firm also recently appointed a new Head of Recycling, Jochen Behr, replacing former Head Jim Malone.
A statement from the firm read: “All operations are currently suspended and all incoming vehicle movements are being safely diverted from site, but the fire has been contained and has not spread to any buildings on or near the site.
“Health and safety is of paramount importance to DS Smith and the company is working with the relevant authorities to help investigate the cause of the fire.”
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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.