Bristol Waste opens new materials recycling facility
New materials recycling facility now open in Avonmouth
Officially opened on Wednesday 28 May, Bristol Waste Company’s new processing facility will transform the region’s recycling capabilities.
The £5million materials recycling facility in Avonmouth is an expansive 2,160m2, 23,250sqft building – roughly one-and-a-half times the size of the iconic ship, the SS Great Britain.
It is poised to significantly enhance recycling capabilities for Bristol and the Southwest. By increasing the volume of plastic, metal and cardboard handled and recovered, the new facility will result in less waste and lead to more items being made from recycled materials. This will reduce reliance on unused raw materials and cut carbon emissions.
The new facility houses sorting and processing equipment, dramatically increasing Bristol Waste’s capacity to handle a wide range of recyclable materials.
This significant development, delivered in partnership with Encon Construction, marks a major step forward in both Bristol Waste’s and Bristol City Council’s commitment to providing sustainable waste management solutions.
Richard Williams, Managing Director at Bristol Waste Company, said: “The opening of this new materials recycling facility at Avonmouth is a momentous occasion and marks the start of increased capabilities for our city’s recycling efforts.
“Bristol has long been a leader in recycling. We’ve held the top spot for recycling amongst comparable English cities for eight years. Whilst we’re doing amazing things already, this investment allows our city and region to reach even greater heights.
“The new facility will provide a significant increase in capacity for processing, including sorting and baling. We are not only improving our own operations, serving the council and our residents, but providing a valued service for businesses across the region to manage their recyclables more sustainably.”
"The opening of this new materials recycling facility at Avonmouth is a significant occasion for both Bristol Waste Company and our owners Bristol City Council. It marks the start of increased capabilities for our city’s recycling efforts. Efforts that will benefit both residents, stakeholders and businesses using our commercial services.”
Richard Williams, Managing Director for Bristol Waste Company
Dan Kelly, Operations Director at Bristol Waste Company, added: “We are pleased to be opening this much needed facility. The investments we’ve made in our Avonmouth site are already proving to be invaluable, enabling us to process higher volumes of recyclables, saving more resources from going to waste, whilst generating additional revenue which can be reinvested in our crucial services for the city.”
The Avonmouth facility boasts several key features:
- Sorting technology: Equipped with machinery, the facility efficiently sorts a wide variety of recyclable materials, leading to increased recovery of valuable resources such as plastic, metal and cardboard.
- Increased processing capacity: The significantly enhanced processing capacity allows Bristol Waste Company to handle a much larger volume of recyclables, diverting more valuable materials from going to waste and reducing the reliance on virgin resources.
- Business opportunities: The availability of processing capabilities in Avonmouth provides new opportunities for businesses to efficiently manage their recyclable waste streams, reducing transportation costs and environmental impact.
Councillor Martin Fodor, Chair of the Environment and Sustainability Committee at Bristol City Council, stated: “The opening of the Avonmouth recycling facility is a significant step towards Bristol’s ambition of becoming a zero-waste city. This increased capacity will benefit our residents and ensure vital capacity for crew across the north of the city to process our recycling collections promptly and get materials ready to market. It also ensures our approach to waste management is sustainable and creates opportunities for collaboration with local businesses, minimises waste, reduces reliance on unused raw materials, and cuts carbon emissions across the region.”
The facility underscores Bristol Waste’s ongoing dedication to environmental responsibility and its commitment to fostering a thriving circular economy within the Bristol area.
Companies involved in the build and fit out of Bristol Waste’s Materials Recycling Facility include Encon Construction, Shufflebottom Ltd, SLR Consulting, Whitham Mills, and Fire Shield.
Watch a fly over of the new facility
Bristol Waste Company fact file:
- The new materials recycling facility is capable of processing 6 tonnes of plastic, cans and cardboard recycling every hour. That’s the same weight as a fully grown African elephant in just 60 minutes.
- Having a facility in the North of the city will reduce the mileage of Bristol Waste’s waste and recycling vehicles by around 120 miles a day, reducing the environmental impact of the household collection service. That’s over 31,000 miles a year saved.
- In 2024 Bristol Waste recycled or composted 64,698 tonnes, saving the city £8.3million in disposal costs and made 23 million refuse and recycling collections.
- More than 700 businesses use our commercial waste services.
- 90% of Bristol Waste workforce live in Bristol, contributing £20.5 million in social value to the city.
- Currently 85% of Bristol Waste’s recycling stays in the UK (20% stays in Bristol, 38% stays in the Southwest including Bristol).
