BMRA member Recycling Lives, as part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan), could benefit from a solution to make their business energy-neutral. 

Dr Ala Khodier, a chemical engineer and associate at UCLan, undertook a two-year study into how auto-shredder residue could be diverted from landfill. The residue is the result of shredding, sorting and separating large volumes of waste metals and plastics through Recycling Lives £14m fully digitised fragmentiser. The process, a proof of concept, transforms the residue, comprising foams, rubber, fibres and textiles, into electrical energy, significantly reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill. Metals retained in the residue can be extracted and returned to the market, further boosting recycling rates. 

“Dr Khodier’s enthusiasm and capability has resulted in the delivery of an excellent project that far exceeded what had been planned at the outset,” said Dr Karl Williams, Director of Centre for Waste and Resource Management at UCLan. The Centre works with businesses to increase efficiency, productivity and improve environmental performance.

Paul Finnerty, Legal Director at Recycling Lives said Dr Khodier’s success marks the beginning of a very exciting time for Recycling Lives. He added: “It’s the first step on the road towards our goal of creating an energy neutral site through closed-loop recycling. Not only will it make our business more self-sufficient and environmentally friendly, it will also contribute to the social value we create from all our operations, helping us to create more jobs and support our charitable activities.”

Recycling Lives has said the findings could create enough energy to not only power its 15-acre Recycling Park, but also feed back into the National Grid.

Pictured is Dr Ala Khodier holding the waste residue which he has found a way to use to create energy, and from left Recycling Live’s Legal Director Paul Finnerty, Dr Ala Khodier, UCLan’s Dr Karl Williams, Director of Centre for Waste and Resource Management, and Recycling Live’s Chief Engineer Gary Halpin.