Aug 14 2005
A pioneering new facility which will transform wood recycling in Northern Ireland has been awarded £500,000 in funding from WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme).
The new plant, the first of its kind in Northern Ireland, will be created by Urban Forest Ltd at Newry, Co Down, and will lead to the manufacture of higher value recycled wood products. The industrial development land for the plant was purchased from Invest Northern Ireland, a sale which was completed on Friday (5/8). The facility will deliver a step change in wood recycling in Northern Ireland as the first dedicated facility for the manufacturing of a variety of high quality recycled wood products, such as bedding for horses and litter for poultry. On completion it will be capable annually of reprocessing almost 35,000 tonnes of waste wood that would otherwise have gone to landfill.
As well as animal bedding products, the facility will also supply feedstock for panel board manufacturing and fuel for renewable energy production. Urban Forest Ltd was awarded the WRAP capital grant worth £500,000 through an open competition process. The funding, which contributes toward the total £2 million investment in the new plant, is one of four support agreements awarded by WRAP under this competition to accelerate investment in new wood reprocessing capacity. As well as investment in plant and machinery, the development of the site involves improvement to roadways, new surfacing and erection of new buildings to house the new plant and for the storage of finished products.
“WRAP’s capital grant to Urban Forest has provided a significant boost to the growth of markets for recycled wood products in Northern Ireland,” said Stephen Aston, Head of Waste Management, Department of the Environment. He added, “The continuing support the Department gives to WRAP is a key means of developing recycling markets in Northern Ireland and getting the most out of these materials.”
Tom Fourcade, WRAP's Material Sector Manager for Wood, said: "Urban Forest’s Newry plant will set a new benchmark for wood recycling in Northern Ireland as it will show how sophisticated reprocessing sites can produce a range of competitive added value products. We are proud to support this investment that will make a significant contribution to sustainable waste management in Northern Ireland."
Patrick Durkan of Urban Forest Ltd, added: "The WRAP funding has been essential to us being able to make this investment which we are confident will create a leading recycling facility for wood waste in Northern Ireland."