Plans for a major new 100-job Quantafuel plastics recycling plant at the Port of Sunderland draw closer as deal is done on land
Norway’s Quantafuel is preparing a planning application to build a plant at the port of Sunderland, which would take plastic waste not currently recycled in the UK and ‘recycle’ it into products that can be used to produce new, high-quality plastic.
Now the plans have taken a step closer to reality after Sunderland City Council formally agreed to give the company the first option to develop the land.
Quantafuel Sunderland Ltd – part of the specialist recycling company based in Norway – met Councilor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, on May 31 to sign the option agreement on the proposed site.
The option agreement prevents the council from selling or leasing the land to someone else while Quantafuel finalizes its proposal and awaits planning permission.
Lars Rosenløv, CEO of Quantafuel, said: “We are delighted to have signed the option agreement on this premier development site in Sunderland and look forward to submitting our planning application very soon.
“This is an important step in the process as we look to develop new facilities to help tackle the problem of plastic waste in the UK, and we very much appreciate the support and encouragement from Sunderland City Council as we are working to bring this long-term, sustainable recycling facility to fruition.
Cllr Miller said the council had worked hard to attract investment to the port and were excited about the development of new low-carbon businesses on the site, which will boost the UK’s circular economy.
“It was wonderful to meet the Quantafuel team today to sign the option agreement on the ground, which shows our commitment to them and our desire to become a key investment center for innovative companies looking to develop and create the latest sustainable technologies that will build our green future,” he said.
“The port is essential to the city’s development plans and we continue to invest there to develop our rail, road and sea links, which are essential in attracting such global investment. We look forward to working with Quantafuel as it develops its plans through the planning process. »
Quantafuel is about to apply for permission to build the plastics recycling plant on a 12-acre site east of the Port of Sunderland.
The plant would take plastics that are not currently recycled from across the north of England.
By chemically recycling it, Quantafuel produces a substitute for fossil oil and reduces C02 emissions by up to 50% compared to incineration.
Subject to planning permission, Quantafuel plans to make the plastics recycling plant operational in 2024, creating around 100 new long-term jobs. It will also support approximately 200 jobs during construction and create training and learning opportunities for the local community.
If approved, the facility will be designed to process around 100,000 tonnes of low-value plastic waste, such as soft food packaging and a variety of household and industrial plastics.
Quantafuel held consultation events in March this year to let the public learn more about the plans, and it also distributed leaflets to thousands of households to raise awareness of its development plans.