Sims Recycling Solutions Opening New Site

Sims Recycling Solutions, a division of Sims Group, is installing new processing capacity at its Newport, South Wales plant, in order to treat and recycle Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. The decision to expand the operations is in response to the January 2007 introduction of the WEEE Regulations in the UK.

The new site has a capacity to process more than 100,000 metric tons of WEEE per year. The investment increases the size of Sims’ total Newport infrastructure to more than 36 acres and positions Newport firmly as the world’s premier recycling facility capable of processing the entire range of domestic and commercial end of life products. The £8m (US$15.7 million) facility has received partial funding from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Regional Selective Assistance Programme and extends its strong partnership with Associated British Ports through its package of infrastructure support.

The facility will benefit from Sims’ European experience in electronics recycling and will cover all requirements of the WEEE Directive, from re-use and refurbishment, secure business to business asset management services, television dismantling and processing, general WEEE recycling and downstream plastics separation.

The Newport plant will complement Sims’ existing WEEE operations in Scotland, England, Scandinavia, Benelux and Germany.

Graham Davy, managing director of Sims Recycling Solutions has stated: "This investment has been planned for some time and we are pleased that we are now finally able to implement our strategy since the Government has laid down the Regulations. This facility is a further demonstration of our commitment to best practice recycling both locally and nationally. It is great news, not only for Sims but also for Newport."

"The WEEE Directive will play an important role in reducing the UK’s landfill and carbon emissions footprint and this investment reflects Sims’ commitment to

environmental stewardship. Allied to our recent investments in Germany, the Benelux and Sweden, we are providing total WEEE solutions for both the business to business and consumer marketplaces, across Europe," Davy continued.