WIREDGOV

The first automated recycling centre at a Scottish supermarket was opened today.

The new facility at Tesco Extra in Shettleston, Glasgow, is designed to make recycling quicker, easier and more convenient as shoppers can recycle a variety of materials in the same machine.

Items accepted include cans, plastic and glass. Waste is then crushed and compacted on site resulting in fewer lorry collections, reducing carbon emissions.

Under Tesco's current promotion, recyclers will receive one Green club card point for every two aluminium cans recycled.

Opening the facility, Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Richard Lochhead said:

"I am delighted to open this automated recycling centre and try out this new facility for myself.

"Tesco's commitment to encouraging their customers to recycle is to be applauded and I am pleased to hear of plans to introduce this facility to further stores.

"The Scottish Government feels strongly about reducing waste. However, we cannot deliver our aims and objectives in isolation. These can only be achieved by working in partnership with others, including the private sector.

"So it is always encouraging to see projects and initiatives which directly contribute towards our vision of a zero waste society".

"It is vital that, for the sake of future generations we reduce our consumption of non-renewable resources, and lessen our impact on the wider environment."

Tesco spokesperson, Louise Goodland said:

"Recycling is a key issue for our customers and as a responsible retailer we are committed to helping our shoppers adopt green habits.

"They have asked us to make recycling easier, more fun and more convenient and this is what the new automated machines are designed to do for the whole community.

"Glass is smashed, plastic bottles and aluminium cans and tins are shredded and granulated to reduce them to a fraction of their original size. This is recycling made easy".

Pupils from local Wellshot Primary attended the launch having been asked to produce pictures of 'what recycling means to me'. Mr Lochhead and store manager Mark Whittet presented the best entry with a prize of a £100 Tesco gift card . A donation of £500 was also made to the school.

The TOMRA recycling machine, cost Tesco around £150,000 and is the first of its kind in a Scottish supermarket making it quicker, easier and more convenient to recycle.

The TOMRA machines were designed by Scandinavian engineers and are already used with success in many European countries. Recyclable items are dropped one at a time into the machine and lasers scan and identify the material being deposited. These are then transferred mechanically onto a conveyor system and crushed and/or shredded prior to being deposited into collection bins.

The TOMRA machines can recycle glass bottles and jars, steel and aluminium food and drink cars, plastic bottles, yoghurt pots and plastic food trays.

TOMRA machines are opening shortly at stores in Ayr, Alloa and South Queensferry.

The machine installed at Shettleston is manufactured with the ability to award clubcard points for items being recycled. Under Tesco's current promotion, recyclers will receive one clubcard point for every two aluminium cans recycled.

Related Information

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/waste-and-pollution/Waste-1