SIC resumes sending glass to Cunningsburgh

SHETLAND Islands Council says it will start sending glass to the Enviroglass premises in Cunningsburgh again for recycling after the site was leased to new operators.

The facility, owned by Shetland Amenity Trust but now leased to local company Shetland Precast and Groundworks Ltd, will receive glass from the local authority from today (19 April) onwards.

The lease agreement was formally put in place this week, but the company has been on site since late last year prior to the arrangements being formalised.

Last year the amenity trust said it stopped taking in glass from the SIC because the fees paid for processing had halved, with the local authority instead storing glass in Lerwick before shipping it south for recycling because it was cheaper.

However, the new operators have regularly been in touch about accepting glass from the local authority and an arrangement has now been struck.

In 2015, over 440 tonnes of glass was collected in Shetland from its bottle banks, which are spread across the isles in around 50 locations.

Colin Bragg of the SIC said: “Now that they have established the glass recycling operation and better understand their new running costs, we have been able come to an arrangement that suits both the SIC and this expanding local business.”

Family-run Shetland Precast and Groundworks began making precast paving for its projects last year but outgrew its Quarff premises due to demand.

At the same time, the amenity trust was exploring its options with regards to running Enviroglass and it was suggested that the business could be leased to the precast company.

Shetland Precast and Groundworks will continue to supply Enviroglass’ previous products, such as 80 per cent recycled glasscast paving and aggregate items made from 100 per cent recycled glass.

It will take on Enviroglass’ existing customers, while the two names will be merged.

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“We are delighted to be working with Shetland Precast and Groundworks Limited,” Goudie said.

“Their experience in the precast industry, and ability to offer supply and laying of the pavers will greatly improve the service which can be offered by Enviroglass.”

Shetland Precast and Groundworks director Bobby Roberts said the collaboration would enable the business to expand even further.

“While we are a very experienced groundworks company, our precasting is a relatively new addition but took off far faster than we had imagined,” he said.

“We quickly outgrew our old premises and were producing our pavers the old fashioned way.

“This site at Cunningsburgh not only gives us more room but also all the equipment to mechanise and scale up precast production, as well as the ability to produce new aggregate products – garden glass, all in and shotblast.”