Materials Recycling Facilities Not Cleared Yet From Christmas

MRF operators have predicted it will be February before they have cleared the backlog of waste generated over the Christmas period.
Companies operating material recycling facilities have reported increases in material arriving at plants of up to 50%, compared with an average week. And some local authorities have reported record levels of material collected for recycling.
A great deal of this material ends up stockpile because it cannot be processed immediately.
One MRF expert expressed his dismay that a “severe shortage” of sorting capacity was the primary cause of the problem.
He commented: “The whole supply chain is pushed, everyone is trying to get rid of it
and transfer stations are trying to clear their sites.”
However, others have commented that even though capacity is strained and material is backed up, operators do not consider it a serious problem. Most have put measures in place, such as additional operating hours, to ease the burden.
East Midlands firm, Mid UK Recycling, takes an average of 650 tonnes a week at its MRF in Caythorpe, Lincolnshire. However, in the two-week period after Christmas that can rise to more than 1,000 tonnes. It takes between six to eight weeks to clear the backlog.
Managing director Chris Mountain stated: “We keep the material moving regularly and it doesn’t cause any problems. Everything balances out because for example, we have to shut down over the summer months for maintenance.”