NEWS
Going green – Peter Scott and colleague Bob Borthwick at Scott Bros ’ new wash plant at South Bank .
WORDS : SARAH WALKER PICTURE : TOM BANKS
Award-winning recycling firm Scott Bros has further plans to support sustainability and net zero ambitions
GREAT SCOTT !
For Teesside recycling giant Scott Bros , 2023 has already brought plenty to celebrate – from winning the Green Innovation Award at the Tees Business Awards to opening a £ 4m “ urban quarry ” that ’ s set to add £ 8m to the firm ’ s annual turnover .
But for director Peter Scott , the firm ’ s purpose around green innovation and supporting the transition to net zero is much more important than the bottom line .
The firm is now becoming even more well known for its green credentials , as it takes its bread-and-butter business of diverting people ’ s skip waste away from landfill to new heights .
Peter says : “ Everything that goes into our skips either gets recycled into solid recovered fuel for power stations , or we recycle the wood , plastic , metals , cardboard , plasterboard and aggregates .
“ We separate it all out , clean it all up and send it back to the market .”
In 2017 , Scott Bros started taking second-grade soil material up to Scotland to be recycled at an aggregate washing plant .
Doing this gave Peter his next big business idea – and the firm invested £ 1m in its own wash plant , which managed the separation of up to 50 tonnes of inert material per hour .
Soon the plant was unable to meet the construction industry ’ s increasing demand for its high-quality recycled aggregates such as sharp sand – and in January 2023 , Scott Bros opened its £ 4m wash plant – also known as an urban quarry - which
48 | Tees Business
Capacity – The new plant can wash up to 300 tonnes of inert material per hour .
is being commissioned with a view to operating at full capacity around mid-July .
The new plant can wash up to 300 tonnes of inert material per hour .
It is also designed to recycle all the water used in the process , including the moisture from the material itself .
Speaking of the firm ’ s success in this new venture , Peter explains : “ Sharp sand doesn ’ t have to be quarried , so if you ’ re building and you dig your foundations out , sharp sand can be separated from that material through washing – and the builder buys that material back to continue to build .
“ It becomes a complete circular economy .”
Scott Bros ’ long-term aim is that the new plant will be powered by renewable energy – which , it is believed , would make it the world ’ s first carbon-neutral wash plant .
“ We are processing 2,000 tonnes of material per day and diverting that away from landfill and we are also going to put solar panels on the roof to make it even more environmentally friendly ,” he says . “ Most of what we produce gets sold back into market , so if you wanted sharp sand , this plant makes it .”
The firm is also working with Teesside University on how some of the waste materials from the site can be turned into house bricks .
“ If that happens , everything that comes off that plant will be turned into a product and sold back to the market ,” Peter says .
It ’ s the second time Scott Bros has been involved in academic research supporting the sustainability agenda .
Last year , the firm began a collaboration with Teesside University as part of an innovative research project on using artificial soil to capture carbon dioxide .
“ There ’ s so much happening at Scott Bros ,” Peter says proudly . “ When you ’ re coming from the A66 towards Teesworks , Scott Bros is now part of the skyline with the wash plant , and awareness is starting to grow .”
Speaking of the recent Tees Business Awards , Peter admits winning was “ a very pleasant surprise ” against such excellent competition .
But more award wins must surely follow as , speaking to Peter , it becomes clear there are plenty more positive developments to come from the firm .
He is buzzing with ideas – and has high hopes Scott Bros will keep going from strength to strength , as the business world and domestic customers become ever more focused on sustainability and the drive towards net zero .