L-R, Duncan Midwood, Chief Executive & Co-founder of DDRS Alliance, Felix Michel, Investment Manager Infrastructure, Reichmuth & Co Infrastructure, Euan Stainbank MP who sits on the Climate Change APPG, Mary Creagh CBE MP, Minister for Nature and the Circular Economy and Rosie Bartram, Head of Public Affairs at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB. Credit: Andy Green
At a high-profile Labour Party Conference event on Monday, the Minister for Nature and the Circular Economy, Mary Creagh MP, hailed the construction of the UK’s largest bottle-to-bottle plastic recycling plant in Ellesmere Port as “really exciting news” for the green economy.
The panel event, Bridging Britain’s Recycling Capacity Gap: The Key to a World-Class Circular Economy and a Successful UK Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and investors to discuss the urgent need to strengthen the UK’s domestic recycling infrastructure and address the ‘capacity gap’ the country faces.
The Minister responsible for waste opened the panel discussion praising how Enviroo, a leading specialist in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling, is committed to strengthening the UK’s circular economy and building the facilities needed to make Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) a success.
Creagh said that this is an “exciting and galvanising moment for our industrial sectors to make sure we are creating resilient material streams…These are the materials in which our economy is founded on which our economy grows and in an unstable world, it makes sense to not make those materials our export but to keep more of them at home, creating and driving innovation and green jobs such as what we are seeing in Ellesmere port.”
Creagh also outlined how the upcoming collection and packaging reforms will turbocharge the green economy. Creagh said, “these collection and packaging reforms are the most significant overhaul of how we manage resources in a generation. This will drive our recycling rate from 45%... up to 65% by 2035.”
The panel discussion brought together
- Euan Stainbank MP who sits on the Climate Change APPG
- Rosie Bartram, Head of Public Affairs at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB
- Duncan Midwood, Chief Executive & Co-founder of DDRS Alliance
- Felix Michel, Investment Manager Infrastructure, Reichmuth & Co Infrastructure, Enviroo’s investment partner.
Stainbank reflected on challenges faced during Scotland’s DRS rollout, noting both the “capacity for massive behavioural change” and the difficulties for residents in high-rise urban blocks and rural areas.
Midwood called for a consistent, four-nation approach and highlighted the potential for digital solutions saying, “it’s vital we implement DRS well. What follows should use today’s technology to make it even better.”
Bartram said DRS is crucial to Coca-Cola’s goal of cutting carbon emissions 30% by 2030 saying, “this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Change may not always be convenient, but we must make it work for future generations.”
Michel highlighted that a well-designed DRS could send the right market signals to investors, unlocking private capital needed to scale the UK’s recycling sector and close the capacity gap. Michel stressed that its success depends on getting the design right.
The UK currently lacks sufficient recycling infrastructure, with around 50% of the nation’s waste exported overseas. This shortfall is set to worsen when the DRS drives higher volumes of collected plastics from 2027. Panellists agreed that urgent investment in domestic capacity, alongside effective collaboration with the future Deposit Management Organisation (DMO) and effective communications with the Public will be critical to ensuring the scheme delivers on its environmental and economic promises.
Enviroo’s £58 million PET recycling facility, currently under development within Peel NRE’s £165 million Protos Plastic Park at Ince Marshes near Ellesmere Port, was highlighted as a model for the future. Due to be operational by Q1 of 2027, the plant will process up to 35,000 tonnes of plastic annually, producing high-quality, food-grade recycled material. The project will contribute an estimated £4.5 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) each year to the regional economy, create skilled jobs, and attract more than £57 million in private sector investment.
Backed by Reichmuth Infrastructure & Co, Enviroo’s state-of-the-art facility will play a pivotal role in advancing the North West’s Net Zero ambitions and securing Britain’s place as a leader in sustainable recycling solutions.
Ahmed Detta, CEO of Enviroo said, "We were delighted to take part in this important discussion highlighting the opportunities and challenges the UK’s recycling industry faces when it comes to delivering a successful DRS. This scheme represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform how Britain manages its waste — but without the right infrastructure, the system will simply not work. At Enviroo, we are committed to ensuring that the UK has the capacity to recycle the plastic we collect here at home, creating green jobs, reducing our reliance on exports, and driving investment into communities. Our new facility at Protos is just the beginning. We want to show what’s possible when industry, government, and investors come together to build a truly world-class circular economy."
For further information visit www.enviroo.co.uk