Carpet recycling facility to supply equestrian sector

Welsh company Potters Recycling has announced the opening of a new recycling plant that will create carpet fibre for the equestrian sector.

The new carpet recycling facility in Newtown, Powys, is now fully operational, and contains a specialist heavy-duty shredding plant that reduces recycled carpets to a ‘flock consistency’. This can then be used on equestrian exercise areas on its own or as a blend with sand or rubber crumb.

The resulting material, the company says, presents an even and consistent surface, providing a cushioning effect and reducing the impact on horses’ legs whilst exercising, as well as improving drainage and increasing resistance to frost.

According to Potters, 400,000 tonnes of carpet waste are created in the UK every year, with the majority going to landfill sites and only 26 per cent being reused or recycled.

The new facility will use carpets that are unsuitable for cleaning and reuse, collected from the 12 recycling centres and waste management facilities managed by the company in Wales.

It aims to divert around 2,000 tonnes of carpet waste from landfill a year, with the potential of increasing to 6,000 tonnes a year in the future. Potters also says that the facility will save local authorities and businesses £150,000 in landfill disposal costs each year.

Development

Development of the facility, which has created 10 new jobs and safeguarded a further six, has been supported by £100,000 of funding from the Wales Economic Growth Fund. The Potter family, who run the Potter Group, also has scrap metal, renewable energy and recycling companies.

The Potters co-owned the winner of the 2013 Coral Welsh Grand National, Mountainous, with Dai Walters, Chairman of the construction, environmental engineering and property development focused Walters Group and owner of Ffos Las racecourse.

According to the company, the Potters’ involvement in the horse racing community has aided the development of the equine exercise surface, with trainers Richard and Kerry Lee, who treat horses with chronic injuries, providing input.

Growing demand for carpet recycling

Debbie Potter, the Potter Group’s Operations Director, said: “Our vision is to recover and recycle all carpet waste using the best environmental technologies available.

“Businesses, householders and local authorities are looking for better alternatives for the recycling of unwanted carpet materials. Our role is to ensure that the growing demand for carpet recycling is met while working to achieve the European directive of zero per cent to landfill deadline.

“At our new Newtown centre in Mid-Wales, all the recycled carpet fibre is sorted by hand to ensure that we supply our customers the best possible quality. The product is attractive to a wide variety of customers, including racehorse trainers, equestrian centres, riding schools as well as many private clients…

“The company has invested heavily in new technology to produce the best quality carpet fibre surfaces to meet a growing demand and is now at the forefront of carpet recycling.

“With vast experience within the equine industry, we fully understand what is required to provide the perfect footing for our clients and use the recycled carpet fibre to produce equestrian surfaces for customers with menage, turnout and gallop facilities.”

Wales Economy Minister Edwina Hart added: “I am pleased Welsh Government support enabled this project to go ahead which is not only reducing waste going to landfill but recycling resources and creating green jobs.”

More information about Potters Recycling can be found at the company’s website.