BinnBuzz Operator Appointed for Energy from Waste Facility | 4
Staff News and Updates | 8
Customer Focus | 10
SPRING | 2022
In this edition...
Welcome fr
Operator Appointed for Energy from Waste Facility
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Scottish Minister Visits Binn Ecopark
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Staff News and Updates
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Customer Focus: Allanhill Farm
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Welcome to the Team: Meet Our New Starts
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Welcome to the Spring 2022 edition of the Binn Buzz. Along with the rest of the world we have been watching with great sadness the terrible events that are still ongoing in Ukraine and our thoughts are with those who are affected. As well as the terrible human suffering, this war has highlighted the risks and ethical issues of relying on foreign energy supplies, which makes our announcement that we have appointed a contractor to build and operate our new Energy from Waste facility even more timely. The facility will provide low carbon energy to a local private electricity grid, as well as enabling the export of low-carbon energy to local businesses and other facilities. You can read more about it on pages 4-5. In other sustainability news Binn Group was delighted to welcome Lorna Slater, Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity to the Ecopark in April. It was a great opportunity to share with the Minister the strides Binn Group is making towards circular economy, renewable energy and lowcarbon eco-innovation - find out more on pages 6-7.
rom the Chief Executive Love has been in the air since the last edition of the Binn Buzz as in that short time we’ve had two weddings and welcomed a baby into the world – congratulations to everyone. You can catch up with all the latest news from the team on pages 8-9. In this edition we meet another one of our customers – Allanhill Farm – who produce some of the tastiest strawberries Fife has to offer. Their commitment to the environment is admirable and we’re delighted to have a customer who shares our passion to drive sustainability in business. Read more about them on page 10. We’ve had another busy period of recruitment here at Binn Group and I’m delighted to introduce another new set of faces who have joined the team over the last few months. They’ve taken up a variety of roles, including operational, administration and customer facing. I hope they’ll be very happy working here – you can meet our new starts on page 11.
Allan MacGregor CEO Binn Group
Finally I’d like to draw our business customers’ attention to the back page of this edition where you can find out more about our Customer Information Pack. This electronic document contains all the required licences and insurances we hold, as well as copies of our policies, to give your business peace of mind that we are fully compliant and insured when dealing with your waste. This document is regularly updated and can be downloaded from the Legislation and Licensing section of our website – check the back page for more details.
Aerial view of Binn Ecopark
Operator Appointed for Binn Ec Energy from Waste Facility French-based specialist company TIRU has been commissioned to build and operate Binn Group’s new £70 million Energy from Waste (EfW) facility at the Binn Ecopark. The appointment of TIRU - part of the recycling and waste management specialists PAPREC Group allows Binn Group and investment partners Iona Capital Ltd to press ahead with plans approved by Perth and Kinross Council in 2020 for the next generation plant. TIRU currently operate two EfW plants at Grimsby and Exeter and 18 further facilities across Europe ranging in scale from 3 MW to 200 MW. The Binn Ecopark will be their first EfW contract in Scotland and TIRU will also supply the technology for the 8MW facility handling up to 85,000 tonnes each year. The EfW project will create more than 200 jobs during the construction phase and 30 long-term skilled posts once operational, hopefully by late 2024. Binn Group will act as primary feedstock suppliers for the plant which will be developed as part of BINN BUZZ | SPRING 2022
the 200-acre Binn Ecopark site where a variety of low-carbon energy solutions are being developed including EfW, wind and solar power. Julia Safiullina, Investment Manager at Iona Capital, welcomed TIRU’s involvement. She said: “Their experience in engineering and construction gives us confidence that the project will be delivered on time and on budget. “TIRU’s extensive experience in operating EfWs and developing heat utilisation provides further assurance that the Binn EfW project will be a success.” The Binn EfW facility will provide additional low carbon energy to a local private electricity grid helping to drive clean technology development at the Binn Ecopark. The private grid will also enable the export of low-carbon energy to local businesses and other facilities. Future plans for the Binn Ecopark include advanced horticulture systems to support short food miles supply chain development, advanced circular
(L-R): Binn Group Project Manager Stuart Fraser and Managing Director Brian Harkins looking at plans for the new EfW development
copark The Cyclerval EfW facility in Exeter using TIRU technology developed for Viridor economy recycling systems and a clean technology training and R&D centre, which will all benefit from low carbon heat produced by the on-site EfW. The Binn Ecopark is also the proposed site for an advanced plastics recycling facility granted a £5.2m award in the £300m Tay Cities Deal. This new facility will enable Binn Group to offer customers ‘all in one bin’ collection systems for industrial, commercial and municipal plastics, helping them to improve their recycling performance, while reducing the plastic waste content of residual wastes entering the facility. Allan MacGregor, Binn Group CEO, confirmed the new EfW facility would provide necessary infrastructure for commercial operators needing to divert their residual waste from landfill. He said: “It will also offer a local solution to nearby municipal authorities. We believe PAPREC, TIRU and Iona Capital bring an experienced team with tried and tested technology and multi-site operational and financing experience to help Binn Group provide a cleaner solution for non-recyclable waste.
“We are excited at the role the facility will play in securing the growth of Binn Group, whilst supporting inward investment and economic regeneration for the Perthshire economy. No-one should be in any doubt about the environmental challenges facing us all - Binn Group intends to develop the Binn Ecopark as a key component of the transition to a low carbon Tayside economy, create jobs and support our local communities.” Binn Group supports the development of smaller multi-technical resource management platforms at a local level to manage waste streams as close to their generation point as possible. This new facility will offer an option for both local businesses and industry - as well as neighbouring local authorities to meet their legal obligations. By offering a low carbon solution to combat a national problem at local level, Binn Group will continue to play a key role in supporting the transition away from landfill and help drive the Government’s Zero Waste Strategy.
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(L-R): John Ferguson, Director of Pi Polymer; Brian Harkins, Managing Director of Binn Group; Lorna Slater, Minister of Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity; Jim Brown, Commercial Director of Binn Group; Nicki Souter, Policy and Communications Lead at Resource Management Association Scotland (RMAS); and Allan MacGregor, CEO of Binn Group
Scottish Minister Visits Binn Ec BINN BUZZ | SPRING 2022
copark
A new generation of resource management, recycling and green energy technology came under the Government spotlight this week as sector experts Binn Group welcomed Scotland’s Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, Lorna Slater, to Binn Ecopark at Glenfarg. Hosted by company Chief Executive Allan MacGregor, the Minister’s tour focussed on the Ecopark’s low-carbon, next generation resource recovery complex, before discussing the range of innovative clean tech, low carbon systems currently operating and proposed at the 200-acre site. The Minister also met John Ferguson, director with Pi Polymer, which is pioneering a system-focused, circular economy solution for the management of waste plastic. The first of its kind in Scotland, this new facility will provide much needed infrastructure capable of recycling a complex group of large waste plastics. It will be the country’s first to separate large rigid mixed polymers into non-waste recycled granulate and pellet form for downstream manufacturing, coming into operation by June this year. Binn Group, which employs 160 people, now processes over half a million tonnes of material each year with a recycling rate of over 90%. Ms Slater was introduced to a range of state-of-the-art operations at Binn Ecopark, centred on the circular economy, renewable energy and lowcarbon eco-innovation. The facility also boasts an anaerobic digestion plant, greenwaste composting systems and four wind turbines which form the core of a new private grid
project. This will transform power use at the site, with proposals for a private grid connection to support Perth’s low carbon Smart Energy City objectives and benefit the wider community. Other future proposals include a new skills training, education and research and development centre. Allan MacGregor said Binn Group was delighted to welcome the Scottish Government Minister to the complex. “As a business which is fully committed to reducing waste and growing the circular economy, we were happy to introduce Ms Slater to the strides being made here at Binn Ecopark.” John Ferguson of Pi Polymer echoed the welcome. “This facility has the ability and vision to demonstrate much of what needs to be done to decarbonise Scotland’s resource management sector and demonstrate the many opportunities for clean growth in these challenging times,” he said. Ms Slater also met representatives of the Resource Management Association Scotland (RMAS), representing small and medium sized resource management companies throughout Scotland.
Find out more about the range of circular economy focused resource management, renewable energy and ecoinnovation that is taking place at the Binn Ecopark by visiting our website: www.binngroup.co.uk
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Aidan Harkins, son of Binn’s Managing Dire Well done to Dean Byrne who passed his C Harkins, is currently on tour with the Osmon
Congratulations to Laura Henderson who married Gary Lennie on 26th February at the Railway Staff Club in Perth
Cheers to Mark Cairns who has been working with Binn Group for 20 years Congratulations to Paul and Kirsty Gray who welcomed baby Myani on 27th March
Many happy returns to Gary Simpson who turned 60 - what a fantastic cake! BINN BUZZ | SPRING 2022
ector Brian Class 2 lorry driving test nds Musical.
Congratulations to Chevonne Croll who married Martin McDade on 26th March at the Huntingtower Hotel in Perth
Staff News and Updates Well done to Struan Bell who passed his Class 2 lorry driving test
In other news... Brian Murray and Colin Harold successfully completed their ADR Carriage of Goods by Road Certificate - well done both. Farewell to John Bates, one of our fabricators, who retired in January following 17 years service at Binn. Many happy returns to Susan Crichton and Alan Duff who both celebrated the big 6-0 and Chevonne Croll who turned 30 (as well as getting married!) 9
Customer Focus: Allanhill Farm
100% of Allanhill’s fruit is grown in the soil – no grow bags in sight Situated just outside the historic town of St Andrews in Fife, Allanhill Farm has been in the Mitchell Family since 1952. Originally a dairy farm it now produces soft fruit and cereals, including 2,000 tonnes of strawberries each year. It prides itself on its commitment to the environment, which has seen the farm minimise its use of pesticides, plant nearly 3 acres of woodland, and sew two fields with a special mix of plants to help attract and nourish bees. Binn Group has provided recycling and waste management services to the farm for over fifteen years, collecting general BINN BUZZ | SPRING 2022
waste, mixed recycling, glass and food waste from the staff campsite which accommodates up to 500 workers during the peak harvest season. Farm waste is also collected for recycling, including polythene wrap from polytunnels and strawberry beds, cardboard packaging and scrap metal. Tom Wood, Soft Fruit Manager, said: “Sustainability has always been top of the agenda here at Allanhill. Our commitment to the environment is not just limited to managing our farmland responsibly and producing food in an environmentally sustainable way – we also expect the
contractors we use to share our ethos. “Binn Group has demonstrated their commitment to the environment by recycling as much of our waste as possible, as well as striving to be one of the most innovative and sustainable waste management companies in Scotland. “We’ve developed a great working relationship with them over the years and can rely on them to deliver what they promise. In addition, their prices are competitive and the service we receive from them is superb.”
David Otley Workshop Manager
Jacqui Stewart Head of Finance
Lynn Murdie Transport Administrator
Chevonne Croll Tradewaste Co-ordinator
Karen Park Administrator
Lewis Downie Call Handler
Laura Henderson Sales Administrator
Jamie Pilgrim Apprentice Welder
Carol-Jamie Smith Group Credit Controller
Binn Group would like to offer a warm welcome to a further nine new members of our team who have recently joined the company.
as starting her new position as Tradewaste Co-ordinator, has also found the time to get married and celebrate turning 30 - congratulations!
It’s been an especially busy time for Chevonne Croll, who as well
Hot on her heels is Laura Henderson, one of our new Sales
Administrators, who has also recently got married. Last but not least it’s welcome back to Lynn Murdie who has rejoined the team after previously working for Binn Group for 12 years.
Welcome to the Team: Meet Our New Starts 11
Company Information Pack Binn Group is one of Scotland’s leading and most progressive recycling and waste management organisations. We hold all the required licences and insurances that you would expect for a major waste management business. Our Company Information Pack has compiled all of these documents in one place, making it easy for you to assess our compliance. It’s regularly updated to ensure it contains the latest versions of our licences, certificates, insurances and policies. It is available for download from the Legislation and Licensing section of our website at binngroup.co.uk
Compa Informany tion Pac k
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