Shanks waste recycling plant officially open

The lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire officially opened the district's waste recycling plant.

The centre, created by Wakefield Council and Shanks Waste Management Ltd, has been operational in South Kirkby since last July.

And the council says it has led to a ten per cent increase in kerbside recycling.

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The Lord Lieutenant Dr Ingrid Roscoe was joined by the council’s deputy leader Coun Denise Jeffrey, cabinet member for environment and communities Coun Maureen Cummings, Peter Dilnot - Shanks Group Chief Executive and Morley and Outwood MP Andrea Jenkyns.

Stanley Grove Primary got a Shanks prizeStanley Grove Primary got a Shanks prize
Stanley Grove Primary got a Shanks prize

Councillor Jeffery said: “The official opening is a way of recognising how proud we are to have this fantastic facility which is using all the latest technology to recycle the district’s waste.”

Matthew Williams, Managing Director of Shanks, added: “We are delighted to officially mark the opening of one of the most sophisticated waste-to-product facilities in the UK.

“We look forward to continuing to work closely with the council to make more from waste in Wakefield.”

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Shanks recently presented twelve refurbished electronic tablets to local schools as part of a competition to promote the recycling of waste electrical items. Enact Solutions theatre group ran interactive assembly sessions in primary schools across Wakefield on behalf of Shanks to educate children on the importance of recycling.

Stanley Grove Primary got a Shanks prizeStanley Grove Primary got a Shanks prize
Stanley Grove Primary got a Shanks prize

They were given stickers to put on their wheelie bins showing which electrical items could and couldn’t be put in there.

And they were asked to bring in any unwanted waste electrical items into school for Shanks to recycle or reuse.

More than 2.5 tonnes were collected. Stanley Grove Primary School won the competition, collecting 137 waste items between them. Other winning schools included Bell Lane, Three Lane Ends, Oyster Park, Stockingate, Carlton, Grove Lea and North Featherstone.