Wastefront AS has been granted an environmental permit for their flagship site at the Port of Sunderland. The decision was made Thursday 31 August 2023 by the Environment Agency and clears the way for the next stage in the process, as Wastefront works toward having the site fully operational by 2026.

Commenting on the news, Wastefront CEO Vianney Vales said: “Wastefront’s work is timely and urgent; our Blueprint will solve the disposal of an estimated 31 million metric tonnes of end-of-life tires annually, which is currently a concerningly dense source of both emissions and waste. Our Blueprint will reduce emissions and bring circularity to heavy industry, at a scale not seen before. We are therefore delighted to have been granted an environmental permit for our Sunderland site – it’s a vital step on the journey to having the site fully operational by 2026. The entire team can now focus on starting construction and investing further in Sunderland. We reflect on this key milestone, and thank those who have helped us reach this stage, and are excited for what comes next.”

Matthew Hunt, Director at Port of Sunderland, added: “We are delighted that Wastefront has received an environmental permit for its world-first tire recycling plant here at Port of Sunderland. Representing an investment of over £100 million, once completed, the facility will represent a critical piece of UK infrastructure, creating highly skilled jobs for local people at the Port and significantly consolidating further our position as an investment location of choice for the ever-growing circular economy.”

The full decision can be accessed online here.

The news closely follows the announcement of a strategic partnership with leading global energy storage infrastructure provider VTTI, for investment of up to $43mn (which will go toward the first phase of the Sunderland plant’s development) and an agreement to reach a final investment decision for eight global sites within a five year period. It is the first time the Wastefront Blueprint has been licensed for global deployment.

Wastefront’s partnership with VTTI – one of the world’s largest independent energy storage infrastructure providers, backed by leading energy and infrastructure players Vitol, IFM Investors and ADNOC (the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company) – is one of several key Wastefront partnerships, such as with energy and commodities company Vitol for a 10-year offtake agreement for pyrolysis oil and certain non-liquid products.

French engineering and technology company Technip Energies is Wastefront’s partner for the Front End Engineering Design and the Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management of the Sunderland plant buildout. Wastefront has also signed an agreement with one of Europe’s largest distributors of products for the rubber industry, Weber & Schaer, for their recovered carbon black.

Press release by Wastefront.