Knowaste to resubmit plans for London nappy plant

Hygiene waste specialist Knowaste Ltd is resubmitting its planning application to construct what would be the UK’s only dedicated nappy recycling facility in the London borough of Hillingdon, West London.The £15 million plant, on the border of Southall and Hayes, would reportedly use ‘unique’ recycling technology to process up to 40,000 tonnes per year of absorbent hygiene products (AHPs) – primarily nappies– into plastic pellets and pet litter.However, the Canadian-owned company withdrew its planning application on March 1 2016 shortly before it was due to go before Hillingdon council’s planning committee, having originally submitted the application in September last year (see letsrecycle.com story).According to Knowaste, councillors on the committee had “at the last minute” requested more details regarding the proposed developments odour management system, prompting the firm to withdraw the application in order to submit a new one which includes the requested details.An application withdrawal notice appeared on the Hillingdon council website last month as a result, but UK business development director at Knowaste, Paul Richardson, insisted the firm was resubmitting its application imminently and still hoped to have the plant operational next year.