The site where a man died following an explosion on Tuesday morning is owned by prominent Perthshire entrepreneur Simon Howie.
A 46-year-old man has died following the explosion and major fire at Shore Recycling Centre.
Another man, 41, is receiving treatment for serious injuries at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
Police Scotland says a joint probe into the fire is ongoing.
The business was founded by Mr Howie, the entrepreneur best known for his butchery business.
It has operated in Perth’s Friarton Road for more than two decades.
Mr Howie declined to speak when contacted by The Courier on Tuesday afternoon.
Shore Recycling managing director Michael Elwine, however, said: “We are all devastated, and our thoughts are with the family and friends of our colleague who has died.”
Shore Recycling Limited launched
Mr Howie started Shore Recycling Limited in 2002 with Malcolm Todd following a change in UK law.
All CFCs gases – non-toxic gas used in coolants – had to be recovered after January 2001. The change in law led to a fridge mountain building in the UK.
Mr Howie spent a week in Germany in the spring of 2001 to find a technical solution for CFC recovery.
Then work began in earnest constructing a facility at Friarton Road.
In April 2008, Mr Howie sold the entire business to Viridor for £23m. He bought back the business in October 2020.
Mr Howie is listed at Companies House as one of two directors of Shore Recycling Limited along with Michael Elwine.
Five million fridges recycled
Mr Howie’s Perth recycling plant is the only facility in Scotland capable of recycling fridges as well as other waste electrical equipment.
Waste electrical equipment (WEEE) is a high-profile sector in the battle to use resources better. In the UK, each person disposes of an average of 25kg of WEEE each year.
The Perth facility is an integrated plant which process all forms of WEEE from fridges to computers to microwaves. It services material from 25 of Scotland’s councils.
At the time, Mr Howie said he welcomed the opportunity to return to the waste recycling sector.
And in 2021 he celebrated the business recycling its five millionth fridge.
Fourth fire in past two years at Perth facility
Tuesday morning’s fatal fire is the fourth at Shore Recycling Centre in the last two years.
An early morning blaze took place in September 2022. It was described as “significant” by the fire service at the time.
In May 2022, firefighters were called as locals complained of a “strong smell of burning plastic”.
In April 2021, emergency services attended after a pile of waste caught fire.
There was also a fire in May 2005 which destroyed equipment.
Perth businessman’s butchery business
Mr Howie is best known for his butchery business.
The Dunning-based firm supplies meat to supermarkets and many of Scotland’s top hotels and restaurants.
The company, which has more than 100 staff, boasts the UK’s top selling haggis and black pudding.
Accounts show the business recorded a 13% increase in turnover for the year to December 2021, to £21.6 million.
It also recorded a £4.1m pre-tax profit, up from £3.6m the year before.
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