The waste firm at the centre of a Perth fire has apologised and revealed £6 million has been invested to prevent future incidents.
Recycling giant Enva apologised after a fire broke out at their Perth centre on Tuesday morning.
Fire crews tackled a blaze at the Lower Friarton Road site for almost 10 hours.
It is believed a waste battery caused the reception area for inbound electricals to burst into flames.
Shore Recycling sold the facility to Enva in December 2023 after a worker was killed in an explosion at the plant earlier that year.
This fire is now the fourth at the centre in four years.
£6 million investment in Perth e-waste recycling facility
A spokesperson for Enva said: “Firstly, the whole Enva team fully understand the concerns of the public, especially given the history of the site, and reiterate our apology to our neighbours and the public affected by the incident on Tuesday.
“Fire safety is of paramount importance, and Enva has invested more than £6 million in the Perth e-waste recycling facility, which was acquired from Shore Recycling in December 2023.
“As a result, it incorporates new recycling technology and improved facility design to mitigate these risks.
“The reality is that batteries present a fire risk for the entire waste and recycling sector.
“Collectively we are charged with sustainably and safely managing a rapidly increasing volume and variety of batteries produced by households and businesses across the UK.
“Enva is fully committed to safely and sustainably recycling this waste material stream.
“On this occasion, the site’s design and fire containment measures worked well, and prevented the fire from spreading.
“Our team will, of course, conduct a full review and implement any learnings.
“We are confident that the site design, which incorporates new and improved fire detection and management systems, makes it one of the UK’s safest e-waste recycling facilities.
“As one of the UK and Ireland’s leading e-waste recyclers, Enva is committed to collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders, including other recyclers, electrical goods manufacturers, government bodies, regulators, councils, and the fire service, to innovate and develop new practices for the sector that will further reduce the fire risk associated with batteries contained within electronic waste.”
Widow of man killed in 2023 Perth explosion calls for safety probe at site
Magda Szmeichel’s husband, Slawomir, died in the February 2023 explosion at the recycling centre.
She has spoken out after another blaze at the same site.
The widow has backed calls for a review of safety at the site.
She has also called for a Fatal Accident Inquiry to be held, two years on from the death of her husband.
Lawyer Jayne Crawford, a partner with Thompsons solicitors – who represents the Szmeichel family – told The Courier: “Clearly, the workplace in question is crying out for the sort of recommendations a Fatal Accident Inquiry will provide to prevent recurrences.”
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