Astley’s Fresh Start wins Green Apple Environment Award

Astley-based Fresh Start Waste Services won in the Environmental Services sector for Environmental Improvement, with its entry titled ‘Fresh Start is leading the industry by doing what others wouldn’t.’

Sean Martins, director at Fresh Start Waste Services, said: “This award belongs to the whole Fresh Start team.

“We chose not to wait for legislation or accept that mixed recycling was too difficult.

“We invested ahead of demand because our customers deserve clear evidence, transparent reporting and the best environmental outcome we can achieve for every tonne.”

The award recognised the company’s investment in a £750,000 Kiverco Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in Swinton, which processes around 15,000 tonnes of dry mixed recycling annually.

Through improved separation, quality control and recovery processes, Fresh Start has increased its recycling recovery rate from 41 per cent to more than 60 per cent.

Unrecoverable material is shredded onsite and converted into refuse-derived fuel, supporting the company’s zero-to-landfill commitment.

Fresh Start has also committed a further £1.5 million in its long-term processing strategy.

The company has purchased an adjoining building and submitted a planning application to roughly double its processing space.

If approved, the expansion would allow for additional processing upgrades, including advanced bag-splitting technology to recover more recyclable material from bagged waste.

Mr Martins said: “Our current MRF is already recovering more valuable materials and keeping the remainder out of landfill.

“Subject to planning, the next phase will give us the additional space and technology to build on that performance.”

Fresh Start provides customers with digital compliance records, onboard weighing data and detailed recycling performance reports.

The company has also been invited to accept Green World Ambassador status and will have its winning paper published in The Green Book, an international environmental best practice guide.