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Back to Search260 million tonnes of plastic waste is produced each year around the world, but only about 12 percent is currently being recycled. The development of a new way to recycle/reuse holds huge potential for relieving the burden this waste places on our environment.
A new processing plant that will produce valuable chemicals and oils from otherwise unrecyclable waste plastic has received the 2019 GHD Houston Chairman's Award for Technical Excellence, in recognition of its technological innovation, community impact, commercial potential and excellent client service.
GHD completed the front-end engineering design for this new UK plant that will convert mixed waste plastic into stable hydrocarbons that can be further processed into new plastic production or other valuable petrochemicals. The 20,000 tonne per year plant, located in North-East England, will be the first of its kind in the UK, and the application of technology to achieve the range of end products will be a worldwide first.
Lead Process Engineer, Malcolm Rushin, was in Houston to receive the award and explained that GHD combined experience in supercritical steam and combustion systems from its power team with its oil and gas process plant design, and electrical, civil and mechanical engineering to create a robust and deliverable plant design, which included identifying equipment, developing a walk-through 3D model for the physical layout and establishing a cost estimate.
David Maunder, Technical Director, GHD, says “The project involved frequent and highly interactive collaboration between the GHD team, our client Tourian Renewables, and technology provider, Licella. Through this connected approach, we were able to develop and optimize the design for this first-of-a-kind facility, supporting its timely transition to the next project phase.”
Tom Foley, GHD’s UK General Manager, says “Multi-disciplinary and collaborative engineering has a key role to play in the shift towards a circular economy and it has shaped a number of critical elements on this ground-breaking project. This award acknowledges the role of GHD engineers in providing premium and technically robust solutions to support our client’s goals.”
The GHD Award for Technical Excellence was awarded at the recent GHD Technical Conference in Houston, Texas, where energy professionals from across GHD’s global network gathered to explore how to they can help their clients create a new energy future.
Driven by technological innovation and community impact, GHD’s work on the project has now been awarded a number of accolades, including the New Civil Engineer (NCE) TechFest Energy Visionary Award and the NCE100 Impact in Energy Award.