Jobs created in Leeds as Duo invests £3m into new recycling company

Operating from a warehouse in Stourton, the investment in Duclo Recycling has created six jobs and there are plans to grow the workforce to more than 20 by the end of 2022.

The business specialises in the recovery and recycling of plastic packaging.

A spokesman said: “Initially, a dry recycling facility and wash plant will enable Duclo Recycling to recycle around 7,000 tonnes of plastic by the end of 2022, with ambitions to double this next year by adding another wash plant.”

Dale Brimelow, operations director at Duo, said: “Since Duo opened 34 years ago, we’ve always invested in ways to improve packaging through innovation, and enhance sustainability by reducing the reliance on virgin materials. To build on this further, we needed to create more direct ways to recycle material and establishing our own recycling division was a logical next step.

“Duclo Recycling gives us greater ability to boost the volume of plastic waste entering closed-loop recycling. We believe there’s significant opportunity to improve how much post-consumer plastic content is recycled, as closed-loop infrastructure is lacking in the UK, yet it’s the most effective way of keeping this valuable material in the economy.”

The new company will be run by managing director Carol Cox, who said: “There’s huge demand for recycled plastic pellets that simply isn’t being met. This demand is likely to increase as companies comply with the Plastic Packaging Tax and respond to growing calls for more resourceful packaging.

“We have the capacity to work with other forward-thinking organisations across the UK to enhance the resourcefulness of their plastic packaging and reduce waste going to landfill.”