We are delighted to announce that Sportex Group has been awarded funding from Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, to support R&D into our pioneering recycling process for old artificial sports pitches.
The grant will help accelerate the development of new plastic recycling technology, in collaboration with our project research partners, plastic experts Impact Solutions Ltd and Queen’s University Belfast.
Simon Rathbone, Impact Solutions said:
“We are proud to be a part of this exciting team and look forward to building on the success of past recycling projects with Innovate UK.”
The investment is part of £130 million awarded to 1,069 UK businesses from the Sustainable Innovation Fund to support single and collaborative R&D projects over the next two years. These competitions aim to help all sectors of the UK rebuild after the effects of COVID-19.
This is exciting news for us. The award is recognition of the environmental benefits of our unique recycling service, which gives our customers a greener alternative and helps reduce the carbon footprint involved in sending end of life pitches to landfill.
It also recognises the potential for business growth as sustainability and environmental issues take a more prominent role in decision-making across our industry.
Sportex is the only UK company offering recycling for old artificial sports surfaces, as well as surfacing and maintenance. Our cutting-edge reclamation processing plant at Grangemouth recycles the very expensive loose infill materials from an old surface – usually white silica sand and rubber granules – so that they can be separated, cleaned, graded, sanitised and tested for re-use in new surfaces.
On announcing the news, Innovate UK Executive Chair, Dr Ian Campbell said:
“In these difficult times we have seen the best of British business innovation. The pandemic is not just a health emergency but one that impacts society and the economy. Sportex Group, along with every initiative Innovate UK has supported through this fund, is an important step forward in driving sustainable economic development. Each one is also helping to realise the ambitions of hard-working people.”
At Sportex, we estimate that approximately 1.5 million m2 old sports pitch surfacing is replaced every year in the UK. Our goal is to further develop our recycling technology and to spread the word about it, encouraging positive change within the industry when it comes to the disposal of old sports surfacing.
If you would like to find out more about our innovative recycling technology, get in touch on 0131 333 3030 or take a look at our website www.sportexgroup.co.uk.
Alternatively, if you are interested in the innovations work which Impact Solutions are doing then please get in touch here.
Be sure to also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to keep up-to-date with our progress.
