HRH the Princess Royal Visits Dunbar Energy Recovery Facility

On Thursday 23rd March, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited Viridor’s Dunbar Energy Recovery Facility in East Lothian.  

Originally planned to take place in 2019 to formally open the facility, the visit had been postponed due to Covid-19.

During the visit to the facility, The Princess Royal was given a guided tour by Viridor’s Director of ESG Dr. Tim Rotheray, meeting key members of the operations team and local community. This included an introduction local artist Svetlana Kondakova who designed a mural and sculpture for the visitors centre.

Operational since 2019, Dunbar ERF is integral to the Scottish Government’s ambitions to deliver a zero waste, circular economy which encourages waste reduction, boosts recycling and recovers vital low carbon energy from what remains.

In tandem with Viridor’s investment in a Scottish £125m network of recycling-led infrastructure, the ERF diverts up to 325,000 tonnes of post-recycling ‘residual waste’ from landfill and contributes to Scottish energy security powering the equivalent of ~ 70,000 Scottish homes.

Involved heavily in the local community at Dunbar, Viridor is partner to the Engineering Development Trust (EDT) a Scottish educational charity set up to engage young people in STEM, supporting and engaging with young people through work experience, apprenticeships and other learning and development opportunities.

Following the tour, HRH The Princess Royal was briefed on Viridor’s role in the Scottish Circular Economy the facility’s importance in Viridor’s ambition to be net zero by 2040 and to becoming the UK’s first net negative emissions waste management company by 2045.

Director of ESG, Dr. Tim Rotheray commented:“ We are honoured to have had HRH The Princess Royal visit our Energy Recovery Facility at Dunbar. The facility is integral to the Scottish Government’s ambitions to deliver a zero waste, circular economy. We are extremely grateful to The Princess Royal and her team for working incredibly hard to make the visit happen.”

 

Grant Minnes, Dunbar ERF Plant Manager commented:“ The operational team at Dunbar were delighted to have HRH The Princess Royal visit the facility, her interest highlighted the important work we are doing to safely divert waste from landfill, helping to build a world where nothing goes to waste.”

 

For further information, contact communications@viridor.co.uk