New Facility For Recycling Single-Use Plastic Lab Equipment
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A new startup known as LabCycle has established the first materials recycling facility in the UK that can handle plastic waste from research laboratories. BBC News reports that the innovative company was founded by Bath University graduate Dr Helen Liang.

Research institutions around the world produce an estimated 5.5 million tonnes of plastic waste each year. This can be a hidden issue, because the vast majority of people never visit scientific laboratories. Items such as plastic tubes and pipette tips are disposed of and taken for incineration because they contain potentially harmful contaminants.

However, the incineration process releases toxic pollutants into the atmosphere, as well as creating the need for fresh plastic to be manufactured. Dr Ling became concerned with the sheer amount of plastic that was thrown away while she was researching her PHD and was motivated to do something about it.

She said: “We use research to solve mysteries, make discoveries and cure diseases, but along this journey a huge amount of single-use plastic waste is generated. At the moment, this waste is sent to landfills or incineration due to concerns about health and safety, and the lack of appropriate recycling services.”

“Researchers are aware of this problem, and many of them have been calling for a change to this waste culture. Working at that interface of being both an entrepreneur and a researcher, I feel the responsibility and see the opportunity to create a solution.”

Dr Ling was granted an Innovation Award in 2020 that enabled her to develop LabCycle with her co-founders. She explains that the company uses technology to remove hazardous contaminants that is a combination of mechanical and chemical processes. The plastic is washed and then shredded ready to be sent to a recycling facility.

The project started in a small greenhouse at the University of Bath, initially just to handle waste from the biology and biochemistry labs, before being rolled out across other science departments.

Dr Ling has now been awarded a Royal Academy of Engineering and Enterprise Fellowship for her work with LabCycle and has received a grant to develop her startup further. She is now looking for partners to scale up the recycling technology.

Dr Ling, who completed a PhD in Sustainable & Circular Technologies in 2022, commented: “It’s incredible. Because I’ve been using this every day in the lab doing my PhD. And now we have made a new piece of lab equipment which is 100% recycled, it’s really exciting.”

She added: “I sincerely appreciate the support from the Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies, Department of Life Sciences, the health and safety team, SETsquared and alumni.”

“We’ve had a lot of interest from external organisations eager to reduce their environmental impact. We hope to move as fast as possible to help them become more sustainable.”

Plastic consumption in the UK continues to grow by about 4% each year, and it can take up to 400 years for plastic to fully decompose.

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MATT BEVERLEY

A time served Mechanical engineer Matt’s background includes many high-profile projects within the Automotive Industry: The Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Cullinan, Spyker Le-Mans racing teams, Bentley, Aston Martin, and Airbus A380. This history and knowledge of complex manufacturing and engineering projects have been transferred and further developed into the bulk material handling sector. Matt has work in Europe, North America, Indonesia, and China

He joined the bulk solids and bulk handling industry in 2019 as Managing Director of Hoverdale UK Ltd and subsequently completed a Management buyout in July 2020. The business has grown yearly, increased employment, its customer base, and worldwide reputation, and disrupted the market with groundbreaking innovative technology. Since Matt took over Hoverdale, the company has filed four patents for innovation; one was granted in 2023 for a design to improve bulk handling. The success had been driven by delivering tailored solutions to the waste recycling sectors that keep material flowing out and money flowing in.

Awards Include

  • 2024 – Shapa company of the Year
  • 2024- Shapa Innovation in Technology
  • 2024- MHEA Engineer of the year
  • 2021 – MHEA Innovation of the year
  • 2021- IMechE Innovation award

Current Positions Include.

  • Group Chairman Hoverdale UK Ltd
  • President (MHEA) Material Handling Engineers Association
  • Vice Chairman: IMechE Bulk Material Handling Committee
  • Council Member: (SHAPA) Solids Handling & Particle Association
  • Member: Chartered Management Institute

Matt has been happily married to Julie for 22 years and has 4 children, 3 of which are involved within the Hoverdale group of companies. He is an RFU level 2 qualified coach and referee having been in several head coaching roles at various age groups from under 6’s to adults for his local team Nuneaton RFC. He believes in the core values that rugby teaches of Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, Sportsmanship and try’s to carry this through in his day to day business activities. He is passionate at brining the next generation of young, diverse engineers into the sector through promotion of apprenticeship scheme and further education routes.

DAVID BARTER

David is an experienced leader, with a background covering Operations, eCommerce, Finance, Compliance, HR and IT. His career spans Banking, Retail and Engineering, spending the majority of his career working for ALDI as they grew to become 4th largest supermarket in the UK, including seven years on their UK board as Managing Director of IT and eCommerce.

David joined Hoverdale’s Senior Management Team in 2023 to seek a fresh challenge in a completely different industry sector. He has applied his approach to Process Improvement, Efficiency, Customer Service and Teamwork to great effect during Hoverdale’s sustained growth.

Married to Jane, with three adult sons between them, David volunteers on the board of the Nottingham Playhouse theatre as well as his local rugby and football clubs. Any spare time he spends enjoying walks with their Golden Retriever, Buzz, who is also regularly seen in the Hoverdale office.

BEN DUCHESNE

Ben is a time serviced field service engineer in the busy waste and recycling sector, who’s career moved into to managing service teams and beyond. Originally beginning his career with a HGV repair and maintenance apprenticeship with IVECO, from there travelling and working in multiple countries moving towards waste processing shredders.

Ben joined the Hoverdale team in September 2024 seeking to apply his extensive knowledge to a new area. His values and ethics fit perfectly within the Hoverdale ethos.

He is happily married to Kristina, with 4 wonderful young children; 14, 11, 8 and 5. We the children he doesn’t get much spare time. He is a family man, who enjoys spending as much time with them as possible.