A world ‘first’ for Scott Bros

Recycling firm strengthens circularity credentials with upgraded wash plant capable of recycling 100% of its water

WASTE-recycling specialists Scott Bros have invested in a pioneering water filtration system that enables their £6 million washing plant to operate solely using 100% recycled water. The recycling facility, situated at South Bank, Middlesbrough, is one of the UK’s largest ‘urban quarries’ and utilizes water to extract high-quality aggregates from construction and excavation waste, diverting thousands of tonnes from landfill each year.

The wash plant previously operated using a blend of site water and rainwater, supplemented with mains water. Now, following an in-house modification of the filtration system, that reliance has been removed.

So, how was this achieved? Scott Bros state that they have installed ultra-fine 10-micron filters, which allow the system to recycle rainwater more efficiently by preventing suspended solids from clogging the jet nozzles. This upgrade enables the processing of up to 300 tonnes of material per hour using only recycled water.

The wash plant now only requires mains water in exceptional circumstances, such as prolonged drought periods, significantly reducing both environmental impact and operating costs.

Peter Scott, a director at Scott Bros, said: ‘To the best of our knowledge, this is the first wash plant in the world to run entirely on recycled water – a remarkable achievement for a family-run business. Water is an increasingly precious resource, and by harvesting rainwater and recycling every drop on site, we’re setting a new standard for sustainable aggregate production.’

Scott Bros were also heavily involved in several innovative sustainability projects based on the wash plant’s by-products, including a fine-grained clay known as ‘filter cake’.

Backed by Innovate UK and in partnership with Teesside University, Scott Bros have additionally installed a £1 million low-carbon concrete plant that replaces up to 25% of Ordinary Portland Cement with the recycled filter cake.

The recycling firm is also developing prototype bricks from the same material and supporting research into its use for carbon capture, with trials suggesting it could sequester up to 1.6 million tonnes of CO2 annually in the North East while enriching soil quality.

Fellow Scott Bros director Bob Borthwick added: ‘This is what the circular economy should be like; local businesses creating practical, scalable solutions that deliver environmental, economic and social benefits. We’re proud to be leading the way from Teesside.’