Waste not.

You’ll be hearing a lot about a ‘circular economy’ in the months and years to come. It’s all about coming up with an alternative to the ‘make, use and dispose’ way of doing things that has got us into such an environmental mess.

So, it’s good to know that a Somerset-based company is playing a lynch-pin role within global efforts to ‘build back greener’ following the effects of the Covid-19 lockdown.

Storm Board – who operate in Frome – has developed pioneering waste plastic recycling technology, allowing it to transform almost any waste plastic into a durable, stylish and recyclable alternative to plywood.

From stages at Glastonbury Festival and the Chelsea Flower Show through to high-end store displays for Harvey Nichols and the catwalk in Milan, Storm Board already has an impressive portfolio including art installations, furniture and other notable commissions. The product has also been used by supermarket giants including Sainsbury’s, ASDA and M&S.

Its primary use is as an alternative to plywood, which the UK imports in huge quantities from Europe and China. There are well documented environmental concerns around the production of plywood including the deforestation of tropical areas in Asia and South America*, harmful emissions and pollutants in the manufacturing process plus the carbon footprint it creates by huge delivery journeys to the UK from all over the world.

Business owner Nick Stillwell ( pictured above) believes Storm Board can solve a range of problems for companies by recycling their everyday waste plastic into durable, reusable board.

He said, “It’s no big secret that the majority of plastic waste still goes into landfill or is incinerated. It’s a huge problem for all sorts of companies, especially supermarkets and other big retailers. At Storm Board we’re showing that this plastic can be recycled into quality, visually-appealing products that can be used for a wide range of purposes.

“Rather than send plastic off to landfill and then spend out more on plywood for shelving, hoarding or installations, let Storm Board recycle it for you into something useful.

“There is a lot of talk about sustainability and circular economies and Storm Board is a great example of what can be achieved. We have developed a solution that will go some way towards tackling the issue of plastic waste, reducing imports of cheap single-use plywood and creating durable, reusable products for a range of industries.”

Storm Board has multiple applications across a range of sectors including; construction, commercial property, furniture, agriculture and fencing.

To date the company has recycled 600 tonnes of plastic destined for landfill or incineration per year at its factory, with the capacity to double this.

However, every 12 months the UK generates 5 million tonnes of plastic waste, with only around a third of this, 1.6 million tonnes, being recycled. The rest is either placed in to landfill, incinerated or exported to be “recycled”.

For Storm Board, there is still much more that UK companies could and should be doing to change this worrying situation and the company is committed to turning waste plastic into a weatherproof and recyclable alternative to plywood.

Visit www.stormboard.net for more information.