Local company's sector-leading know-how is putting North Ayrshire on the map
Posted on 29 Sep 2023
Many of us like to watch eco house building programmes, but did you know that a local recycling firm has used a whopping 9,500 television screens to render the exterior of a Scottish house?
Restructa Ltd, one of the lead innovators of the circular economy in the UK, has done just that.
Based in North Newmoor Industrial Estate, the company was approached by London-based architects Denizen Works who had taken an interest in the recycler’s unique glass landscaping product, made in-house at their Irvine factory.
Jim McNulty Director at Restructa shares: “Similar in appearance to garden stones used for topping planters or accenting driveways, our unique aggregate product is made entirely from recycled TV screens that would otherwise have ended up in landfill.
“Called Glasglo, the aggregate was commissioned as a bulk component for a one-of-a-kind exterior rendering for the now architecturally acclaimed ‘Hundred Acre Wood’ house - a contemporary mansion set in Scotland’s picturesque Loch Awe.
“The Highland home has since been recognised by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland as the first building in the world to be clad in recycled TV screens. So as a relatively small organisation, this has been amazing exposure for us.
“And it’s funny really, because I recently learned, that the owner of the house really isn’t into TV at all, so it’s ironic don’t you think? Considering his home are covered in them… in fact, his house has appeared on TV screens now across the globe. A full circle moment in our circular economy.”
Restructa share the same goal as North Ayrshire Council to become completely net zero by 2030 and have recently joined Ayrshire’s Net Zero Accelerator Programme to further strategise and solidify their eco efforts.
With a mantra of ‘hating all waste’ the local recyclers have always been climate-conscious innovators when it comes to electricals.
Jim explains: “If an item originated with a cable and a plug, we are all about finding any means necessary to reuse and safely recycle every component we possibly can.
“We are so grateful that North Ayrshire Council have supported us on our journey so far. From putting funding opportunities on our radar to helping us to future-proof our operation, their Business experts have always been on hand to help us.”
Since new legislation was introduced in 2017, many recyclers moved away from dealing with the recycling of more problematic products like plasma TVs and CRT (cathode ray tube) TVs.
For Restructa though, it’s a different story. They have taken on the WEE challenge to become one of the leading waste, electronic and electrical reuse/recyclers in the UK.
Jim explains: “Alongside our sister company CCL (North) Ltd who deal with IT products, we are all about finding any means necessary to reuse and safely recycle every component we can.
“And with no demand for repair or reuse of the older CRT televisions, we knew we had to do adapt our business and stay true to our “we hate ALL waste” philosophy.
“Recently, with the help of a graduate scientist from the University of the West of Scotland, we have been able to develop intuitive onboarding green technology, in the form of a mobile app, that allows our operatives to scan items on arrival and efficiently decide the next step of their recycling journey with us.
“With many models of TVs containing hazardous POP materials that are highly toxic to humans and the environment – known as or persistent organic pollutants – our app can now be used on arrival to identify, process and responsibly recycle over 10,000 different electrical items, and this tech has really been a game changer for us.”
The Optimum Eco Group (umbrella company of Restructa and CCL) now have their sights now set on finding bigger North Ayrshire premises as they continue to scale their operation and create more local jobs. Their mobile app is now being further developed to market to other recyclers worldwide.
Councillor Tony Gurney, Cabinet Member for Green Environment and Economy said: “Climate change is a very real threat to us and future generations.
“Our Business and Energy and Sustainability teams are committed to supporting local businesses who want to tackle climate change now before it is too late.
“With their advanced and trailblazing recycling approaches, I am confident alongside us that Restructa will be successful in their ambition to become net zero by 2030. It is also brilliant that Optimum Eco Group have kept their TV and IT recycling operations local. They are one of the key players in the area who are putting North Ayrshire’s green economy on the global stage and this in turn will encourage other climate-conscious businesses to invest in the area.”
Employing 100 staff from North Ayrshire across their factories at North Newmoor Industrial Estate (Restructa) and Meadowhead Industrial Estate (CCL), the North Ayrshire firm has also been announced this Climate Week as one of 17 local businesses to have joined the Ayrshire’s Net Zero Business Accelerator Programme.
If you are part of a climate-focussed business, are inspired by Restruca’s story or have an eco idea that you want to take to the next level, please get in touch with the team to find out how we can realise your eco ambitions too.
Visit the Business team website for more info at: https://www.thisisnorthayrshire.co.uk/ or email: energyandsustainability@north-ayrshire.gov.uk
If you want to team up with Restructa to share eco knowledge this Climate Week, drop them a message on X (formerly Twitter): @Restructa_ltd or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/restructa-ltd.