Closed Loop, Dagenham

Closed Loop is the UK's first polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling plant and was designed and built by McLaren Construction in the Thames Gateway in east London.  The plant is managed by Closed Loop Environmental Systems Solutions who have been recycling PET in Australia since 2001.  This UK plant will convert 35,000 tons per year of waste water, soft drinks and cosmetics PET bottles into food packaging (910 million bottles a year).

Not only is Closed Loop a major boost to the UK's desire to reduce its carbon and energy footprint but the building itself also incorporates many eco-initiatives of its own including:

• Solar Panels for heating the domestic hot water service
• Roof mounted wind turbines producing electricity to reduce the buildings need for grid electricity
• Photovoltaic panels again electricity to reduce the buildings need for grid electricity
• Rainwater harvesting to provide greywater to the building
• A 500 KW CHP plant powered from waste heat from the PET recycling process
• Passivent fresh air collection removing the need of fans and reducing electricity consumption.
• All grid electricity sourced via green tariffs