Royal opening of new Western Riverside Recycling Facility Date: 11-03-2011 The new Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) at Smugglers Way in Wandsworth was officially opened by Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal on Thursday 10th March 2011. The MRF plays a crucial part in the integrated waste management solution that Cory Environmental has developed for the Western Riverside Waste Authority. The £25 million MRF will process over 84,000 tonnes of dry recyclables a year from the Western Riverside Waste Authority area which incorporates the London Boroughs of Hammersmith and Fulham, Lambeth, Wandsworth and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Speaking after she had unveiled a plaque to formally open the MRF, Princess Anne spoke of her concern that the world was becoming a 'convenience' society 'We really have to do better for the sake not just of the present generation but for future ones. We have to change the way we do things and this is certainly a real way forward. My congratulations to everyone involved and to to everyone else please take the opportunity to come here and find out what really happens and what can make a difference,' she said. Following the opening ceremony, which was attended by the Mayors of the four constituent Boroughs of the Authority and Battersea MP Jane Ellison, guests were invited to tour the facility and observe the recycling process in operation. The MRF is a major part of London's waste infrastructure for the future and the area. It incorporates the latest technology sorting mixed recyclables into metal cans, plastics and glass which are then sent to processors where the materials are used to make new items. The facility contains over 100 fast moving conveyor belts and an aray of hi-tech devices including optical sorters and magnets that allow recyclables to be separated. Tim Ahern, Chairman of the Authority, said: 'The Reuse Workshop and the MRF, combined with our long running 'Recycle Western Riverside' campaign, clearly demonstrate the Authority's determination to manage as much waste as possible as high as possible up the waste hierarchy.' Peter Gerstrom, Cory's CEO said: 'The opening of the MRF is an important step for Cory's operations in London. It will have a significant impact on our ability to recycle great volumes of waste going forward. This official opening marks the culmination of a long process and I would like to thank everybody involved for their hard work on the project'

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