04/04/2008

Creative work with ‘a lot of bottle’ by a North East company has taken a front seat in recycling in the Tees Valley.

Northumbrian Water is supplying the innovative and environmentally aware company, COHDA, with thousands plastic sample bottles a year which will be recycled and made into funky furniture.

To ensure customers receive excellent quality tap water, Northumbrian Water takes thousands of quality samples every year from homes and businesses in the Tees Valley.  The process involves using 125ml and 1000ml (one litre) plastic bottles made from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE).

Five hundred and seventy 125ml sample bottles or 130 1000ml (one litre) sample bottles will make one chair. 

Northumbrian Water will be one of the biggest suppliers of recyclable plastic bottles for COHDA.  On average enough plastic sample bottles will be recycled to make three chairs a week. 

Jeff Stubbs, who is 27 and has worked for Northumbrian Water as an analyst for six years, came up with the idea of recycling the sample bottles and giving them to COHDA.

The delighted water worker, who lives in West Denton, Newcastle, and is based at labs in Horsley, in the Tyne Valley, said:  “I am so chuffed that my idea has been turned into reality. I read an article about COHDA’s unique furniture because I am passionate about recycling and was instantly inspired! 

“The bottles have been going to landfill – it is amazing what can be achieved with a bit of thought and effort.  Northumbrian Water has the environment at the heart of everything it does and this is definitely a win-win solution.”

Richard Liddle, managing director of CODHA, said:  “We began this project initially because of frustration at the huge plastic landfill problem in the UK.  We developed processes that allow us to control and re-form this plastic into very unique forms and are currently supplying the work to many contemporary galleries and interiors both in Europe and the United States.  It is wonderful that Northumbrian Water is supporting this project by giving us their sample bottles.  The more we can divert from landfill the better.”

Astonishingly, there is an estimated 600 thousand tonnes of HDPE being produced in the UK annually with only up to 10% currently being recycled.

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For further information contact Cara Hall, Northumbrian Water, on 0191 301 6720.