Enva investment to take its UK fridge recycling capacity beyond 2.3m appliances a year
22/09/26
New investment in permanent treatment infrastructure, alongside additional short-term storage, will significantly increase the UK’s ability to recycle fridges domestically and tackle the constraints experienced across the market during 2026.
Enva has announced a further £9.5M investment in its UK fridge recycling infrastructure that will increase its overall treatment capacity to more than 2.3 million appliances, or over 100,000 tonnes a year and significantly strengthen domestic fridge recycling provision.
The latest investment will see Enva install a new fridge recycling line at its Grantham facility, adding approximately 8,000 tonnes of annual processing capability when it becomes fully operational in February 2028. This will bring the Grantham fridge processing capability to c.33,000 tonnes per annum.
The new line will replace older technology at the site and will be installed alongside Enva's existing fridge processing operation, ensuring there is no interruption to customer services or reduction in treatment capability during the development.
The Grantham project forms part of a wider programme of investment by Enva to significantly increase the scale and resilience of its UK e-waste recycling infrastructure.
This includes the company's new 124,000 sq. ft fridge recycling facility at Crossways Commercial Park in Dartford, which is expected to become operational in February 2027. Designed to process approximately 35,000 tonnes of WEEE and fridges annually, the facility will use advanced recycling technology capable of recovering more than 98% of fridge components. The new Grantham line will use the same technology.
The increase in domestic treatment capacity will remove the potential need for appliances to be exported to Europe for recycling, helping ensure valuable recovered materials remain within the UK resource economy.
Alongside its investment in permanent treatment infrastructure, Enva is also introducing additional temporary storage at Bury St Edmunds to support customers before the new Dartford facility becomes operational. The short-term measure has capacity for 5,000 tonnes of storage and provides a defined onward treatment route for appliances affected by current treatment constraints, with material stored temporarily before being processed at Dartford as the new facility comes online.
The Bury provision follows Environment Agency approval earlier this year for Enva to temporarily store up to 2,000 tonnes, approximately 50,000 fridges, at its Corby facility as part of its response to sustained pressure on UK fridge treatment infrastructure.
Barry Phillips, Managing Director, e-Waste & Glass at Enva, said:
"Over the past year, the UK fridge recycling market has experienced significant pressure on available treatment capacity. Our response has been to support customers with practical short-term solutions while continuing to invest in the permanent infrastructure the UK needs.
"The new Grantham line represents another important part of that investment. Together with the new facility at Dartford, it will significantly increase our ability to process fridges here in the UK and provide customers with reliable, long-term treatment which effectively resolves the capacity problem experienced in 2026.
"Importantly, we are continuing to support customers while that new infrastructure is being developed. The additional storage provides a temporary solution with a clear onward treatment route, rather than simply moving the problem further down the line."
The investments form part of Enva's continuing programme to strengthen its UK e-waste recycling network, increase domestic treatment capability and recover greater quantities of valuable materials from end-of-life electrical equipment, supporting the transition to a more circular economy.
ENDS
