A waste disposal business in Cornwall has secured more than £500,000 in investment to establish a state-of-the-art independent facility to treat and recycle sewage waste in the county.
After receiving a £542,000 investment from Cornwall Council through the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme, Pellows, based at Carnon Valley near Truro, can now begin work on the £1 million project to develop a new liquid waste treatment.
The innovative facility will add vital capacity to Cornwall’s waste treatment infrastructure as well as create environmental benefits by recycling sewage into an organic and cost-effective fertilizer (dry cake) which farmers can spread on their land.
A spokesperson for Pellows said: "Cornwall’s geography means it has a large proportion of homes and businesses with private sewerage systems, such as septic tanks, which require ongoing maintenance and periodic emptying to ensure they continue to function effectively.
"The pumped waste from these is normally dealt with at sewage works around the county, however, the creation of the new treatment plant will provide additional capacity for Cornwall, supporting Pellows’ operations and new product development as well as other waste businesses which will have access to the facility."
Pellows has been operating as a family-owned business in Cornwall for more than 60 years, supporting homeowners and businesses with their waste disposal requirements.
The company undertook significant R&D and licencing activity in advance of the project, which will include the construction of a 100 sqm office, storage area, offsite storage yard (457.56 sqm) and purchase of specialist processing and effluent treatment equipment. Initial construction work is now underway on site and the facility is expected to be operational in spring 2025.
Linda Martin, Director of Pellows, shared her excitement about the project: “We are looking to create a vitally needed new piece of waste management infrastructure for Cornwall which will benefit the environment through the effective treatment of liquid waste; by providing farmers with access to a new source of organic fertilizer, reducing the need to use artificial fertilizers; and potentially a bi-product that could be used for a renewable energy source for anaerobic digestion.
“It is a significant investment for the business which will allow us to develop new services and products and to increase our workforce.
"It will also provide much-needed flexibility in the way we and other waste companies are able to operate to support the many homes and businesses in Cornwall which rely on our services.”
Cllr Louis Gardner, Cornwall Council portfolio holder for economy, said: “We are pleased to be supporting a business like Pellows with such a long heritage in Cornwall and a clear vision for the quality of service, new product development and environmental responsibility of its future operations.
“This is a project which reflects multiple aims of the Good Growth programme and our priorities locally in encouraging innovation and business growth, investing in infrastructure and enabling businesses and the wider county to be more sustainable.”
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