Have you ever WONDERed what happens to all the recycling collected in Southwark and beyond? Then come along to Southwark’s first Wonder Day in three years, hosted by Veolia and its local authority partner, Southwark Council and wonder no more!
London’s Old Kent Road is home to Veolia Southwark’s Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF), which includes the Materials Recycling Centre (MRF), one of the most advanced and exciting of its kind in Europe.
Due to the pandemic, the IWMF has been closed to the public, to protect Veolia’s frontline staff who deliver essential services for around two million Londoners. However, on Saturday 10 September 10am-4pm, the gates will open once again and welcome guests to explore, investigate and discover all the wonders of recycling.
This Wonder Day, residents will be able to explore the facility and talk with industry-leading experts and frontline staff who are committed to transforming materials into a valuable resource that can help to build a sustainable future. This year, more visitors than ever before are expected, so expect free activities to keep the whole family entertained, including craft workshops, a big truck display, on-site beehives, a bike repair stall and more!
Veolia Southwark’s Wonder Day is run as part of Open House London. Once a year for just two weeks, sites across London take part in the Open House Festival, which celebrates the city’s housing, architecture and neighborhoods, offering rare opportunities to see some of the capital’s best-kept secrets.
It is sites like this where household recycling is sorted using the latest innovations in technology and round-the-clock teams, before being sent to be turned back into new products. The site also boasts a Mechanical Biological Treatment facility (MBT) which processes non-recyclable waste for energy capture.
Matthew Crane, Regional Manager for Southwark at Veolia said:
“Everyone at Veolia Southwark is incredibly excited for 10 September. We’ve been working hard over the past few months to make sure this is our biggest and best Wonder Day ever! Being able to show the public exactly how their recycling and waste is sorted is our unique privilege here at the Integrated Waste Management Facility in the heart of London. Seeing the process with your own eyes is so valuable and we can reveal how your waste is actually a valuable resource. It’s also a great opportunity for our frontline staff to share the pride they have for the work they do and their contribution to Veolia’s purpose of Ecological Transformation. We look forward to welcoming the public on this special day.”
Cllr Catherine Rose, Cabinet Member for Parks, Streets and Clean Air, said:
“We invite you to join upcycling and craft workshops, bring your bike for a safety check, explore our diggers and trucks and see how we sort your recycling. Come along and bring your family and friends for a free, fun-filled, family-friendly day out.”
Wonder Day
Southwark IWMF
Saturday 10 September 10am – 4pm
3 Devon Street, SE15 1AL
