Dr. John Hargreaves (Scottish Water PLC) & Mr.Ross Finnie MP	New water from old bottles
16/05/2002 Old wine and beer bottles are being recycled to create clean drinking water in a revolutionary new water treatment process on trial in Edinburgh. A pilot project at Scottish Water�s Marchbank water treatment works in Edinburgh began on the day of the Parliament debate on the Executive�s ambitious National Waste Strategy. The system takes household glass, which has been cleansed and treated by local company Dryden Aqua, to act as a filter system for cleaning water supplied to the tap

Not only is the glass being put to good use, but early results indicate that it works just as well as existing sand filters.

Environment Minister Ross Finnie said:

"We need lots of innovative ideas on how to recycle waste. This scheme highlights just what can be achieved for a commodity which makes up a large element of household waste and costly landfill.

"We all have to do more to reduce and recycle our waste - recycling must become a firmly ingrained part of Scottish culture. That is one of the key points of our National Waste Strategy .

"I am greatly encouraged by some of the initiatives taking place across Scotland but more can be done and recycling drives must be extended. That is why we are asking public and private bodies to extend their schemes, and why we are encouraging the public to reduce and recycle their waste as well."

Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of Scottish Water, said:

"Scottish Water is committed to protecting the environment and aims to use sustainable methods where possible. We saw the potential positive contribution that using recycled glass might have and set up pilot filters at our Marchbank works. This type of test is unique in the UK. If you picked up the glass product up with your hand it feels and looks exactly like graded sand.

"At present we use beds of sand as part of our process to treat raw water and this will continue. If the glass trials are successful and pass the rigorous standards set by the Scottish Executive, the main benefits would be we start to use a sustainable material whilst supporting local councils, our regulators and our customer objectives under the National Waste Strategy."

Partners in the recycling project are: �Dryden Aqua� � manufacturers of water filters (based in Bonnyrigg, Midlothian), �Mac-Glass� � suppliers of glass (based in Dalkeith, Midlothian. �Remade� � (Recycling Market Development) Scotland assisted in establishing the scheme. Funding has also been provided by WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) which has provided funding of �237,500 to Dryden Aqua for further R&D on this project.