Fusion Flexibles installs environmental abatement system at Leicester facility

 New Regenerative Thermal Oxidiser reduces VOC emissions and potentially enables flexible packaging specialist to double printing capacity

In a move that could potentially help double printing capacity as well as reduce its carbon footprint, Fusion Flexibles – one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of flexible packaging products for the publishing, security, mailing and food markets – has invested some £300,000 in a new state-of-the-art environmental abatement system for its Leicester-based facility.

The Durr Regenerative Thermal Oxidiser (RTO) from Air Protekt Limited, which replaces an older system, was chosen for its design and build quality. It will reduce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the company’s printing presses, in accordance with the POLLUTION PREVENTION and CONTROL ACT 1999 through the current Process Guidance Notes 6/17 (11) – statutory guidance for printing of flexible packaging.

In addition to causing localised odour problems, VOCs are implicated in a wide range of environmentally damaging processes, including the generation of low-level ozone and smog. Legislation was introduced in many countries setting very low emission limits for VOCs in process exhaust gases.

Lawrence Hopwood from Fusion Flexibles comments: “The installation of the new environmental abatement system means that our VOC emissions will be as low as possible and well inside the current legal limits. High specification ceramic media was installed within the RTO to help improve thermal efficiency. Once it reaches the required temperature it will become auto thermal with reduced fuel for operation as the VOCs are used to fuel the RTO.

He adds: “As well as reducing our carbon footprint, it will also potentially enable us to double printing capacity in the future.”

The project has been fully supported by David Gould, Senior Technical Officer at Blaby District Council in recognition of the significant benefits to the local area and wider environment.

Talking about the new abatement system, David said: “Once the company identified that the previous abatement system no longer met requirements, they initiated a project to install suitable replacement technology.

“Fusion also took a number of steps to limit their emissions until a replacement system was in place. They have maintained good contact with me throughout the project, which has also been subject to planning permission and revisions to the company’s environmental permit.”