Monmouthshire firm Siltbuster, one of the UK’s leading water treatment specialists, has won the Innovation of the Year award at the MRW National Recycling Awards 2016.

The company’s Gritbuster WT-250, which makes it easier for materials recycling facilities to separate out the constituent elements of the waste they handle on a large scale, beat off tough competition from ten other shortlisted entrants to take top spot in the equipment innovation category.

The award-winning system was designed, developed and built by Siltbuster’s engineers at its head office in Monmouth.

The judges were impressed by the benefits the Gritbuster WT-250 delivers for its users, with recycling companies using the system typically saving £742,000 per year in reduced landfill tax and material reuse.

It also ensures more material can be recycled as aggregate, rather than go to landfill, so it has great environmental benefits too.

George Anderson, Siltbuster director, said: “We’re delighted to have won this award, gaining national recognition for our innovation. Our engineers have designed a product which helps companies recycle more of their waste and save significant amounts of money at the same time. It’s a win win for everyone – including us!”

The judges at the MRW National Recycling Awards said: “The Gritbuster WT-250 effectively cleans and sorts constituent products to a high standard of purity. It’s an enabler and delivers an impressive return on investment, especially when savings from waste not being sent to landfill are taken into consideration.”

To date, two Gritbuster WT-250s have been installed in permanent UK locations, a third is deployed on a contract basis and a fourth has been bought by the recycling equipment giant, Doppstadt, as a demonstration machine in Germany, Holland, Denmark, Switzerland, Italy and France.