Sustainable Waste Management and Recycling in Hampshire

At Ace Liftaway, we believe waste should never just be waste. With over 35 years of experience supporting homes, businesses and construction projects across Hampshire and Wiltshire, we’ve grown from a small local operation into a locally trusted leader in waste management and recycling.

While many people know us for reliable waste removal, fewer realise what happens after your waste actually leaves your site. In today’s market, many waste companies can outsource and you don’t really know what happens to your waste. At Ace Liftaway, we are different. We enter 2026 with a position of strength, defined by massive internal investment in the technology required to turn your waste into a resource. At Ace Liftaway, our advanced recycling processes, including our wash plant, help reduce landfill, recover valuable materials and support a more sustainable future.

Unlike many waste companies that only collect and dispose of waste, Ace Liftaway maximises recycling and recovery. Our services are designed to:

• Reduce landfill
• Recover reusable materials
• Produce high-quality recycled aggregates
• Help customers meet sustainability goals

Understanding how your waste is handled helps you see the true value of recycling. At Ace Liftaway, the process is divided into two key stages: sorting and separation and washing and recovery, both critical to producing high-quality recycled materials.

What Happens to Waste When it Arrives at Ace Liftaway?

We believe in transparency. That’s why we’re opening the gates to our facility to show you exactly how our operational excellence works. Unlike many other waste companies, we own the infrastructure. Our advanced recycling processes, including our state-of-the-art wash plant, help reduce landfill, recover valuable materials and support a truly circular local economy.

Stage 1: Waste Sorting and Separation

Before waste can be recycled, it must be understood that sorting is the first step after waste arrives on our Hampshire site. This stage ensures that only pre-screened inert materials are sent to our Material Recovery Facility (MRF). This also gives the operators opportunity to check the for any incidental waste. 

How Dry and Solid Waste is Sorted

1. Mechanical separation: Large items and obvious recyclables are removed automatically.
2. Manual picking station: Operatives sort specific materials (plastic, wood, metal)
3. Accurate placement: Each material is placed in the correct collection area.

Why this matters: By separating non-inert materials first, we ensure the wash plant only receives materials suitable for cleaning and recovery, improving efficiency and product quality.

Stage 2: The Plants

Once the waste enters the plant it goes through several different process which includes various conveyors, a trommel, blower, air separation and magnets. When the waste reaches the picking station the operatives will manually pick off each waste types into specific materials which go on to be further recycled. 

In 2021, we made a significant investment in a CDE Wash Plant, which is a British-designed system that is the gold standard in recycling technology. The wash plant is a specialist system designed specifically to wash and recover inert materials, rather than simply sort them. Unlike standard waste sorting, the wash plant uses a closed-loop water system and actively removes contamination and fines, producing high-quality, reusable recycled aggregates.

About Our Material Recovery Facility (MRF)

• Type: LJH 
• Origin: British company who are no longer trading, manufactured in the West Country.
• Capabilities: Processes all permitted material
• Installation Timeline: Purchased 2008 → Installed 2008 → Fully commissioned 2009

About Our Wash Plant

• Type: CDE wash plant
• Origin: British family-run company, manufactured in Northern Ireland
• Capabilities: Processes a wide range of inert materials
• Installation Timeline: Purchased 2021 → Installed 2022 → Fully commissioned 2023/2024

Why it’s different: This system was chosen for its reliability, advanced metal recovery and ability to produce clean recycled materials, making it a critical part of our sustainability strategy.

How the Wash Plant Works

The wash plant process builds directly on sorting by cleaning and grading pre-screened materials:

1. Feed: Inert material enters the plant.
2. Grading: Oversized material is removed.
3. First metal recovery: Magnets extract metals.
4. Log washing: Removes residual contamination.
5. Second metal recovery: Maximises material recovery.
6. Screening: Material is separated into 80mm, 40mm, 20mm, 10mm aggregates.
7. Sand and fines separation: Produces 0–2mm and 2–6mm recycled material.
8. Contaminated waste: Removed for appropriate treatment.

By combining sorting and washing, Ace Liftaway ensures the highest quality recycled products for construction and landscaping projects.

Sorting vs Wash Plant: Key Differences

Understanding the difference between sorting and washing helps customers appreciate the sustainability and value added by our processes.

4 Ways Waste Management is Helping Hampshire

It’s easy to think that once a skip is picked up, the story ends. But for the community of Hampshire, that’s where the most important part begins. Here is why it matters:

• Landfill is the Last Resort, Not the First Choice: Every tonne of waste processed through our wash plant is a tonne of waste that doesn't go into a hole in the ground. By choosing a company that invests in recovery technology, you are personally helping to preserve the Hampshire countryside for the next generation.
• Building the Circular Economy: The "waste" from your home renovation or construction site doesn't just disappear - it becomes the foundation for the next project. The stone we wash today might be the sub-base for a new local road or a neighbour's driveway tomorrow. This is the Circular Economy in action: local waste, recycled locally, used locally.
• Supporting Local Expertise: Ace Liftaway isn't just a fleet of trucks; we are a hub for local jobs and apprenticeships. When you work with us, you are supporting a 35-year family legacy of operational excellence. You get the peace of mind that comes from "Verifiable Trust" knowing exactly where your waste goes and the people who are handling it.
• A Greener Footprint for Your Project: Whether you’re a homeowner or a commercial developer, your environmental footprint matters. Using our recycled aggregates reduces the need for "virgin" quarrying, which is energy-intensive and damaging to the landscape. We help you meet your sustainability goals without you having to lift a finger.