An innovative construction trade recycling scheme has been announced.

Left over cuts of pipe are a by-product of both building schemes and when growing a natural gas network.

Up until recently, Phoenix Natural Gas has been sending unused pipe ends over to Scotland to be recycled for use in plastic products such as drains.

However, Phoenix has announced that, together with Radius Systems and contract partner McNicholas, they have now helped develop a local programme that sees the cuts of gas pipe recycled at McNicholas's base in Mallusk and turned into products that actually re-enter the gas supply chain here - such as ducting materials and valve riser boxes.

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Marcus McFarlane of Phoenix Natural Gas said: "What we have now is a local sustainable, efficient and cost effective method of recycling pipe and waste that actually benefits the Northern Irish gas industry.

"Also of course there is no longer the environmental impact of shipping the pipe ends in large amounts across the Irish Sea for recycling."

The local natural gas industry has a current gas pipe network of over 3,000 km and is continuing to grow rapidly.

(PR/BMcC)