Ed Wilson

Ed Wilson was introduced to Yorwaste via television, lots of them in fact!

No, he didn’t see us on an advert, but rather in a role which involved bringing old televisions to our former electrical recycling facility at Hessay, near York.

He liked what he saw, so applied for a job helping to dismantle televisions and other waste electronic and electrical equipment.

From there, he became a team leader at our Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) at Hessay, which introduced him to other waste streams and further broadened his knowledge of the waste and recycling industry.

When we closed Hessay and moved the MRF to our Harewood Whin facility, Ed moved with it.

He is now MRF Supervisor with a wide-ranging role.

Ed explains: “It is my job to ensure the MRF is running smoothly and to ensure the staff who work on the picking line or drive the vehicles have everything they need and, most importantly, are doing their jobs safely.

“I am very hands on, whether it’s helping to fix any problems we have with equipment or teaching new staff how to drive heavy machinery properly in a busy environment like a waste facility.

“I always say to the younger drivers who are just starting out that when operating heavy machinery, it’s effectively the same as having a gun in their hand, and they have to treat it with respect.”

Thousands of tonnes of waste is processed at the MRF each week and it’s a very important part of the business.

Ed adds: “We’re a recycling-focused organisation so we have to make sure that the material that comes through the MRF is sorted and processed correctly to ensure we get the very best value from it.

“So, this means constantly checking the material to make sure it’s baled cleanly and if there is any contamination within the bale, removing it before the recycling is taken away to be sold.

“It’s a very varied job and one which I really enjoy.”

When he’s not at work, Ed enjoys spending time with his family. His daughter is proving to be a ‘chip off the old block’ as she is undertaking an apprenticeship in waste management!

If you are interested in a career in waste management please visit our job vacancies page.