THIRTY-NINE jobs will be created across three sites in South Wales  belonging to a Welsh waste management company following the announcement of a £1.6million investment plan.

GD Environmental, which has sites in Newport and Pontypool, is proposing to expand its business operations and has received £300,000 from the Welsh Government’s growth and prosperity fund.

The funding will also safeguard 27 jobs and will increase the number of roles at its three sites to 136, which also includes a location in Llanelli.

GD Environmental aims to be one of the first carbon positive waste management companies in the UK and has a strong focus on maximising waste recycling and reducing landfill.

It currently recycles 98 per cent of the 225,000 tonnes of waste it processes each year.

The investment will upgrade and refurbish its waste transfer station in Pontypool, and expand its processing plant in Newport, ensuring increased capacity and the introduction of new technology to sustainably recycle hard plastic.

Economy secretary Ken Skates AM said: “GD’s focus on recycling and reducing the amount of waste going to landfill supports the Welsh Government Strategy, Towards Zero Waste.

“The investment will assist their growth plans, increase capacity and help boost their business while bringing new jobs and economic benefits to regions across South Wales.”

The company offers a complete waste management service for the private and public sector and has developed from a core drainage business into a national provider of all forms of waste management.

Its range of services includes scrap processing; plastic recycling; liquid waste processing; dry waste sorting and separating; hazardous waste handling, as well as skip hire, clearing and repair blocked drains and asbestos disposal.

The business has embarked on an expansion programme since it was acquired in 2015 by Oliver Hazell and Mark Hazell.

The company expanded its capabilities through the 2016 acquisition of Pontypool based Fred Lloyd & Sons which provided a scrap handling and end of life vehicle arm to the business.

Mr Hazell said: “This investment and the backing of the Welsh Government will support our ambitions of becoming an industry leading waste management services requirements in the UK.

“We are making a significant investment at all three sites to offer an even better service to our customers that will help grow the business and enable us to create more jobs at each location and we continue to offset our carbon footprint whenever possible.”