Shuttered Irish sugar plant considered for bioeconomy hub

In Ireland, packaged foods giant Greencore is getting pressure from local government to convert a long-shuttered sugar plant it owns in Mallow for bioeconomy purposes.

The plant closed in 2006 amid controversy due to the loss of 240 jobs. Local Councilor John Paul O’Shea has urged Greencore to consider using the site as a hub for producing biobased products and bioenergy.  “With the emphasis now on meeting national and international bio-economy targets, I think that as a country we need to utilize the best sites available. It would be great to see the Mallow site brought back to its former glory and just as importantly provide new jobs for the locality,” O’Shea tells The Corkman.  “I will be encouraging Council planning staff to meet with Greencore as soon as possible to progress development plans for the site.”