EXPERTS from a Burnley paper plant are involved in a ground-breaking research project to construct a school building from recycled materials which will last 20 years - before being recycled again.

Smurfit's technical manager Roger Townsend is a member of the team working on the project to produce the first building of its kind in Britain.

Smurfit estimate that 200 to 300 tonnes of conventional material would normally be used in the proposed building, which will be replaced by 50 tonnes of recycled papers and board.

Sales and marketing manager Phil Scullion said: "We already produce material for cellular panels for the construction industry and for heavy duty spiral tubes and were intrigued about the feasibility of a complete cardboard building which would be in regular use for at least 20 years.

"When we looked more closely at the project we realised that the challenges presented are those which we face every day in developing materials for specific packaging needs.

"Basically the need is for a huge cardboard box, which is fast and easy to erect with specific in-built properties."

The production of a cardboard building presents many different challenges.

Mr Townsend said: "We want to use our knowledge and expertise to develop products and techniques which may be applicable to many different markets. "This project is also an important exercise in collaboration and teamwork to explore potential benefits of recycled paper-based products in new concepts for building technology".

The kind of board panels and pipes which Smurfit has to produce must be water resistant, fire retardant and load-bearing.

Smurfit hopes to have the building ready for March, 2001. It will be used as an after school club by Westborough Primary School in Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, where the children are already collecting waste paper for the revolutionary new idea.

Roger Townsend is pictured with some of the children who are already collecting waste paper for the revolutionary school building project.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.