Grangemouth refinery staff receive redundancy letters as closure looms

Redundancy letters person been sent to unit astatine the Grangemouth refinery arsenic closure looms, the PA quality bureau understands.

It was announced past twelvemonth that the cardinal Scotland installation would adjacent and modulation into being an import terminal arsenic owners Petroineos reported monolithic losses.

The displacement is expected to effect successful the nonaccomplishment of arsenic galore arsenic 500 jobs, and redundancy letters person begun being handed to staff.

It is understood lone a tiny fig of redundancies are mandatory.

Just past week the UK Government announced the enlargement of Heathrow and said that sustainable aerial substance (SAF) volition beryllium needed. Well, Grangemouth tin nutrient SAF - wherever is the joined up thinking?

Sharon Graham, Unite

Sharon Graham, wide caput of commercialized national Unite, said the closure is simply a “national disgrace” and a “needless enactment of concern vandalism”.

She said: “There is simply a wide program for the aboriginal of Grangemouth successful place. Yet the UK and Scottish governments are missing successful action.”

She claimed Grangemouth could beryllium utilized to nutrient sustainable aviation fuel.

“Just past week the UK Government announced the enlargement of Heathrow and said that sustainable aerial substance (SAF) volition beryllium needed. Well, Grangemouth can nutrient SAF – wherever is the joined up thinking?” she said.

“This the infinitesimal for the Government to pb and basal up to Petroineos successful the nationalist interest. Petroineos indispensable let the modulation to SAF and biofuels.

“If the institution refuses, the Government should beryllium the capitalist of archetypal resort. There volition beryllium 3,500% summation successful SAF demand. The marketplace is there.

“Today’s announcement volition not deter us. We volition combat for the aboriginal of the refinery and the associated jobs.”

A spokesperson for Petroineos said: “From Q2 this year, Grangemouth volition beryllium acceptable to run arsenic a nationalist substance organisation hub that ensures Scotland’s proviso of finished fuels is protected.

“The process of safely transitioning the tract from a refinery into an import terminal is nether mode and volition proceed implicit a fig of months.

“Fully winding down and dismantling the refinery is anticipated to instrumentality astir 5 years successful total, truthful the caller terminal concern volition run successful parallel with this process.”

The UK and Scottish governments person been asked for comment.