WHILE it may once have been a dirty job that someone had to do, Viridor chief executive Ian McAulay is at pains to point out the far-reaching changes the waste management industry is undergoing.

The Govan-born businessman remembers playing football at Toryglen and then later in life having to use what was locally known as "the tip", which is soon to be the site of the company's £154 million Recycling and Renewable Energy Centre (RREC) at Polmadie on the south side of Glasgow.

He said: "The Glasgow project is going very well and the plant is coming up fast."

He believes facilities of that type point to the way the waste sector is moving and why long-held stereotypes about "tips" will start to be broken down.

He said: "As we move away from waste and waste becomes resource, people begin to recycle more and you start to do energy conversion. It is now starting to be viewed as a valuable part of society and the societal infrastructure that has to be built around about it."

Mr McAulay doesn't try to duck away from the fact waste plants can sometimes attract opposition particularly from those in local communities where they are sited.

However he believes the UK planning system fulfils an important way of letting those with objections air their views.

He said: "I really admire the UK planning system. I think it gives a strong voice to those who have objections.

" I understand where those objections come from and I think the UK planning system is envied around the world as it lets people's voices be heard to ensure the infrastructure that is built complies with all the best of standards. I'm very supportive of challenge and regulation."

As evidence of that he suggests the RREC will be "light years" ahead of the tip he once knew, stating part of the huge investment involves minimising the odour, dust and emissions released.

He said: "We are always very keen to stress it is not a waste plant."

Mr McAulay says when waste first arrives at the plant the first process it will go through will be to identify what materials can be recycled.

Organic food waste will also be extracted and sent for anaerobic digestion in a process that creates methane gas which can then be converted into electricity.

The heat from that process can also be used to blend elements that can't be recycled, the "dirty digestate", to create another fuel which can be used to generate electricity.

The RREC is expected to generate enough to power the equivalent of more than 8,000 homes.

Mr McAulay is adamant these types of process have an important part to play in the energy mix of the UK.

He said: "We can't destroy energy. We are taking it from one form to another. As a company we are investing some £1.5 billion in energy recovery facilities in the UK.

"We have five of them coming online this financial year alone. Those plants provide reliable, 24/7 baseload electricity."

Mr McAulay's parents still stay in the area close to the RREC and he admits to having an emotional pull to Scotland although much of his career has been spent working outside it and his current home, outside of frequent hotel stays as part of his job, is in Cheshire.

He praises the Zero Waste agenda of the Scottish Government and is clear about the need for businesses in the sector to work closely with local authorities.

Viridor's investment in Scotland is not limited to the RREC and Mr McAulay says he is delighted with a new glass recycling facility at Newhouse, which represents an investment in the region of £25m and has created 30 jobs.

He suggests the quality of product there is the same as virgin glass but at a lower cost and cites the Scotch Whisky Association as one organisation taking a particular interest in the materials which will come out of North Lanarkshire.

As far as his first year at Viridor, which is part of the stock exchange listed Pennon Group where Mr McAulay sits on the board, he describes it as having gone "pretty well".

He said: "In Viridor we have seen our £1.5bn investment programme start to become a reality. It is transformational for the business.

"It moves us from what was -unfairly I think - the hump and dump landfill type business of 20 years ago to quite a sophisticated recycling and renewable energy business."

Asked to describe his style of management he said: "I like to recognise the difference between leadership and management and the times you have to apply them.

"Undoubtedly I have to be directional but for the most part I like to set aspirations and let people who have great experience work out the steps along the way.

"Safety is always high up on my agenda. I am deeply committed to ensuring our employees do not just go home safely each day but they go home happier, better informed and more able to do their job the next day.

"I think most people would refer to me as reasonably involved. Perhaps not hands-on but I do like to drop into sites and just work on the shop floor, wander around and meet people so I can understand the business from all angles."

While Mr McAulay has deliberately stayed away from non-executive roles while he settled into his responsibilities at Viridor and Pennon he expresses a desire to take up some positions in the future.

Among that is likely to be getting involved in the charity sector again having previously had a long involvement with WaterAid, including one trip spent building latrines in Zambia.

He adds: "It is something I will move towards. I'd always been involved with WaterAid and would like to pick that up again."

At the moment he takes an interest in Viridor Credits, the arms length entity set up to distribute monies raised through the escalation of landfill tax to communities.

Recent projects it has funded include harbour refurbishments in North Berwick and Dunbar as well as upgrades at St Bride's Church in East Kilbride.