TWO BERKSHIRE teenagers have turned their pandemic misfortune around after launching a new recycling business.
Paul Studd, 19, from Bracknell, and Oliver Hewitt, 19, from Reading, co-founded BottleJobs Recycling in February to help the environment and the county’s residents.
They created the firm which collects and recycles empty bottles for people in a bid to take charge of their own futures, after losing their jobs during the pandemic.
“We’re trying to do it for a good cause,” Mr Studd explained.
He said that on average, between 10% and 15% of people struggle to access bottlebanks.
“If we can provide the service, we can help the environment and help people get past the burden of the bottle run,” he added.
“In my eyes, that’s a win-win.”
Mr Studd said losing his job during the pandemic was hard, but it spurred him on to think about taking charge of his own future.
“When you lose a job throughout covid, you still have stuff to pay for,” he said. “I then spent a lot of time wondering what would be the best option for me.
“I thought of working for myself but didn’t know what to do, until Oliver came up with the idea for BottleJobs.”
Dave Hewitt, non-executive director at BottleJobs Recycling, said the two teenagers both found themselves in “a very common scenario faced by young people” last year.
“People think the young have very little to offer, companies are risk averse as they do not come with previous experience, and they question their reliability and work ethic,” he said.
“But Paul and Oliver wanted to build and create something professionally organised, and together they formed a partnership and rely on each other’s strengths.”
Mr Studd said the teens’ business venture is going well so far, with 30 customers currently on board.
“I love the ability to be able to be in control of everything,” he said. “I also get to drive around in the car all day, listening to music in hot, sunny weather.
“We love what we’re doing.”
And Mr Hewitt said the trio have big plans for BottleJobs Recycling, and hope to become a contractor for Reading Borough Council in the near future.
“There has been speculation that local councils are reviewing the fact that Berkshire councils do not collect residents’ discarded bottles,” he said.
“Their current [recycling] contract is paid up to 2025 so at best, any expansion for BottleJobs Recycling is probably four years away.
“The hope is that, in 2025, [we] may be invited to bid on a possible contract with local councils, to cover every household in the area.”
