Refuse Destructor – was located at the very end of John Street, over the railway in vacant land, to the north of the railway line.

It was opened in November 1910 built by Messrs Hughes & Stirling of London for the purpose of getting rid of Blantyre’s rubbish. This new technology cost £3,500 and was situated away from people on the Braes overlooking the Clyde not far from Blantyre Railway Station.

It was accessed via John Street and was capable of destroying 45 tonnes of refuse per day shovelled into the furnaces.

Inside the building was an engine and dynamo room where electricity for lighting was produced, as a by-product of the burning operation. By the 1920’s electricity for lighting was supplied to the Parish of Blantyre by the Clyde Valley Electrical Power Company.

The destructor was disused by 1930. Another functioninig destructor was located that year at Auchinraith, owned by the County Council of Lanark.