Recycling news: 2016

Industry news Nine ways to shop for food without excess packaging Today I’m answering a query from Cecilia. She’s asking about buying food without excess packaging. She wrote “What I’d most like to know about is buying food that’s not in packaging or is in reusable (either by me or by the shop if i take it back) packaging, and preferably organic food too. I have… Zero Waste Week · 4 Sept 2016 Industry news Menstruation, medication and getting mad about packaging! The run up to Zero Waste Week is an incredibly busy time with queries filling my inbox as fast as I can answer them! Today I’m answering four questions from fantastic women who have signed up to Zero Waste Week. How to recycle polystyrene chips Jackie told me her recycling bugbear is polystyrene chips that… Zero Waste Week · 3 Sept 2016 Industry news You can win a signed copy of my book! Today I’m writing with a slightly different twist. Zero Waste Week this year is all about reducing food waste and I wonder if you’ve thought about using food to clean your home? Vinegar, lemons, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and olive oil will all keep your home fresh and clean! Here are a few recipes… Zero Waste Week · 3 Sept 2016 Industry news News in Brief (02/09/16) With news on: Mayor of London to showcase UK waste tech in US; Welsh Assembly Member takes up waste management issues; REPIC hits milestone in WEEE recycling, and; Stockport council praises residents at recycling centre open day UK waste tech firm joins US business envoy UK waste-to-energy tech company, SEaB Energy, will join the Mayor … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 2 Sept 2016 Industry news Countrystyle awarded £1.8m Kent waste contracts Countrystyle Recycling has announced the award of waste contracts worth £1.8 million across Kent, alongside completing work to test fire safety at one of its sites in the county. The contracts include a three-year deal worth around £1 million for waste management services at Canterbury Christ Church University, covering locations including halls of residence, Student … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 2 Sept 2016 Industry news Bromley approves £2.7m Waste4fuel land acquisition The London borough of Bromley has approved plans to purchase and clear the land of former Waste4fuel site in Orpington, at a cost of £2.7 million. At an executive meeting of the council this morning (2 September), members formally agreed to the land acquisition proposal. The council was seeking approval to acquire land at the … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 2 Sept 2016 Industry news Lead acid battery recycling falls but target concerns remain The proportion of lead acid batteries collected to meet battery recycling targets has fallen, figures for the first half of 2016 published this week (31 August) suggest. However, collections of ‘other’ batteries – such as disposal batteries used in small appliances – may need to increase if future recycling targets are to be met. Provisional … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 2 Sept 2016 Industry news Landfill tax repayment case thrown out by High Court EXCLUSIVE: Veolia is likely to appeal a verdict by the High Court dismissing a judicial review against HMRC over the repayment of landfill tax on ‘base and side fluff’ at landfill sites. Separate applications against HMRC were launched by Veolia and Viridor, but were heard together in February. The applications were thrown out earlier this … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 2 Sept 2016 Industry news INCPEN director Jane Bickerstaffe to step down Jane Bickerstaffe is to step down as director of the Industry Council for Packaging & the Environment (INCPEN) before the end of 2017, after more than 16 years in the role. The organisation – which leads sustainability research into packaging – is now seeking to appoint a new director with the same ‘passion and enthusiasm’. … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 1 Sept 2016 Industry news 8 ways to set up a food sharing initiative I love the emails I get from you lovely waste warriors. They’re always full of interesting questions and pieces of information. This week Helen wrote to me with a query about surplus produce. She wrote: “I would love to start up a food sharing initiative locally, and I wonder if/how this happens in small, local… Zero Waste Week · 1 Sept 2016 Industry news Hyndburn waste officer reinstated after RCV death suspension The head of waste services at Hyndburn borough council will return to work after a six month suspension due to an investigation into the death of a pedestrian in a collision with a waste vehicle in 2007. Jean Eastwood, 66, was killed in Rishton, Lancashire, in an accident involving a Hyndburn borough council vehicle on … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 1 Sept 2016 Industry news Businesses pay £300,000 for packaging non-compliance Businesses which failed to comply with the Packaging Waste Regulations donated an estimated £304,000 to charities to avoid legal action between January and July 2016. Data published by the Environment Agency lists 14 companies who received civil sanctions from the Environment Agency for failing to register as obligated producers or to take reasonable steps to … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 1 Sept 2016 Industry news Major fire hits Belfast recycling site A major fire broke out yesterday afternoon (31 August) at a site housing a materials recycling facility (MRF) belonging to the Northern Irish recycling company Wastebeater in West Belfast, with firefighters still at the scene. The Northern Irish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that it received a call to attend the site at 4:37pm yesterday … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 1 Sept 2016 Industry news Piddington takes over as Viridor chief executive Energy expert Phillip Piddington has today (1 September) been promoted to become chief executive of Viridor, taking over from Ian McAulay who is leaving “with immediate effect” after three years in the post. A short statement from Viridor’s Pennon Group parent company said that Mr McAulay was leaving “to pursue other opportunities”. Mr McAulay joined … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 1 Sept 2016 Industry news Draw for 2016 Waste World Cup announced VIDEO: Groups have been drawn for the 2016 Waste World Cup, which takes place this Friday (2 September) at Northampton University, with reigning champion Valpak looking to retain its title. The fourteenth annual waste industry 6-a-side tournament will see 24 mixed-gender teams go head-to-head for the prize of being the sector’s football champion. Teams from … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 31 Aug 2016 Industry news Schools invited to take the Alu D&T Challenge! Secondary schools throughout the UK are invited to take part in the Alu D&T Challenge which aims to teach 11-14 year olds about sustainable design using aluminium. The Challenge includes an opportunity for students to enter their ideas in a national competition for a chance to win prizes for themselves and their school. The Alu […] Alupro · 31 Aug 2016 Industry news Used Clothing Exports and East Africa In this special report, Dr. Einir Young and Jalia Nabukalu Packwood of Bangor University, take a look at the market challenges and development issues facing used clothing exports and East Africa. The Textiles Recycling Conference in London will hear more about this market (see the conference website for more details). In March 2016, the heads … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 31 Aug 2016 Industry news REA pushes food waste campaign post-Brexit The Renewable Energy Association (REA) is pushing on with its #foodwastecounts campaign for separate food waste collections in the UK amidst Brexit challenges. The Association, which includes the Organics Recycling Group, said the campaign gained strong momentum leading up to the referendum and despite the challenges of Brexit the issue remains as important today … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 31 Aug 2016 Industry news Neales wins two-year transfer station contract Neales Waste Management has won a two-year contract extension to manage waste transfer stations on behalf of Lancashire county council. Under the terms of the extension, Neales will manage and operate both Preston and Middleton waste transfer stations – with each facility processing between 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes of residual and recyclable household waste per … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 31 Aug 2016 Industry news News in Brief (31/08/2016) By George Don With news on: Notting Hill clean up; Powerday sponsorship deal; Wiltshire clothes drive; UPM safety milestone, and West Oxfordshire food pledge. Westminster and Veolia complete Notting Hill clean up Westminster city council and its waste contractor Veolia have revealed that around 200 tonnes of waste have been cleared from streets in … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 31 Aug 2016 Industry news How to preserve herbs – forever! Kate contacted me this week with a query about prolonging the life of herbs. You know how it is – you get inspired by a recipe, buy a pack of herbs from the supermarket and 80% of it goes off before you eat it. Kate wrote “Have you got any tips on storing fresh herbs? … Zero Waste Week · 31 Aug 2016 Industry news Looking to the future Garry Johnson, co-director of brokerage firm UK Waste Solutions Ltd (UKWSL) reflects on the last 12 months and discusses the company’s growth plans in what continues to be a challenging economic climate. Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company once said: “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 31 Aug 2016 Industry news Mixed papers to get further PRN boost in 2017 Just over one third of mixed papers will count as packaging materials in the PRN system after fresh research into the paper grade. This means that more paper PRNs – packaging waste recovery notes worth about £1 each and issued at the rate of one per tonne of packaging material – can be issued by … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 30 Aug 2016 Industry news Brierley Hill waste site clearance nears completion Work to clear 25,000 tonnes of waste from the former Refuse Derived Fuel Ltd site in Brierley Hill, Dudley is close to completion the Environment Agency has confirmed. Clearance work has been underwayfor seven months at the site, which has been subject to multiple High Court and Environment Agency enforcement proceedings. The work, which began … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 30 Aug 2016 Industry news AMCS Group acquires Dutch competitor Irish recycling and waste vehicle software provider AMCS Group has acquired the Amsterdam-based information technology developer GMT Europe from investment firm Nedvest. GMT produces web reporting, inventory and scheduling software for waste collection and handling businesses, which can be used on smartphones and tablets, as well as route optimisation and weighbridge software. The company predo… letsrecycle.com News · 30 Aug 2016 Industry news Back to school – the zero Waste way! The summer holidays are coming to an end and children will soon be back to school. I remember traipsing around town during the holidays with my Mum getting new uniform, stationery supplies and books. I LOVED it! But thinking back, it was probably pretty wasteful – what with clamshell packaging for stationery, clothes I probably… Zero Waste Week · 30 Aug 2016 Industry news Eunomia names top recycling carbon-saving council Cheshire West and Chester council has retained the top spot on Eunomia’s recycling carbon index, recording an estimated CO2 saving of 109kg per capita, according to figures published for 2014/15. Resources consultancy Eunomia, which publishes the index every year, has claimed that the council’s 59.1% recycling rate, coupled with a source separated collection system, has … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 30 Aug 2016 Industry news ecosurety project to ‘shake up’ PRN transparency Packaging waste compliance scheme ecosurety is calling for ‘more transparency’ on how revenue from the PRN system is spent – ahead of a project launch which aims to connect producers with reprocessors. The Bristol-based compliance scheme, whose members include major brands such as Britvic, Mars, innocent and FujiFilm, plans to “shake up” the PRN system … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 30 Aug 2016 Industry news Camden renews Veolia waste contract Veolia is to continue managing waste and recycling services on behalf of the London borough of Camden, the company confirmed today (30 August). The eight-year arrangement, which could be extended to up to 16 years, is worth an estimated £338 million over its lifetime. Starting in April 2017, the deal will also see Veolia continue … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 30 Aug 2016 Industry news McValue® & App Exclusive Deals - mcdonalds.com McDonald's UK newsroom · 29 Aug 2016 Industry news 10 Tips for buying food plastic free Sue wrote to me about plastic packaging. She said: “The thing I struggle with is buying food that is not wrapped in non recyclable plastic. Where possible I buy loose fruit and veg, unfortunately we don’t have a market nearby where I could buy more loose produce. I have thought about veg boxes but they… Zero Waste Week · 28 Aug 2016 Industry news PHS Datashred sold in £83m deal to Restore An £83.1 million acquisition has been concluded today (26 August) by Restore plc of PHS Data Solutions which includes PHS Datashred. The deal boosts the shredding work of Restore, propelling its activities into second place in the UK shredding market handling more than 90,000 tonnes of paper for recycling per annum. Prior to the deal, … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 26 Aug 2016 Industry news Has ‘theory’ overtaken ‘practicality?’ Responding to recent reports on contamination in recyclable waste and wider industry issues, John Glover, chief executive of London waste and recycling firm Bywaters writes for letsrecycle.com. I entered the industry full time in 1965 and have been involved at all levels and all fields within the business. Bywaters has been an early adopter of … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 26 Aug 2016 Industry news Following the path to PRN transparency James Piper, managing director of compliance scheme ecosurety, outlines his desire to see greater transparency in the flow of funds through the PRN system. In September, ecosurety plans to change the way the waste and recycling industry views PRNs (Packaging Recovery Notes). We have decided to take action after listening to our members’ frustrations about … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 26 Aug 2016 Industry news UK on course to meet EU landfill reduction target The UK is comfortably on course to meet an EU target to reduce the amount of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) it sends to landfill, government figures published yesterday (25 August) show. The data, which has been submitted to the European Commission outlines the UK’s progress towards the targets set out in the Waste Framework, Packaging … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 26 Aug 2016 Industry news LARAC slams ‘council bashing’ in wake of reject rate data Councils should not be blamed for an increase in household recycling contamination, the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC) has claimed. And, harmonising collection systems across local authorities in England is “not the answer” – as councils already fit their collection models around the reprocessing facilities available, the organisation has said. LARAC – which represents … R… letsrecycle.com News · 26 Aug 2016 Industry news RECRUITING OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR OLD OAK SIDINGS Powerday is recruiting an Operations Manager for the night shift at our Materials Recycling Facility at Old Oak Sidings. With the role based in Willesden Junction, North West London, the successful ca... Powerday · 25 Aug 2016 Industry news News in Brief (25/08/16) With news on: CountyClean Group rebrand; Mick George contract in Cambridgeshire; Young chemists inspired by energy from waste; Carrickfergus Mayor welcomes HRC upgrade, and; Helistrat becomes Living Wage Employer Mick George gains Cambridgeshire fire service work Mick George Ltd has been awarded a contract for the waste collection and disposal for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue … Read More The … letsrecycle.com News · 25 Aug 2016 Industry news Kirklees refutes ‘14%’ household recycling reject claim EXCLUSIVE: Kirklees council has refuted claims that it rejected more household materials for recycling than any other local authority in England last year, arguing the figures do not account for commercial waste. The BBC, via a freedom of information request, this week claimed that the Huddersfield-based council rejected 14.99% of household waste sent to its … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 25 Aug 2016 Industry news Biffa hails North Somerset deal as SW ‘stepping stone’ North Somerset’s decision to award Biffa a seven-year household collections contract has been hailed by the waste firm as another “stepping stone into the South West municipal market”. Reported by letsrecycle.com in July, the near £50 million contract – which could be extended up to 2037 – will see the firm takeover the unitary authority’s … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 25 Aug 2016