Recycling news: 2015

Industry news GDF Suez to buy energy from Allerton EfW plant AmeyCespa has signed a power purchase agreement with energy firm GDF SUEZ for the output from its Allerton Waste Recovery Park energy-from-waste plant in North Yorkshire, it has been announced today (February 11). Under the agreement, GDF SUEZ Energy UK, sister company to waste management firm SITA UK, will buy all of the electricity generated … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 11 Feb 2015 Industry news Pickles urges housing industry to tackle ‘bin blight’ Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has reinforced his commitment to tackle the “scourge of bin blight” on streets, calling on the housing industry to improve house design to include more space for waste and recycling containers. Mr Pickles said yesterday (February 9) that too many streets were “still dominated by the ugly clutter of unsightly bins, … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 10 Feb 2015 Industry news Vehicle and plant round-up With news on: Yotta in-cab technology; Advetec waste digesters; Komptech’s Hurrifex separator; Vehicle Weighing Solutions, and; Petlon Polymers upgrades metal separation Yotta launches in-cab technology Leamington Spa-based software and technology firm Yotta has launched a new in-cab waste management system to help crews deliver refuse collection services. The Mayrise In-Cab uses a vehicle moun… letsrecycle.com News · 10 Feb 2015 Industry news EMR opens third metal recycling site in Sheffield Metal recycling giant EMR has opened its third scrap metal recycling depot in Sheffield. The Halfway facility, situated at the former SITA site on Holbrook Industrial Estate in Halfway, buys all grades of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal including iron, steel, copper, brass, aluminium, lead, scrap cars, boilers and farm scrap. EMR already operates depots … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 10 Feb 2015 Industry news Warm spring 2014 boosts England’s recycling rate Councils in England recorded their best ever quarter for recycling between April to June 2014, figures published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) today (February 10) indicate. The quarterly ‘waste from households’ data, which covers all of the waste handled by local authorities, shows that England achieved a quarterly recycling rate … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 10 Feb 2015 Industry news How to compost cooked food This week I picked up a question about how to compost cooked food on Twitter I do love a bit of composting! You get rid of ‘rubbish’ you no longer need and end up with something valuable and life giving in the process! Yasmeen, who runs the Dry Goods Store in London – where… Zero Waste Week · 10 Feb 2015 Industry news Gypsum recyclers welcome low risk statement Gypsum recyclers have welcomed the publication of a low risk position statement by the Environment Agency allowing recycled gypsum to be spread on agricultural land as a substitute fertiliser. But, they have said the statement only allows for a limited amount of recycled gypsum to be spread to land and are now seeking End of Waste … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 9 Feb 2015 Industry news Norfolk procures interim waste treatment contract Norfolk county council is putting out to tender a four-year interim waste treatment and disposal contract, following the collapse of its plans to build an energy from waste plant at King’s Lynn. And, the council is also seeking bids for a four-year framework agreement for waste transfer station services in the county, which could be … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 9 Feb 2015 Industry news Councils asked to reveal commercial waste details Councils across the UK have been asked to disclose details of their commercial waste collection arrangements, in an ongoing dispute over whether they should be exempt from paying VAT. Scott Hawthorne, director of North East-based recycling firm Max Recycle, submitted a freedom of information (FOI) request to local authorities throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 9 Feb 2015 Industry news Associations battle over role of export markets The Resource Association has criticised a report by Defra on the benefits of the resource management sector, claiming that it understates the growth potential for reprocessing material in the UK. In contrast, the Recycling Association has welcomed the government study saying “it recognises what a vital, burgeoning and truly global industry we [the recycling sector] … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 9 Feb 2015 Industry news POWERDAY AND KELP INITIATIVE FOR YOUNG UNEMPLOYED REACHES CENTURY MILESTONE Kotuku and Powerday’s highly successful Kotuku Environment Labour Project (KELP) reached a milestone this week after the 100th young unemployed Londoner started their two week training course with a... Powerday · 9 Feb 2015 Industry news Need for new economic realism Following publication of Defra’s resource management report, Ian McAulay, chief executive of Viridor, writes about the need for some caution. As one of the leading recycling, renewable energy and waste management companies, Viridor has welcomed the publication of DEFRA’s report: ‘Resource Management: A catalyst for growth and productivity ’(published on February 2015). With the general election… letsrecycle.com News · 6 Feb 2015 Industry news Agency to discuss TEEP at Commercial Waste Conference Businesses will have the opportunity to quiz the Environment Agency on new requirements to present waste separately for collection at the Commercial Waste Conference, hosted by letsrecycle.com, in London this month (February 26). Ben Glatt, environment and business advisor for the Agency is set to give a presentation on TEEP and separate collections at the … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 6 Feb 2015 Industry news Brocklesby wins Wetherspoon oil recycling contact Pub chain J D Wetherspoon has awarded a contract to East Yorkshire-based Brocklesby Ltd to recycle used cooking oil from its 934 UK establishments After delivering ambient, fresh and frozen produce to its pubs, Wetherspoon’s vehicles will take back used cooking oil to its Daventry logistics centre for recycling. Under the deal, Brocklesby will then … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 6 Feb 2015 Industry news Essex IT recycler acquired for £56m by US electronics giant Computer reuse and recycling firm RDC has been acquired by the US electronics giant Arrow, in a deal worth around £56 million. Based in Colorado, Arrow distributes IT and data storage equipment to firms across the globe. The firm claims that the purchase of RDC will allow it to address the ‘growing requirements’ of its … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 6 Feb 2015 Industry news West Wales councils sign £48 million RDF deal Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire county councils have agreed a joint deal worth £48 million to process 30,000 tonnes per year of residual waste into refuse derived fuel (RDF) for export to Sweden. The 15-year contract with Welshpool-based Potters Waste Management commences on March 1 2015 with an option to break at the end of year 10. … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 6 Feb 2015 Industry news Lancashire to challenge Defra over loss of waste grant Lancashire county council is mounting a legal challenge over the government’s decision to terminate its £6 million per year waste infrastructure grant. The North West authority has announced it will submit a judicial review following the Defra decision, which the council executive is ‘confident’ it can win. Defra originally pledged to provide investment through its … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 6 Feb 2015 Industry news New Earth wins £2m Kent food waste contract New Earth Solutions has been awarded a five-year contract to treat around 17,000 tonnes of food waste each year on behalf of West and Mid Kent local authorities. The deal – which was tendered by Kent county council – will see New Earth process food waste collected from Maidstone, Ashford, and Gravesham and Swale at … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 5 Feb 2015 Industry news Glasgow crash driver ‘unconscious’ at wheel The driver of a waste collection vehicle that crashed in Glasgow in December 2014, killing six, has revealed to the Scottish Daily Record that he has no recollection of the crash as he was unconscious when the vehicle veered out of control. The news comes less than a week after Police Scotland submitted a report … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 5 Feb 2015 Industry news More Derby streets lose recycling collections A further 650 properties on 11 streets in Derby will have their fortnightly recycling collections removed and replaced by weekly residual waste collections, under plans approved by the city council yesterday (February 4). A report to the council’s neighbourhoods and streetpride cabinet member meeting recommended that weekly waste collections be introduced on a “small number … Read More The post… letsrecycle.com News · 5 Feb 2015 Industry news Timmermans appeals for time on circular economy plans European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans has dismissed criticism of the decision to withdraw the circular economy policy package, and has reiterated his commitment to drawing up a new set of proposals in 2015. During questioning by a coalition of Green MEPs at a press conference yesterday (February 4), Mr Timmermans said that the decision … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 5 Feb 2015 Industry news Waste sector creates £6.8bn for UK, Defra claims The UK waste sector generates an estimated £6.8 billion in gross value and supported 103,000 jobs in 2013, according to a Defra study published today (February 5). And, efficiencies are increasing with council waste collection costs per household down 5.7%. But, the department found that while the sector was ahead of the growth curve prior … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 5 Feb 2015 Industry news Viridor wins 12-month Lewisham recycling contract Viridor has won a 12-month contract to process and sell dry recyclables on behalf of the London borough of Lewisham. The arrangement, which began in December 2014, sees Viridor sort and process around 20,000 tonnes of materials including paper, card, tins, foil, glass, plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays per year at its materials recycling … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 4 Feb 2015 Industry news York looking to extend bin coverage to terraced homes City of York council is to formally approve plans to roll out wheeled bins to around 6,000 households currently using residual waste sacks. Councillors will make a final decision on the plan to invest £106,000 in new containers for homes situated in back lanes and terraced areas at a meeting next Tuesday (February 10). Around … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 4 Feb 2015 Industry news Working with Community Wood Recycling saves Wilmott Dixon money Willmott Dixon are great supporters of Community Wood Recycling, with more than 20 sites using our waste wood collection service at the moment. Community Wood Recycling · 4 Feb 2015 Industry news Obituary: Ernie Sharp Tributes have been paid to waste industry veteran and CIWM fellow Ernie Sharp, who died this week aged 93. Mr Sharp will be known to many in the waste industry having worked for Greater London council’s waste disposal unit, from which he retired in 1983, having begun his career as a bin man for the … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 4 Feb 2015 Industry news WRAP launches online recycling locator An online tool designed to help householders identify materials accepted as part of their local recycling scheme has been launched by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) today. The Recycling Locator, displayed on the Recycle Now website, allows residents to find out information about what can be accepted in their local kerbside collections and … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 4 Feb 2015 Industry news Maximising benefits of PRN system on ACP agenda The government’s new Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP) is to look at how the PRN system can help councils to meet challenging 2020 recycling targets as part of a new programme of work agreed at its inaugural meeting last week. The Committee is made up of representatives from different sectors affected by the Packaging Waste … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 3 Feb 2015 Industry news Finding the right funding options Funding options come in all shapes and sizes, writes Richard Taylor, investment director at the Business Growth Fund (BGF). The key is finding the right one for your business. The waste management and recycling sector has been on a long-term upward trajectory over the past 20 years, despite the inevitable peaks and troughs of market … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 3 Feb 2015 Industry news Middlesbrough’s Norse proposals under review Councillors in Middlesbrough have called for a review of a decision to transfer the local authority’s refuse and recycling collections to a joint venture with the Norfolk council-owned services firm Norse from the middle of 2015. Middlesbrough council’s executive approved plans to enter into formal talks with Norse over the transfer of its in-house waste … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 3 Feb 2015 Industry news Oxford waters down recyclable take-away packaging rule Proposed licensing requirements which would have forced street food vendors in Oxford to only distribute biodegradable and recyclable packaging have been watered down by the city council following lobbying by the packaging industry. Council proposals for a new street trader licensing policy, originally put forward in June 2014 (see letsrecycle.com story), stipulated that all packaging … Read Mo… letsrecycle.com News · 3 Feb 2015 Industry news Fortnightly collections offer ‘higher yield’ for recycling A review of capture rates for dry recyclables in Hampshire has indicated that councils collecting refuse every two weeks produce a higher yield of recycling compared to those offering weekly waste collections. The 2014/15 resource capture and treatment review, produced by Hampshire’s Project Integra partnership, uses collection data from across 13 district, borough and unitary … Read More The p… letsrecycle.com News · 3 Feb 2015 Industry news Environcom fined after worker struck by washing machine A Lincolnshire-based WEEE recycling firm was fined £100,000 yesterday (February 2) for safety failings, after a worker was struck by a washing machine which fell from a grabber. Desond Adlington, 48, of Grantham, suffered three fractured vertebrae and a broken rib following the incident at Environcom England Ltd’s Grantham site in April 2013. Lincoln Crown … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 3 Feb 2015 Industry news POWERDAY LAUNCHES BURSARY SCHEME FOR LONDON’S ASPIRING BOXERS Powerday has launched a boxers’ bursary scheme, in partnership with London Amateur Boxing Association (ABA), to assist aspiring young boxers in London to achieve their potential at regional, nationa... Powerday · 3 Feb 2015 Industry news BIS opts for JTA compliance fee proposal The government has selected proposals for a WEEE compliance fee that will see schemes charged a higher rate the further they are from their target. The proposal was put forward jointly by waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) compliance schemes ERP, Recolight and Repic as part of the Joint Trade Associations (JTA). As a result … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 2 Feb 2015 Industry news Incinerator health study reaffirmed for 2015 publication Public Health England today (February 2) reaffirmed that a study looking at the possible health impacts from waste incinerator emissions will be published in 2015, although preliminary results of the research have still to be submitted for peer review. The study involves examining areas of up to 15km around 22 incinerators across England, including Grundon’s … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 2 Feb 2015 Industry news Business Minister announces £50m waste fund Business minister Matthew Hancock today (February 2) announced a £50 million investment by the UK Green Investment Bank (GIB) into a new fund targeting smaller-scale recycling and waste projects across the UK. The new fund – Recycling and Waste LP (“RAW”) – was announced during a visit to the £47 million Birmingham BioPower project, a … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 2 Feb 2015 Industry news Regen Waste selected for £16m treatment contract Regen Waste has been announced the preferred bidder for a 10-year contract to process residual waste on behalf of two Northern Ireland councls set to merge in April. The deal, worth £16 million over its lifetime, will see the company treat and recover or dispose of residual waste derived from Newry and Mourne district council … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 2 Feb 2015 Industry news Valpak reports ‘strong’ year in 2014 VIDEO REPORT: Packaging waste compliance scheme Valpak had a successful year in 2014 and finished the year strong, according to the company’s chief executive, Steve Gough. Speaking exclusively to letsrecycle.com last week (January 27), Mr Gough said Valpak, which also offers other compliance, consultancy and recycling services, delivered “good value” compliance to its members during … Read More… letsrecycle.com News · 2 Feb 2015 Industry news Paid internship at CHEM Trust available [now filled] The deadline to apply for this post has now passed CHEM Trust is happy to announce that we are now recruiting for a 12 month paid intern, working 4 days per week and paid at the London Living Wage of £9.15 per hour (=£13,322.40 per annum). We are a small, dynamic and influential charity, working […] CHEM Trust · 2 Feb 2015