Recycling news: 2015

Industry news Falkirk to complete three-weekly collection switch Falkirk council is set to begin the final phase of its switch to a three weekly residual waste collection service, with the remaining 25,000 households in the borough to move from a fortnightly schedule in March. Properties in the Grangemouth, Falkirk and Lower Braes areas are the last to switch to the new timetable. The … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 21 Jan 2015 Industry news Bisphenol A – new EFSA assessment cuts safe exposure level, calls for more research (updated) The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have today published the opinion of their CEF scientific panel [1] on the risks to public health related to the presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in foodstuffs. [See end of this blog item for a challenge to the EFSA assessment from the National Food Institute at the Technical University of Denmark] In […] CHEM Trust · 21 Jan 2015 Industry news Calling people of Leeds! Could you be the country’s newest wood recycling social entrepreneur? This is a life-changing opportunity to run your own green company and make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged people in your community. Community Wood Recycling · 21 Jan 2015 Industry news Defra appoints new members to packaging committee Defra has appointed ten members to its new Advisory Committee on Packaging, including Jonathan Short, the founder of the plastics recycling firm ECO Plastics and Andrew Bird, the chair of LARAC. Known as the ACP, the Committee is made up of representatives from different sectors affected by the Packaging Waste Regulations and advises Defra on … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 21 Jan 2015 Industry news Commissioning to begin at Plymouth CHP plant MVV Environment’s 245,000 tonne-a-year capacity waste incinerator in Plymouth will enter the final stages of development next week. With construction almost complete, commissioning is now due to begin at the Devonport Docks energy-from-waste plant – including delivery of the first waste load and the first export of electricity. Once operational, the combined heat and power … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 21 Jan 2015 Industry news WRAP highlights circular economy jobs potential More than 200,000 jobs could be created across Britain through the growth of the reuse and recycling sectors, according to a study published yesterday (January 20) by the Green Alliance and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). The report ‘Employment and the circular economy: job creation in a more resource efficient Britain’ claims that … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 21 Jan 2015 Industry news Responsible Packaging for Resource-Efficient Sustainable Supply Chains We presented at the BCMPA annual conference in January 2015. See our presentation below: INCPEN (Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment) · 21 Jan 2015 Industry news Commission outlines scope of new circular economy plans The European Commission has outlined some of the areas it is likely to cover in its ‘improved’ package of policy measures on the circular economy, which it has reassured will be published in 2015. Last month the Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans revealed that the policy package drawn up by the former Environment Commissioner Janez … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 20 Jan 2015 Industry news News in brief With news on; Swindon Commercial Services rebrands; WRAP reveals retail food waste figures; Biffa extends landfill analytic contract with ALS; Bin producer Amberol unveils new website, and; Devon county council invites recycling bids Swindon Commercial Services rebrands Council-owned firm Swindon Commercial Services has been renamed as UK Public Power Solutions Ltd (PPS) to reflect … Read More … letsrecycle.com News · 20 Jan 2015 Industry news Cancelling Javelin Park EfW ‘could cost £100m’ Gloucestershire Liberal Democrat councillors have claimed that it could cost up to £100 million if the council were to end a long-term waste treatment contract with Urbaser Balfour Beattie. The £500 million contract between Gloucestershire council and the consortium of Spanish-owned waste management firm Urbaser and civil engineering firm Balfour Beatty was originally awarded in … Read More The… letsrecycle.com News · 20 Jan 2015 Industry news Top composting council shrinks green waste service England’s top performing council for organics waste recycling is to overhaul the way it handles residents’ garden and food waste, following concerns over the cost of treating the material. Three Rivers district council based in Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, composted 43.35% of the household waste it handled in 2013/14 – almost 6% more than Rochford which claimed … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 20 Jan 2015 Industry news Video – You’re ‘avin a giraffe… - Demolition News Demolition News · 20 Jan 2015 Industry news People news in brief With news on the Agency’s chief executive and LondonWaste’s managing director retiring and appointments at Ricardo-AEA, Eco Sustainable Solutions and Ernst & Young. Environment Agency chief to retire Dr Paul Leinster has decided to retire in September 2015 after 17 years as a senior director of the Environment Agency. He has been the chief executive … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 19 Jan 2015 Industry news Councils opt to keep free green waste collections Two local authorities in England have moved to protect the provision of free garden waste collections from households, bucking the increasing trend amongst councils to start charging for the service. In recent weeks, both Sefton borough in the North West and Hinckley & Bosworth borough council in Leicestershire have announced that they will continue to … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 19 Jan 2015 Industry news Investigation into Wollaston recycling fire underway A fire involving waste plastics that broke out at a recycling depot in Wollaston, Northamptonshire yesterday afternoon (January 18) has largely subsided overnight, Northampton Fire & Rescue Service has confirmed. Around 60 firefighters were called to the blaze at Think Green Recycling Ltd, located on the Wollaston Industrial Estate, at approximately 12.40pm yesterday. The fire … Read More The p… letsrecycle.com News · 19 Jan 2015 Industry news DS Smith – Packaging, Paper, Recycling - DS Smith DS Smith (International Paper) · 19 Jan 2015 Industry news PRNs ‘could drive up’ R1 registration More energy-from-waste plants could register to become R1 compliant if market forces drive the price of PRNs up, an Environment Agency official has predicted. Chris Grove, E&B senior advisor at the Environment Agency, indicated that a number of energy-from-waste (EfW) plants may seek R1 accreditation if there was a financial incentive. The comments come after … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 19 Jan 2015 Industry news HSE publishes council recycling services report The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has now published its final report on inspections of local authority waste and recycling services it carried out between October 2010 and March 2014. HSE undertook the phased inspection initiative to evaluate and assess the role of local authorities when procuring and managing household waste and recycling contracts, or, … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 16 Jan 2015 Industry news Majority of MEPs oppose EU waste policy withdrawal The majority of MEPs voting in Strasbourg yesterday (January 15) backed calls for EU circular economy proposals not to be withdrawn from the European Commission’s legislative agenda this year. However, despite majority opposition to withdrawing or delaying the proposed legislation, the Parliament’s political groups were unable reach agreement on the wording of an overall joint … Read More The p… letsrecycle.com News · 16 Jan 2015 Industry news Gulland: circular economy must ‘resonate’ with businesses The chief executive of Scotland’s resource body Zero Waste Scotland has called for advocates of a ‘circular economy’ to communicate the concept into something that can ‘resonate at a local level’. Iain Gulland made the comments whilst delivering the Kit Strange Memorial Lecture to invited delegates in Westminster yesterday (January 15) – in honour of … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 16 Jan 2015 Industry news News in brief With news on; Gloucester waste operator jailed; council crew suspended over drinking allegations; Biffa ‘unaffected’ by suspected arson in South Oxfordshire; Interserve to build Viridor East Loathain EfW, and; ZWS announces textile designer fund Gloucester waste operator jailed for 18 months The operator of a Gloucestershire waste firm has been jailed for 18 months … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 16 Jan 2015 Industry news Surrey launches fresh study into leaf sweepings Surrey county council has launched its own independent study in a bid to demonstrate that street leaf sweepings are suitable for composting – after the Environment Agency reclassified the material in 2013. The county council has contracted consultancy firm Leap Environmental to conduct the study, which is being undertaken on behalf of all local authorities … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 15 Jan 2015 Industry news Appointments round-up With news on a vice-president at ACN Europe; Vermeulen takes on chairmanship; Mattravers for WYG: and SEPA chief executive. Farncombe steps up as ACN (Europe) vice-president Stephen Farncombe has been appointed vice president for the U.K. and Ireland at ACN (Europe) which principally exports paper and plastics to the paper mills in China. With … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 15 Jan 2015 Industry news Waste minister hints at election manifesto hopes Resource minister Dan Rogerson has said it would be ‘depressing’ if political parties did not voice their own ideas on waste and recycling ahead of the general election. And, Mr Rogerson added that the ‘question of targets’ would likely dominate the waste debate in the run up to the polls, although calls for a shared … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 15 Jan 2015 Industry news ‘Fire risk’ wood waste site lands director suspended jail term The former director of a wood waste recycling firm has been handed a suspended prison sentence following an Environment Agency prosecution over storage of material at a site in Northamptonshire. David Lewis McEwan, who was a director at Larner Timber Recycling, which is no longer trading, was handed a six month prison sentence, suspended for … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 15 Jan 2015 Industry news Packaging Legislation and Litter We presented at the Food Packaging Association on Packaging and Litter in January 2015. See our presentation below: INCPEN (Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment) · 15 Jan 2015 Industry news Ocado helps you say "I love you" this Valentine's Day - Ocado Group Ocado Group media · 15 Jan 2015 Industry news SITA UK fined £110,000 over landfill permit breach Waste management firm SITA UK has been fined £110,000 for breaching the conditions of its environmental permit at a landfill site in Surrey. The firm was also ordered to pay £8,000 in costs by Redhill Magistrates Court during a sentencing hearing yesterday (January 13), after it had failed to comply with an Enforcement Notice for … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 14 Jan 2015 Industry news Appointments round-up With news on; changes at the top for Taylor; Kiverco appoints managing director; Nathaniel Potts joins Cromwell, and; Ben Hoadley becomes regional sales manager at Dennis Eagle Changes at the top for Taylor Julian Gaylor, sales and marketing director of UK bin manufacturer Taylor, is to leave the business more than 17 years after he … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 14 Jan 2015 Industry news Dock service puts out Southampton wood fire Damping down was underway this morning after a fire in a woodchip pile at Southampton Docks. The wood, to be exported to Scandinavia by Eco Sustainable Solutions of Dorset, caught fire yesterday evening (January 13) on a concrete base site on the quayside at the King George V Dock. While the docks belong to Associated … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 14 Jan 2015 Industry news Viridor wins interim Bournemouth recycling contract Viridor has won a two-year interim contract to process and sell household dry recyclables on behalf of Bournemouth borough council. Starting this month, the contract will see Viridor handle around 17,000 tonnes of commingled recyclables collected from 18 wards across the Bournemouth area per year. The materials, which include paper, card, mixed plastics, cans and … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 14 Jan 2015 Industry news ReCharge Project concludes with promising results The UK Battery Waste Regulations now in force are increasing the volume of battery waste required to be recycled. The UK has no processing facilities for non-lead acid portable battery waste and all collected non-lead waste batteries are currently exported for recycling. An urgent solution is required as existing regulations require greater battery collection from […] Augean · 14 Jan 2015 Industry news Replacing chemicals with safer alternatives – or protecting dirty industry? (updated) The EU’s REACH system for regulating chemicals was supposed to bring with it a significant improvement in protection of people and the environment from toxic chemicals. But is it delivering? The latest developments in the debate over alternatives to the phthalate DEHP, used in PVC products, suggest that there are some serious problems. One particular […] CHEM Trust · 14 Jan 2015 Industry news England needs waste policy ambition Gev Eduljee, external affairs director of SITA UK, reasons that a more ambitious approach is needed to waste policy in England The government’s response to the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s Inquiry into Waste Management in England continues the line taken in its written and verbal evidence. At the Inquiry, the … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 14 Jan 2015 Industry news The CHEM Trust view on the EU consultation on criteria for Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) We are now in the final week of the European Commission’s consultation on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), and today CHEM Trust submitted our response to the consultation. [Update: consultation has now finished]. Here are some of the key points we make in our response: We support the proposal to use three different categories to define endocrine […] CHEM Trust · 13 Jan 2015 Industry news US-EU Trade deal TTIP is a threat to effective regulation of chemicals and pesticides The EU and US are continuing in their attempts to negotiate a new “Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership” – or TTIP for short, including measures to increase regulatory harmonisation, to reduce tariffs and to create an ‘Investor State Dispute Mechanism’. As we wrote back in July 2014: In CHEM Trust’s view proposals for enhanced regulatory […] CHEM Trust · 13 Jan 2015 Industry news VIDEO: Efra chair calls for leadership on waste Chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) committee Anne McIntosh has called on Defra to “give the leadership that the waste industry is calling for”. Speaking to letsrecycle.com at Westminster yesterday (January 12), the Conservative MP for Thirsk and Malton said the committee’s inquiry into Defra’s performance had uncovered a “bewildering array of … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 13 Jan 2015 Industry news Scottish landfill tax regulations in line with England The Scottish Government has introduced further measures to bring its Landfill Tax in line with the current system in England from April 2015. Provisions including a water discount for landfill operators and loss on ignition (LOI) testing will be included in the new landfill tax regime, which will come into effect when further powers are … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 13 Jan 2015 Industry news WRAP writes off £1.65m debt from ECO Plastics The Waste & Resources Action Programme confirmed today (January 13) it will be writing off in full a £1.65 million loan it provided to ECO Plastics, which went into pre-pack administration in December 2014. However, former government-backed body WRAP, which has been registered as a charity since December 8 2014 – three days before ECO … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 13 Jan 2015 Industry news Biffa signs ten-year Wirral collection contract extension Waste services firm Biffa Municipal has signed a ten-year extension to its waste collection contract with Wirral council worth around £115 million. The High Wycombe-based firm has managed recycling and refuse collection services on behalf of the Merseyside borough since taking over the contract from Veolia in 2006. The extended deal, which takes effect from … Read More letsrecycle.com News · 13 Jan 2015