The Republic linked up with the administration of Northern Ireland to award a 1.65 million recycling contract through an open tender process to the UK-based reprocessor M Baker Recycling earlier this year (see letsrecycle.com story).
The scheme was launched in response to EU regulations on ozone depleting substances which prohibit waste fridges and freezers going to landfill.
The contract involves two local collection firms – David Johnston Environmental Services in Northern Ireland and KMK Metals Recycling Ltd in the Republic of Ireland – but fridges are sent to M Baker's plant on Merseyside, because of the absence of fridge recycling plants in Ireland.
Since the contract's February start date, over 42,000 waste domestic fridges and freezers have been collected throughout the island and have been sent for recycling.
Commenting on the apparent success of the scheme, the Irish Environment Heritage and Local Government Minister, Martin Cullen, said this week: “It is my intention that other opportunities will be exploited by both parts of the island in developing synergies for the management waste streams.”
Julie-Ann Adams, project manager at M Baker Recycling, said: “Working with the 57 local authorities who have signed up for this contract has been a challenge, but it is working surprisingly smoothly and causing a great deal of positive interest across the UK and EU.”
The fridge contract will run until August 12 2005, after which the EU Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) will begin and responsibility for WEEE disposal will transfer from local authorities to producers.
Tagging
St Helens-based M Baker Recycling has been using a “Smart Tag” system to provide a “secure invoice/audit trail”. The tagging system allows the company to record the site of collection, delivery and destruction details for each unit, as well as the manufacturer information. The company said the system could also be used to operate producer responsibility measures of the WEEE Directive.
Ms Adams said: “We have been very interested in the manufacturer data collected so far and our Smart Tag System has also proved of great benefit in the tracking and accounting of each waste fridge collected.”
Subscribe for free