News in brief

MVV Environment amends Devon bottom-ash facility plans

Part of German utility company the MVV Energie Group, the firm plans to process 57,000 tonnes of ash per year at Whitecleave that is left over from residual waste treated at MVVs energy-from-waste (EfW) facility, which is currently under development at Devonports Royal Navy Base.

The original planning application was refused by Devon county council in April 2012 (see letsrecycle.com story), despite planning officers recommending them for approval. MVV then launched an appeal against the Planning Inspectorates decision in October 2012, which will be heard on Tuesday June 25 2013.

Concerns had been raised about traffic levels resulting from the facility and whether the ash could potentially be hazardous.

Scotland launches waste sector commitment

A voluntary commitment for the waste sector to help businesses save on resources ahead of new waste regulations which come into force in January 2014 has been launched by the Scottish Government.

Scotlands Resource Sector Commitment is a Scottish Government-backed initiative developed by Zero Waste Scotland. It is designed to set consistent standards for business waste collections and to help deliver the countrys zero waste targets.

It has been introduced ahead of new waste regulations which come into force in January 2014, which will make it compulsory for all businesses to separate materials for recycling, and complements the launch of the governments new Resource Efficient Scotland programme (see letsrecycle.com story), designed to help organisations save money through reducing waste.

The commitment was launched last week (April 19) by Scottish environment secretary Richard Lochhead. Speaking at the CIWM Scottish Centre AGM in Elgin, he said: Scotlands Resource Sector Commitment is an opportunity for councils, the private sector and community sector to demonstrate real support for zero waste as well as committing to provide high quality and consistent services to their customers.

Director of Zero Waste Scotland, Iain Gulland, said: Achieving zero waste will bring real environmental and economic benefits for Scotland and we all have a part to play.
The new regulations which come into force next year will help transform how Scotland manages its resources, moving away from the idea of waste as a cost and a burden, instead seeing waste management companies as resource providers to a sustainable economy.

Tamar Energy given fundraising award

UK-based renewable energy firm Tamar Energy has been awarded the Standout Fundraising Achievement of the Year Award by global clean technology firm Cleantech Group, having raised 97 million in 2012.

Tamar is the inaugural winner of the award and one of only four organisations from across Europe and Israel to receive an award at the 2013 event, held at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.

The firm aims for a UK network of more than 40 anaerobic digestion (AD) plants by 2018, capable of generating 100MW of renewable energy. It has four plants currently in construction, with more than 15 others currently in development. It is backed by a group of UK and international investors, led by RIT Capital Partners Plc and Fajr Capital, alongside the Duchy of Cornwall, and Sainsburys.

Accepting the award, Tamar Energy executive director James Russell said: The Tamar Energy model of long-term institutional financing and trusted strategic partners is creating a critical mass of AD plants in a network across the UK, making a crucial contribution to the countrys waste management and renewable energy ambitions.

Hampshire firm invests 750,000 in new haulage vehicles

Hampshire-based firm TJ Transport has invested 750,000 in new haulage vehicles and created 10 new driving jobs after being awarded a new aggregates contract.

The firm, part of waste management firm TJ Group, acquired eight additional vehicles, including three articulated trucks, to carry building materials, including aggregates such as gravel and sand

The contract sees TJ, which now employs 110 staff and operates a fleet of 70 branded vehicles, collect and deliver aggregates for an unnamed multi-national carrier across Hampshire, Dorset, Sussex and Surrey.

Steve Grant, TJ Groups new-post commercial manager, said: The outsourcing to us means TJ has effectively become a one-stop solution for companies who require the delivery of building materials for commercial and residential developments. As part of that demand requirement, we have branched out to sell aggregates, on top of collection and delivery.

The TJ Group, founded 18 years ago, provides bulk haulage services for the construction and aggregates industries through TJ Transport; and waste and recycling collections and skip hire through its TJ Waste & Recycling division. The latter division also operates four materials facilities (MRFs) in Portsmouth, Winchester, Havant and Yapton, West Sussex.

Southwark paint recycling scheme marks third year

Southwark borough councils paint recycling scheme, Community RePaint, has celebrated its third year, having diverted 25 tonnes of paint from landfill since its 2011 launch.

Based at the Southwark Reuse and Recycling Centre off Old Kent Road, the scheme enables residents to offload unwanted paint for other residents in the borough to use. It is run by the councils waste and recycling contractor Veolia Environmental Services.

Fabrice Bouchon, general manager of Veolia Environmental Services in Southwark, said: The community RePaint scheme at Southwarks Reuse and Recycling Centre is a simple, local solution to the problem of wasted paint. By reusing paint we can bring colour to the lives of those who need it the most, and help protect the planet by preventing perfectly good paint from ending up in landfill.