News in Brief

The Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority has become the latest to sign up to battery collections provided by Midlands-based G&P; Batteries.

Collection containers have been issued to all 26 household recycling centres in the nine Manchester boroughs run by Greater Manchester Waste Ltd. Employees on the site have been informed of how to operate the banks, which are expected to collect three tonnes of batteries each year.

Councillor Brian Davies, chair of GMWDA's household waste recycling centre development group, said: “Householders in Greater Manchester can now use batteries to power watches, clocks, cameras and other items knowing that they can eventually be disposed of in a safe and environmentally friendly way.”

Surrey Waste Action has announced that it will be running promotional road shows from September 19 to 27.

The road shows will include displays at volunteer bureaus and at the county council and all district and borough council reception areas. The displays will carry guidance on how to start a new recycling or reuse project and information on how to source funding and obtain expert advice.

Marianne Cole, SWA project manager, said: “Surrey Waste Action is all about helping individuals taking action, either alone or as a group, to tackle waste issues that are important to them.”

A man in Bury has been fined for running an illegal transfer station and landfill site, following an investigation by the Environment Agency.

David Briggs, who trades under the name of Briggs Demolition, was fined 21,000 with 6,309 costs after pleading guilty to 11 environmental offences. Representing the Environment Agency, Estelle Palin told the court that Mr Briggs was bringing construction wastes and domestic waste onto his Hinds Lane site in large quantities.

Ms Palin said: “He sorted the waste there and some went off for recycling but a significant proportion was landfilled into the site.”

North West-based recycler Preston Recycling has announced that its electrical waste business is set to move premises.

ComputerRecycling.co.uk was established in 2003, near to Preston's city centre, but continued expansion has prompted construction of a new 10,000 square foot building on Red Scar Industrial Estate.

Dave Allen, business development manager, said: “Because of Computer Recycling's growth we need a lot more space than the existing depot can provide. We will be able to move to the new site within a month. However, in the longer term we will need more space, so we are also in the process of building a third structure.”

A pilot recycling scheme in Newport which handles food waste and cardboard from households has collected 225 tonnes in its first month.

Residents on the “FAB” scheme put food and board in orange bins alongside garden waste. Collected waste is sent to a Wormtech facility in Caerwent.

Councillor Ray Truman, Newport's cabinet member for community safety and sustainable development, said: “The FAB scheme taking off so well is down to the enthusiasm of many residents to put their cardboard and food to good use.”