Viridor handed Exeter EfW permit
The proposed combined heat and power plant is set to be developed by the Taunton-based firm at the Marsh Barton Industrial Estate in the south of the city and was given planning permission by Devon county council in May 2008. Having considered the application and all other relevant information and responses, the Environment Agency consulted the public in October 2009, allowing people to give their views on the draft permit and explanatory decision document.
Spence Seaman, for the Environment Agency, said: “We have done everything we can to ensure that everyone has had an opportunity to comment on this application. Over the various consultation stages we have received written responses from members of the public, and we have considered these alongside comments from professional bodies such as the Health Protection Agency.”
Vinyl floor recycling scheme membership grows
The Recofloor scheme, which was founded by flooring manufacturers Altro and Polyflor, involves members collecting uplifted vinyl flooring and insulation offcuts from contractors, who can then deposit the material in special 1,100 litre bins at designated sites. The sites are located in Sheffield, Leeds, Hampshire, Kent and Dublin, with more members being sought to join the scheme. Recofloor provides flooring contractors with bags for material which are then returned full when collecting new supplies.
Jane Garnder, Recofloor project manager, said: “Distributors see it as an additional beneficial and convenient service for their customers, who not only save on disposal costs but can also demonstrate their commitment to reducing environmental impact by recycling old and unwanted vinyl flooring.”
West Midlands recycling firms share £1.5m in grants
Recycling businesses in the West Midlands have received a share of £1.5 million in grants from the Waste & Resources Action Programme Advantage West Midlands (WRAP AWM) scheme.
The initiative is intended to help businesses in the region to increase recycling capacities or add value to the types of material that they can recycle, as well as helping to diver more than 900,000 tonnes of commercial and industrial waste from landfill. Successful applicants were: Dudley-based Overton Recycling; Wolverhampton-based Omnia Recycling; Walsall Concrete; Lawrence Recycling in Kidderminster; Arden Wood Shavings in Solihull; Wood Waste Recycling in Tyseley; Recycled UK in Coseley, Wolverhampton; Anytime Concrete in West Bromwich; Clews Recycling in Rugby; Wilshees in Burton Upon Trent; Midlands Reclamation in Long Marston; and NDC Polythenes in Old Hill.
Julia Turner, WRAP's AWM programme manager, said: “We are extremely pleased with the responses we have received. Businesses that have won funding will be able to divert more waste from landfill and help the West Midlands to make the most of its material resources.”
Dennis Eagle launches new refuse vehicle body
The Olympus builds on existing models used by the firm, which specialises in waste collection vehicles, and has been designed to allow variable compaction control from the driver's cab, enabling operators to select different pressures according to the type of material collected. Manufactured from wear resistant steels intended to offer high tensile strength, the Olympus has undergone rigorous tests designed to simulate the equivalent of seven years in operation under intensive conditions, exceeding predicted yield life.
Norman Thoday, managing director of Dennis Eagle, said: “Now is not the time to shy away from driving change and, thanks to our commitment to research and development, we are in a strong position to face future challenges and provide customers with the solutions they need to adapt and survive.”
North London launches leftovers cookbook
A cookery book featuring recipes from residents and restaurants across North London has been published in a bid to target leftovers.
‘The Food Lovers' Cookbook' was launched last week (December 3) and includes recipes to help use up old pasta, unused bread and even suggestions on how to get the most out of old tea-bags. The final recipes featured in the book were chosen by a panel of judges as part of a competition which ran in Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest during the summer, with 26 successful serving suggestions.
Councillor Clyde Loakes, chair of the North London Waste Authority, said: “Every day we see the large amount of food that is thrown away in north London and the sad thing is that a lot of it needn't have been thrown away at all.”
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