News in Brief

Collection difficulties for waste plasterboard can be overcome, the WRAP research suggests

The recycling of waste plasterboard from commercial refurbishment projects is economically viable, according to newly-published research from WRAP.

A series of trials at 13 sites across London, carried out by consultants Oakdene Hollins, found that recovering and recycling waste plasterboard can be achieved by adapting existing site practices, ensuring low contamination rates for collected material.

Transferring small quantities of plasterboard to a waste transfer station, where it is bulked and then delivered to a recycler can be cost-effective for the contractor, the researchers found. Dave Marsh, Construction Project Officer at WRAP, adds: “It’s heartening to see that these trials have demonstrated the clear viability for contractors to recycle plasterboard waste from refurbishment sites of all sizes.”

To download the report and to find out more about plasterboard recycling, visit
www.wrap.org.uk/construction or call WRAP’s construction team on 0808 100 2040.

Four companies – HW Martin, SITA UK, Veolia Environmental Services and Waste Recycling Group – have been shortlisted for Cheshire county council's household waste recycling centre contract.

The contract will involve the operation and maintenance of all 16 of the county's household waste recycling centres from 2008. Bid submissions are due to be returned in mid April from the four shortlisted firms, with the contract expected to be awarded in October.

Cheshire county council's environment executive member, Cllr Andrew Needham, said: “This is an important contract for Cheshire and its residents. It presents an excellent opportunity to build on and improve recycling rates in the county.”

The environmental division of Finnish firm BMH Wood Technology Oy is to deliver what it claims is the largest tyre shredder in the world to Credential Automotive Ltd in May/June.

The Tyrannosaurus shredder from BMH can process 3,000 waste tyres an hour

Through its UK agent Cape Machinery International, BMH is supplying Credential as the company develops new tyre reprocessing plants in the Midlands and South Wales (see letsrecycle.com story). The “Tyrannosaurus” plant will process around 70,000 tonnes of used car tyres a year into 60mm pieces, with a line capacity of 20 tonnes (about 3,000 tyres) per hour.

David Hennessey, managing director of Cape Machinery International, said: “This plant will represent a huge step forward in the battle to re-use the waste tyre position. The plant will process the tyres from whole to 60mm chip in a single pass. The Tyrannosaurus shredder is also capable of shredding C & D, MSW as well as all commercial and industrial wastes.”

The Borough of Poole is introducing a second phase of its garden waste recycling scheme, to an additional 10,000 households during April.

From March 5, the unitary council is providing 240-litre green bins to those homes taking part in the fortnightly collection scheme, with collection beginning on April 2 and running until October. Information packs are being sent out to homes new to the scheme, while those already involved in home composting can opt out, the authority said.

Cllr Don Collier, cabinet portfolio holder for the environment, said: “We are delighted to be able to extend the garden waste recycling scheme. The first phase has been extremely successful and we now have a 35% recycling rate in Poole.”

(left to right) Nuala Devlin and Trevor Knipe of Invest Northern Ireland, Joanne Doak of Diageo, Peter Laybourn of NISP and Adrian Murphy of NISP at the Belfast launch of NISP Northern Ireland.

NISP – the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme – has expanded to Northern Ireland to provide help to businesses in reducing their environmental impacts.

The organisation, which links up its business members for commercial opportunities, helped its 6,000 member companies divert over 1.1 million tonnes of waste from landfill between April 2005 and December 2006, it claims. It will now work with development agency Invest Northern Ireland .

Peter Laybourn, director of NISP, said: “As the programme’s remit widens, NISP is bringing on board a higher concentration of companies across every industrial sector. This in turn will help create an ever increasing amount of synergies, and therefore, more business opportunities, as well as export opportunities with the addition of Northern Ireland.”