Thousands of visitors descended on the Resource Waste Management (RWM) show at the Birmingham NEC last week, to find out about the latest innovations in waste and recycling.
The 2014 event saw over 200 speakers and more than 750 exhibitors take part in the three-day event run by i2i and organised in partnership with the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) and supported by the Environmental Services Association (ESA).
This year also saw a change in venue, with the event moving to Halls 4 and 5 of the NEC in order to provide ease of access for visitors and allow easier navigation between the exhibits. The halls are the largest exhibition rooms in the UK. Some visitors felt the halls were easier to access than those used in the past with differing views over whether the event appeared smaller than in 2013. Some of last year’s exhibitors were noticeably absent although there were also newcomers to their event.
Below are some of the highlights from the exhibition, including new product launches and announcements.
WasteCare unveils ‘myWaste’ app
Visitors to Hall 4 could not fail to miss the WasteCare stand with the company’s Silver Lady traditional Routemaster bus acting as the focal point for a very modern day product. This was an app launched at the show. Called ‘myWaste’, the company sees the app as providing an all-round service for customers.
Using it, they will be able to access accounts, get instant quotes, book a collection and carry out other tasks such as racking waste and have access to a 24/7 emergency helpline.
The company explained that the app myWaste is “a personalised app for all waste management and recycling needs. It works on phones, tablets, laptops and PCs so it’s available wherever and whenever the user likes, as long as they have an internet connection.”
One of the aims is to provide the user with a way to minimise recycling costs and maximise recovery value. And, the app also allows the user to calculate carbon reductions for different waste streams and methods.
More information at: www.waste.care
Novelis ‘at full throttle’
Novelis was at the show with a clear message that it is a strong buyer of used aluminium beverage cans. Communications manager Kate Ravenscroft explained how the company was keen to source additional material from the UK for its plant in Warrington where aluminium ingots are made.
She explained how, with the opening of a new plant in Germany, material previously sent to Warrington from northern Europe would now go to the German plant.
“We will take in every can from the UK at Warrington. We are keen to work with waste management companies and recyclers,” said Ms Ravenscroft.
And, she conceded that the company had dipped out of the market 18 months ago, but reiterated it is now a stable buyer.
“In fairness we came out of the market but we are now at full throttle, and open for buying. We have opened two new aggregation centres in the south east and we now have nine which cover the country,” said Ms Ravenscroft.
She added that quality remains important in terms of the quality of incoming material and that the company still saw commingled collections as a barrier.
More information at: www.novelisrecycling.co.uk/
Big Belly Solar’s efficiency message
On display from BigBelly was its range of smartbins which aim to reduce the number of street bin collections by over 80% with significant savings on collection costs.
Sales manager Karl Davies highlighted how the bins are solar powered and are routemapped so data can be read from each bin at a control point. This means that a full record of the bins can be seen and charts generated to show when the bins are nearly full.
The litter bins have compaction equipment which has the advantage of meaning that litter doesn’t stick out and overflow onto the pavement, explained Mr Davies.
Other plus points include that emptying frequencies can be controlled, so that if, for example, bins are by busy roads and are not full, crews do not need to disrupt traffic by parking and then unnecessarily emptying the part-filled bin. Plus, 10-12kgs of waste can be collected in a single bag.
The recording devices also help local authorities to combat the placing of trade waste in street bins. “You can see if they suddenly fill up at around 5.00pm for example and this could be because a business is putting their waste in the bin,” Mr Davies noted.
BigBelly also supplies a range of bins for recycling and these also signal when the bin is nearly full. While they do not have compactors they instead make use of an infra-red light system to measure when capacity is being used up.
More information at: www.bigbellysolar.co.uk
New look for Clarity Environmental
Clarity Environmental provided RWM 2014 visitors the chance to explore its new website. The compliance and waste and recycling specialist launched a new-look site with a fresh design, improved navigation and increased content.
The new website reflects the growth experienced by the business since its previous website was developed in 2012.
With new services that include energy from waste solutions for refuse derived fuel and solid recovered fuel, and CRT recycling services, the website provides increased information on Clarity’s business divisions, whilst ensuring visitors can navigate easily around the site.
Clarity Environmental has designed and developed its online systems, which include an external website and online members’ areas. The new website has also been optimised for mobile devices.
David Adams, managing director at Clarity Environmental, said: “This has been an important project for us in 2014. With so much business growth in the last two years we wanted to ensure our site reflects the additional and wide-ranging services we now offer at Clarity, providing access to information on each of our divisions.”
More information at: http://www.clarity.eu.com/home/
Dennis Eagle and Euro 6
Dennis Eagle had its waste and recycling trucks on display over in the Handling and Logistics area on stand 5y120-zz12.
Andy Graves, product marketing manager at the vehicle manufacturing firm, explained that the newest of the vehicles on display – the Elite 6 – was compliant with Euro 6 exhaust emission standards, utilising Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and diesel particulate filter (DPF) technology.
Built for urban environments and also utilised on the streets of surrounding Birmingham, the low-entry cab on the Elite 6 offers a panoramic view to improve driver and cyclist safety, with the driver’s eyes level with those of cyclists passing by.
Other new features include an electronic braking system (EBS), Electronic Stability Control (ESB/Anti-Roll), brake assist and emergency brake signal.
The company is also working on an electric-powered waste vehicle with a 2.21 diesel engine range-extender, which it has tentatively pencilled in to be ready in 2018/19.
More information at: http://www.dennis-eagle.co.uk/
Taylor sees growth and overseas demand
On Taylor’s stand, the company’s sales and marketing director Julian Gaylor sat down with letsrecycle.com to discuss the future direction of the bin manufacturing firm.
Mr Gaylor explained that with local authority budgets ‘squeezed’, the firm was now exploring international markets with a first order of bins for Brazil and a £1 million contract established in Malaysia. And, to consolidate the new business direction, he confirmed the firm had just appointed Bastien Wacogne as new international sales manager .
Mr Gaylor said: “Recycling rates have flatlined and local authority budgets are still squeezed, so we are not seeing them buy lots of recycling containers and not so many big rollouts. However, we are seeing more growth in terms of new housing estates and we have rolled out 1,100-litre bins for flats recycling.”
Also commenting on last year’s merger with Sellers, Mr Gaylor said both firms had found ‘plenty to learn’ from each other. “We have taken the advantages of both businesses and have had plenty to learn from each other. There has been massive investment in new products and integrated service levels.”
Pyropure
Pyropure executive chairman Peter Selkirk was also on hand to discuss the benefits of the firm’s pyrolysis technology to breakdown hazardous waste.
Mr Selkirk said it was ‘exciting’ that the gasification units were now at the trial stage – and hoped they could soon be used to treat hazardous waste on-site at hospitals.
More information at: http://www.pyropure.co.uk/
UNTHA UK
And, Chris Oldfield, managing director of UNTHA UK, was keen to promote its range of shredders for RDF, alternative fuel production and confidential waste.
The UNTHA XR waste shredder achieves throughputs of 70 tonnes per hour, with two distinct cutting concepts that can be configured and reconfigured to the clients’ demands.
The equipment is also robust enough to handle secure data storage devices, WEEE, packaging, organic waste, cables and textiles. Mr Oldfield said: “We have some projects in the pipeline at this moment in time but they need more work, the area we want to focus on right now is retail shredding.”
More information at: http://www.untha.com/en
Next year’s RWM will be held on 15-17 September at the NEC Birmingham.
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