FCC and EnvironCom agree council WEEE deal

The arrangement will see WEEE sent to EnvironComs two UK facilities, in Grantham, Lincolnshire and Edmonton, London, with the aim of maximising the amount that can be channelled into re-use.

EnvironComs 10 million flagship WEEE recycling and reuse facility in Grantham has the capacity to process up to 100,000 tonnes of WEEE a year including large domestic appliances, mixed WEEE and cathode ray tubes (CRTs) and also has a dedicated area for reuse of items that are still functional.

The Edmonton facility, opened in late 2011, has been designed as a reuse hub and focuses on function testing and repair of equipment, much of which goes back on sale through charities, including EnvironComs largest customer, the British Heart Foundation.

Reuse

EnvironCom currently sends around 15% of the WEEE it receives into reuse and is hoping to increase this to 30% in the next few years.

FCC Environments materials marketing manager, Charles Bliss said: FCC Environment is committed to keeping waste out of landfill and turning it into a resource through re-use and recycling. Working with EnvironCom enhances the service we already offer our local authority customers, helping them to reduce waste to landfill whilst giving residents confidence that they are being environmentally responsible.

As part of the agreement, EnvironCom has already begun training FCC Environments staff on key aspects of dealing with WEEE including how to maximise re-use. EnvironCom is also producing an educational video for local authorities, which will highlight the importance of recovery, re-use and recycling of WEEE.

EnvironComs group commercial director, Graeme Parkin, said: Were delighted to be working with FCC Environment and we know the partnership of our two companies can really make a difference to the way WEEE is perceived and dealt with at local authority sites. We share a mutual aim of doing the right thing with WEEE and with our expertise we know we can help FCC Environment achieve this.

Suffolk county council is among the local authorities that will be included under the agreement, and the councils waste service delivery officer, Mark Deer, said: Since the FCC/EnvironCom partnership became operation in Suffolk we have been pleased with the operation and the level of reuse that is being achieved from the various WEEE streams. We are also going to be working with FCC/EnvironCom moving forward to look at ways of increasing reuse in areas such as small domestic appliances and flat screen televisions.