Hackney looks to expand community compost scheme
The council currently provides equipment for composting at 12 sites and is looking for a new location to expand its service. Each site is capable of processing 4000 kilograms of food waste every year, producing compost which can be used by local growing schemes and gardening groups. The community compost scheme began in 2009 and since then seven residents groups and five schools have joined.
Cllr Feryal Demirci, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “This is a great opportunity for groups to help their environment at a local level while producing their own compost for their gardens and allotments. Those who have taken part in the scheme so far have achieved fantastic results, received valuable advice and equipment and have helped to create a programme which is inspiring others around the world to improve their neighbourhoods.”
Leeds reports rise in waste as students leave for summer
Leeds city council has collected an extra 367 tonnes of waste and recycling as students in the city packed up for the summer.
The waste was collected in Headingley, Hyde Park and Woodhouse with daily collections and street cleansing services over a three week period. The area is traditionally over-run with waste as term-time tenancies come to an end. Just under a third of the waste collected was recycled. In addition, volunteers from the universities and student unions worked for 660 hours to make sure another 13.5 tonnes of household items were reused as part of their award-winning Green Streets service.
Councillor Mark Dobson, executive member for the environment said: While wed like people to plan ahead for the move at the end of term, we have to be prepared for the increase in rubbish thrown away in these areas. Thanks go to our staff that put in a mammoth effort to keep the streets clean and to colleagues at the universities and student unions who helped stopped a significant amount of waste from being landfilled. With a continuing partnership effort, we can encourage all our residents to reduce, reuse and recycle throughout the year.
Cherwell partners music festival for glass recycling
Cherwell district council has teamed up with organisers of Fairports Cropredy Convention, an Oxfordshire music festival, for the fifth year running to make sure all glass from the festival is recycled.
The council is delivering hundreds of bins for the glass along with several glass bring banks, which can be used to collect larger quantities. The festival, which takes place in Cropredy, near Banbury, begins today (August 9) and runs until Saturday (August 11).
Commenting on the festival, Cherwell Councillor Nigel Morris, said: Visitors to the Cropredy Convention really know how to enjoy themselves. Wed like to make sure that whatever their tipple, they have somewhere appropriate to put their empty bottles.
Newport offers kerbside WEEE collections
Residents in Newport can now recycle their small waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) at the kerbside following an expansion of services offered to the council by contractor Wastesavers.
Small WEEE will be collected on a weekly basis in the same recycling box as paper and textiles. The council said that large WEEE, such as washing machines and television, will not be collected as part of the scheme however residents can arrange collections for the items.
Commenting on the expansion of services, Councillor Ken Critchley, cabinet member for infrastructure, said: We aim to make recycling in Newport as easy as possible and are always looking for ways to improve the service. As long as an electrical item fits into the blue box it can be recycled.
Tyneside revises contract to divert waste from landfill
North Tyneside council has revised its waste treatment contract with SITA UK in a bid to reduce the amount of waste it sends to landfill.
The arrangement will divert at least 60,000 tonnes from landfill each year and up to a maximum of 75,000 tonnes from 2013. This waste will be converted into electricity at SITA UKs energy-from-waste facility at Tees Valley, recycled or composted, meaning that only 12% of the councils waste will be sent to landfill. SITA UK entered into the 20-year contract with the council in 1997.
Commenting on the contract John Grainger, processing general manager for SITA UK, said: We aim to put the resources that we receive from our customers to the best possible use, so using material that would otherwise go to landfill, to generate electricity for the UK, is fantastic. Recovering waste to generate energy has massive environmental benefits. Aside from replacing the need to burn fossil fuel, it also reduces CO2 and methane emissions that would be created if the waste was sent to landfill.”
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