Horsham council opens maintenance depot to support food waste collections
Horsham District Council has opened a new maintenance depot in Hurst Road, Horsham, to support its expanding waste collection fleet.
The newly refurbished facility includes a vehicle workshop, inspection pit and staff amenities, providing dedicated space to service and repair the council’s collection vehicles.
The council said the depot will help maintain its expanded fleet, which was introduced alongside the district-wide food waste recycling service launched in March.
Cabinet member for environment, recycling and waste, Councillor David Skipp, said: “I am delighted to see the depot ready to welcome staff and fully operational as a dedicated workshop for our collection fleet.
“The staff based here will help to keep our vehicles in excellent condition, ensuring services continue to run smoothly.
“Since launching separate food waste collections in March, we have already collected fast approaching 1,500 tonnes of food waste.
“This investment supports the reliable services residents depend on while helping us protect the environment and support nature across the District.
“I’d like to thank everyone involved in bringing this project to completion.”
Altilium secures UK patent for EV battery recycling process
Battery recycling company Altilium has secured its first UK patent for its EcoCathode electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling process.
Granted by the UK Intellectual Property Office, the patent covers the company’s hydrometallurgical process for recovering, purifying and regenerating cathode materials from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries.
Altilium said the process converts battery “black mass” into battery-grade cathode materials suitable for manufacturing new EV batteries, helping to retain critical minerals within the UK supply chain.
The company added that, unlike conventional recycling methods which often require further processing overseas, its technology enables battery-grade materials to be recovered within a closed-loop system, reducing energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and reliance on imported raw materials.
Altilium said the process has already been demonstrated at industrial scale through projects with automotive manufacturers supported by the Advanced Propulsion Centre, while independent testing by Imperial College London found the recycled materials performed comparably with virgin materials.
Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer Dr Christian Marston said: “This patent represents a significant milestone for Altilium and validates years of research and development into creating a truly circular supply chain for battery materials.”
Bishop’s Stortford FC stadium renamed under Grundon partnership
Bishop’s Stortford Football Club has renamed its home ground ‘The Grundon Community Stadium’ as part of an expanded partnership with waste management company Grundon.
The agreement extends the relationship between the two organisations, which began in 2023, ahead of the new football season.
Operations Director Bradley Smith said: “Grundon are thrilled and proud to be supporting the Blues.
“As a local company who are deeply committed to community engagement and supporting local initiatives, partnering with Bishop’s Stortford Football Club is a natural fit for us.
“Football has a unique way of bringing people together, fostering team spirit and inspiring excellence – values which resonate with those we hold dear at Grundon.
“We look forward to cheering the Blues on to victory and contributing to their successes on and off the field.”
Grundon said the partnership reflects its commitment to supporting local communities and initiatives.
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