News in Brief

The Welsh Assembly Government has announced 176,000 in funding for the Environment Agency to tackle fly-tipping in Wales.

The Environment Agency will be able to expand its “Pride in Our Communities” campaign across Wales, targeting householders, businesses and others who may be identified as contributing to the problem.

Carwyn Jones, minister for Environment, planning and countryside, said: “We are aware that the increase in landfill tax means Welsh businesses face a substantial increase in the cost of sending their rubbish to landfill sites, and that there may be increased temptation to fly-tip waste.

“These same businesses face the increased threat of fly-tipping on their land from this criminal behaviour. This funding will help the Environment Agency and other enforcement bodies to deal with any problems which arise as a result,” he added.

DaimlerChrysler UK has announced its End of Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive plans by teaming up with Authorised Treatment Facility (ATF) services partner Autogreen.

From 1 January 2007, vehicle manufacturers will be responsible for the cost-free take back of ELVs, and the safe dismantling and disposal of these vehicles.

Working with autogreen, DaimlerChrysler plans to have some 250 sites around the UK ready by 1 January 2006.

The deal will provide safe disposal of end-of-life Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi Canter, smart and Maybach models for which DaimlerChrysler is responsible under the ELV legislation.

The Waste and Resources Action Programme is looking for companies to run a feasibility study on recycling for small businesses.

WRAP hopes to run a series of trials to collect materials for recycling from small and medium enterprises that presently receive no recycling service. Funding for the trials comes from Defra's Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) Programme as well as the devolved administrations in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The trials will evaluate a range of factors involved in SME recycling collections, including geographical location, collection and communication techniques and financial models. The closing date for expressions of interest is October 10, 2005.

Liz Morrish, project manager for SME recycling at WRAP, said: “Many people running small business want to recycle at work as well as at home, but often the service has not been available.”

Warwickshire council has said that 3,230 households have signed up to the Mailing Preference Service following bus adverts run earlier in the year.

The MPS allows residents to remove their name and addresses from the direct mailing list held by the Direct Marketing Association. Since June this year Warwickshire has been running adverts on local buses for the service, funded by WRAP.

Over 40,000 households have now signed up to the scheme, including the additional 3,230 that have signed up since June.

Councillor Martin Heatley, Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “We have used various methods to raise awareness of the service offered by the MPS but felt that it was time to try a different method to reach more people. And from the results it has certainly been a success.”

A man in Barnsley has been fined a total of 20,000 plus costs for illegally burning waste on his site.

Stuart Meynell of Barnsley appeared at Barnsley Magistrate Court and pleaded guilty to knowingly permitting controlled waste to be disposed of by burning it on his site. In total four charges were brought against Mr Meynell, each carrying a 5,000 fine.

Following complaints from members of the public, Environment Agency officers carried out surveillance on land at Darfield Road, Cudworth Common, Barnsley on several occasions.

The land does not have a waste management license, and the officers found that waste of various sorts was being brought there, dumped and then burnt.