News in Brief

SITA invests 350k in Scottish facility

The new machine means that SITA is now able to process up to 25 tonnes of recyclables every hour, three times more than was previously possible. SITA said themachine was central to the latest investment at the site, which has attracted a total 750,000 in funding. 13 jobs have also been created as a result. The facility processes recyclables from businesses and households in the area.

Commenting on the investment Richard Hinchcliffe, SITA UK regional manager said: The successful conversion of the former cattle shed into a hi-tech recycling facility illustrates the investment and growth in environmental technology by SITA UK at the Binn Eco Park. This will enable the recovery of 15,000 tonnes of paper, cardboard, plastic and metal every year, material that would previously have been disposed of at landfill.

Oxfordshire launches tool recycling trial

Oxfordshires seven household waste recycling centres (HWRCs)have started to accept good quality hand and garden tools as part of a tool recycling trial which will see them passed on to Oxford-based charity Orinoco.

The charity will then distribute them to be used by schools, charity groups, gardening projects and other organisations. The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership, which is organising the trial, said tools such as forks, spades, trowels, hoes, hammers and screwdrivers are all suitable for reuse projects, but power tools cant be accepted. Tools can be accepted for the trial until June 11 2012.

Commenting on the trial, Rebecca Lake, service development officer at the county council said: We have special tool reuse bins at our recycling centres which site staff will be directing people to use for the next few weeks. We hope that people buying new DIY or gardening tools will donate their old ones and give them a new lease of life. If the trial works we will look to supply Orinoco with tools on a regular basis.

Jon Stacey from Orinoco added: With the bank holiday and warmer weather on the horizon, we look forward to any old tools from gardening or DIY projects coming our way rather than being simply chucked away.

Somerset Wood Recycling moves to larger premises

Somerset Wood Recycling, part of a network of community wood recycling projects, has moved into larger premises after receiving in a loan from the Co-operative & Community Finance.

The loan covers the cost of moving into and making improvements to a 14,000 square foot premises in the Motex Centre in Weston-super-Mare. Somerset Wood Recycling said it plans to develop a new social enterprise hub in North Somerset as a result of the move.

The organisation collects waste wood and timber from businesses, building sites and domestic premises in Weston-super-Mare and the surrounding area. The material is then taken to its warehouse where it is sorted. The organisation said that at least 80% of the wood collected is reused; about half of it is sold as timber for DIY or woodworking and much of the rest is used to make a range of products for sale including benches, plant boxes and bird tables.

Commenting on the organisations work, Tristan Tudor, manager of Somerset Wood Recycling, said: The maintenance and repair contracts are providing an extra and more secure source of regular income and have enabled us to create more jobs and train more people. However wood recycling remains the core of our business. We provide opportunities for training and volunteering for between 100 and 150 people a year, and this is really the primary purpose of the project.

Langage AD achieves PAS110 standard for digestate

Langage AD has become the fifth firm in the UK to achieve the PAS110 standard for digestate produced at its Devon anaerobic digestion facility.

The firm achieved the certification on May 10 under the Renewable Energy Associations Biofertiliser Certification Scheme. The plant, which was opened in July 2011 (see letsrecycle.com story), can process up to 20,000 tonnes of food waste every year, generating in excess of 3,904 megawatts of electricity. The facility has previously received a grant from the Waste and Resources Action Programme in a bid to aid the uptake of AD technology in the UK.

John Deane, environmental resource manager for Langage AD, said: This month has been our best to date, especially with the attainment of the Pas 110 standard; its a real success for us, and tangible benefits will be passed on to our local farming community.

Report finds UK waste management sector worth 8.4bn

The UK waste management market is currently worth 8.4 billion and has grown by an average of 7% per annum despite the economic downturn, according to a report published by consultancy firm Apex Insight.

The report quantifies the market and identifies historical patterns of growth and key trends behind the figures. The study is based on data from economic, government and company sources as well as interviews with senior-level figures. It also includes analysis of relevant economic factors such as GDP, household trends, landfill diversion targets and more specific factors including waste arisings, landfill void levels, treatment markets and innovation in waste-to-energy.

The study concludes that the waste management market should reach over 9 billion in 2012, however Apex said that some uncertainties remain around the rate of growth, such as the risk that slow economic recovery could lead to continued depressed business activity across the waste generation industries.