News in Brief

Liverpool social enterprise recycles millionth bulky item

Bulky Bobs has been working with Liverpool city council for the past 11 years during which time it has made over half a million collections picking up over 1.8 million items. One million items have been diverted from landfill and in most cases distributed as pre-loved furniture to local families in need. The service collects a variety of items including furniture, white goods and mattresses, with over 70% of the items being sent for reuse or recycling.

Shaun Doran, Bulky Bobs chief executive, said: We are delighted to hit such a milestone of recycling and we are also very pleased to be able to continue to collect items for free from Liverpool homes. Our service helps the city to reduce its landfill costs, increase its recycling rates, keep fly-tipping rates low, and offer a very valuable service to the residents.

Consumers respond to packaging reduction initiatives

A consumer survey undertaken by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has found that half of respondents registered a reduction in food packaging and almost two thirds claimed to have noticed manufacturers using packaging which can be recycled, reused or biodegraded.

The Harris Barometer Survey was carried out in conjunction with the FDF and surveyed 1100 people. It looked at consumers awareness of recyclable packaging. According to the FDF the findings of the survey build on its five-fold ambition to make a significant contribution WRAPs Courtauld 2 target of reducing the carbon impact of packaging by 10% by 2012, against a 2009 baseline.

Andrew Kuyk, director of sustainability and competitiveness at FDF, said: The Courtauld Commitment is a key part to FDFs five-fold environmental ambition, and we are delighted to see that consumers are noticing the changes food and drink manufacturers are making to packaging.

Injunction application dismissed

An application for an interim injunction to cease construction work at MVV Environments energy-from-waste incinerator at Devonport, Plymouth has been dismissed.

The injunction application was filed against Plymouth city council in an attempt to halt work at the site, but on March 30 judge, Mr Justice Holman, deemed that the first phase of work on site could continue to proceed.

Planning permission for the facility was granted in January 2012 (see letsrecycle.com story) and once built the combined heat and power facility will have the capacity to handle 245,000 tonnes of residual waste every year on behalf of the South West Devon Waste Partnership.

Commenting on the decision, Paul Carey, managing director of MVV Environment Devonport, said: We are satisfied with todays outcome and will continue to progress the first phase of construction works in accordance with the judgement.

SITA installs vehicle technology to drive down fuel use

SITA UK has reduced its fuel consumption across its whole fleet by 11% over the past year and saved over 3,000 tonnes of carbon emissions after installing new vehicle monitoring technology.

Following a trial the company fitted most of its fleet with the Ecotrak Driver Management system which records driver behaviour and measures performance against efficiency parameters. Drivers are then offered training and advice to improve their efficiency including: cutting idle time, reducing rev counts and accelerating at a steady rate. Route distances have also been cut following the installation of an on-board computing system that allows managers to optimise the routes for collection and upload it directly to an interactive screen in the drivers cab.

David Foster, chief operating officer for Logistics at SITA UK, said: The combination of innovative technology and staff engagement has led to a big drop in our fuel consumption, and therefore our emission levels, which is great news for us, our customers and of course the environment.

Law firms advise on Yorkshire PFI deal

Law firm Ashurst has revealed that it advised Shanks and Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) on the successful close of the Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham waste PFI project. Meanwhile solicitors Walker Morris advised the councils involved Barnsley metropolitan council, Doncaster borough council and Rotherham borough council.

Shanks announced on Monday (April 2) that its joint venture with SSE, 3SE, had signed the 25-year, 750 million PFI deal (see letsrecycle.com story).
The consortium will, subject to planning permission, deliver a mechanical and biological treatment facility and an anaerobic digestion plant on Bolton Road, Rotherham.

Nick Stalbow, partner at Ashurst, said: We are delighted to have played our part in getting this project over the line. This PFI was key to the Ferrybridge project, which in turn should be in a position to offer thermal treatment capacity to a number of local authorities and trade suppliers in the wider region, helping to deliver the Government’s objective of developing the UK market in solid recovered fuel.

David Kilduff, partner and head of Renewable, Energy and Resources Group at Walker Morris, said: “The BDR waste PFI is a great example of an innovative legal structure for such a project. It takes advantage of a range of waste management solutions to achieve the demanding targets set by the councils.

“The Walker Morris Renewable, Energy and Resources Group has been leading on this major infrastructure project, providing the legal advice to the three local authority in-house legal teams. It is extremely rewarding to achieve a successful financial close on such complex project and its a credit to the good working relations and excellent teamwork from all parties involved.”