News in Brief

Work re-starts on SITAs Cornwall EfW

The move follows the decision by the Supreme Court to refuse permission to allow the St Dennis Branch of the Cornwall Waste Forum to appeal against the Court of Appeals decision to reinstate the planning permission for the CERC (see letsrecycle.com story).

The works, which were approved at a meeting of the Cabinet earlier this year, will be carried out by CORMAC Solutions Limited on behalf of the Cornwall council. They include establishing the main compound, boundary fencing, setting out of engineering control points, vegetation clearance, ecological watching and the erection of noise monitoring stations.

The plant is being developed under a 30-year waste PFI contract between SITA UK and Cornwall council, signed in 2006 (see letsrecycle.com story).

Viridor submits revised Sutton EfW plans

Waste management company Viridor has submitted a planning application to the London Borough of Sutton to build an energy recovery facility (ERF) at its existing landfill and recycling site on Beddington Lane, Sutton. The planning application also proposes revised plans for the restoration of the existing landfill site.

The plant is being proposed under a 25-year residual waste treatment contract with the South London Waste Partnership, for which Viridor was named preferred bidder in December 2011 (see letsrecycle.com story).

A number of changes have been made to the proposal following consultation, including the removal of a proposed curved roofplate; the introduction of a brown roof to encourage biodiversity and a 15 metres reduction in the proposed stack height, from 85 metres to 100 metres.

Ian John, Viridors head of planning, said: We have been proactive in engaging with the local community seeking their views and the feedback received has been taken into account in the development of our application.

Ordinarily, Sutton council will have up to 16 weeks to determine the application, during which time they will conduct their own consultation in order to assess the application and make a decision. However, the process is expected to take longer than 16 weeks to conclude, and a decision is expected to be made in early 2013. If the application is approved, work on site will start soon after the decision has been made and construction and commissioning would take about three years to complete.

Zero waste roadmap proposed for events sector

Views are being sought on a dedicated events industry roadmap that will help the sector tackle waste, better use resources, and save money.

Developed as part of the EPOW project (European Pathway to Zero Waste), Re-thinking waste: a 2020 vision for zero waste events sets out a vision for collective action on reducing waste to landfill, and steps the industry can follow to achieve this UK-wide.

EPOW is seeking feedback over the next five weeks on the roadmaps vision, suggested collective steps and timeframe.

The roadmap is of relevance to: event organisers and planners; their managers and contractors; venue owners and promoters; corporate sponsors; local authorities; waste contractors; hospitality and catering companies; and, construction firms and builders.

Mervyn Jones, EPOW task leader, said: The roadmap vision will help people to improve their own performance and play their part. Working with industry – for industry – Re-thinking waste: a 2020 vision is for any event, however large or small the platform, and whatever the occasion – be it sporting, cultural or commercial.

The 2020 vision aims to achieve a zero waste to landfill event sector by 2020. To take part in the public engagement, which runs from August 2 (Thursday) until September 10 (Monday), please click here.

Zero Waste Scotland launches 100k fund

A call for new ways to reduce product and packaging waste in supply chains went out today (August 6), as a new 100,000 support fund was launched by Zero Waste Scotland.

The fund, which encourages environmental innovation, is open to Scottish SMEs wishing to pilot, trial or develop ideas in product, service and packaging design which will significantly impact on waste reduction and help reduce the harmful greenhouse gases that damage the environment.

The call for applicants is launched as the Scottish projects which successfully secured over 240,000 of earlier innovation funding, through Zero Waste Scotland, are announced.

Recipients include UWI Technology, which is using the money to market test a smart label on selected food and drink products which will display the elapsed time from first opening of the product, in a bid to bring about a reduction in the amount of consumer food waste.

Forecasts suggest that future innovation and technology developments could be worth an additional 8.4 billion to Scotlands low carbon industries by 2015 and create up to 100,000 jobs.

Iain Gulland, director of Zero Waste Scotland said: Were delighted to launch this SME Waste Prevention Innovation fund and champion the successes of those who have already accessed funding to develop their highly innovative projects. These projects provide ground breaking solutions focused on reducing waste and recovering materials which otherwise would end up making their way to landfill sites.

HSE consults on changes to reporting of injuries

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has opened a 12-week consultation on proposals to simplify and clarify the reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences.

The changes proposed to Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 will remove the duty to report in cases where the information is of little use, while still ensuring that sufficient data is available.

The proposals include the removal of both the duty on employers to report dangerous occurrences outside of high-risk sectors/activities and requirements to report most occupational diseases. The need to report all fatal injuries to workers and those to members of the public as a result of a work activity would remain, as would the duty to report major injuries to workers.

The consultation on wider changes to RIDDOR follows injury reporting changes which took effect in April. Employers now have to report injuries that keep workers off normal duties for seven or more days, rather than three or more days. This change to RIDDOR was recommended in the Government commissioned Common Sense, Common Safety report.

David Charnock, HSEs consultation manager, said: We are proposing to simplify the requirements by removing the duty to report in those areas where the information can be better obtained from other sources or where the data isnt particularly useful to the regulators.

The consultation on proposals to change RIDDOR reporting requirements from 2013 is open from August 2 until October 28 2012. The full document can be found here.