Enva improves carbon performance for third straight year
Recycling specialist Enva has improved its ‘carbon avoidance’ performance for the third consecutive year, the company’s latest sustainability report showed.
The report, which covered the financial year to April 2022, outlined that the use of Enva’s recovered materials avoided the generation of 336,000 tonnes of carbon emissions. The company added that this saving is 11 times more than the carbon it produces from its own operations, while it aims for ’15 times’ by 2025.
The report also confirmed Enva’s ambition to complete life cycle assessments for all its recovered materials over the coming year.
Enva has also announced the formation of the Enva Foundation which seeks to help with remediation and restoration of post-industrial polluted sites damaged by human activity.
Commenting on the launch of the 2022 sustainability report, Enva’s CEO, Tom Walsh, said: “We remain committed to maximising the value of the secondary resources we manage and, where relevant, we will continue to take these materials through to fully registered ‘environmental product declaration’ (EPD) status. This will provide greater parity in the way they are perceived by our customers enabling more robust markets to be formed.’’
Housing company to pay for illegal waste activity
Bellway Homes Limited are to pay £100,000 to North East environmental charities after dumping contaminated soil on one of its sites in Northumberland, the Environment Agency said.
The Agency outlined that the company imported the waste soil, which contained wood, metal, wire cables, rubber, plastic and vehicle tyres on to its housing development site called St Mary’s Park near Stannington.
The company submitted an ‘enforcement undertaking’ to the Agency, which the regulator said has now been accepted. It explained that this is a voluntary offer by companies and individuals to make amends for their offending, which usually includes a donation to an environmental charity.
Bellway Homes will pay £50,000 to Northumberland Wildlife Trust, £30,000 to Wear Rivers Trust and £20,000 to Tyne Rivers Trust, the regulator added.
As part of the enforcement undertaking requirements, Bellway Homes must improve awareness of the law in relation to soils and waste and review its protocols to prevent future issues, according to the Agency.
The Agency also noted that Bellway Homes claimed to follow the advice of a consultancy which said it was appropriate to import the contaminated soil.
CIWM to produce digital series
The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) has announced that together with Content with Purpose (CWP), it will produce a digital series exploring the waste sector’s role in the transition to circular economy.
Titled ‘Leading the Way to a World Beyond Waste’, the series will aim to tell the story of the organisations and professionals helping the sector’s transition. It is planned to launch at this year’s RWM & Letsrecycle Live in September and will then be promoted to reach a range of audiences, the CIWM said.
The CIWM explained that the series will explore progress in multiple areas such as waste reduction and reuse, extended producer responsibility, consistent collections, decarbonisation and more.
Sarah Poulter, chief executive of CIWM, said: “At this crucial moment, our sector is doubling down efforts to lead the UK’s transition to a circular economy. We are excited for the opportunity to raise awareness of these efforts through our collaboration with CWP, and hope this serves to educate and inspire others as we continue our journey to a world beyond waste.”
Government ‘recognises contribution of biomass’
The Government recognises the “important” contribution of the waste wood biomass sector to energy security and net zero goals, according to energy minister Graham Stuart.
The comment came in the answer to a parliamentary question tabled by Martyn Day MP on behalf of the Wood Recyclers’ Association (WRA), asking about support for the waste wood biomass industry.
Earlier this month, Mr Stuart also replied to a letter from the association which called for waste wood to be included in the upcoming Biomass Strategy.
In his response, Mr Stuart said the strategy would review the amount of sustainable biomass, including waste wood, available to the UK and how best to use this to help achieve net zero and energy security.
Mr Stuart added that “the Government is engaging with stakeholders across the biomass sector including through the sustainability workshops”, which the WRA has been invited to attend.
Commenting, WRA chair Richard Coulson, said: “We are very pleased to hear that the government recognises the important role that waste wood powered biomass can play in achieving UK energy security.” He added that the WRA also welcomes confirmation that the Biomass Strategy will consider the environmental benefits of biomass including waste wood.
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