News in Brief

The Environment Agency has opened the final stage of public consultation on Castle Cement's application to build a new cement kiln in North Wales.

The application for the company's Padeswood site near Mold includes the proposal to burn waste-derived fuels such as tyres and solvents. The new kiln will replace the existing facility at the site and increase production by 50%.

A statement from the Agency in Wales said: “The Agency is seeking to explain to people how the concerns raised during earlier stages of the consultation have been taken into account. We also want to ensure that all the issues relevant to the public have been raised and allow any new issues to be raised before the determination process is finalised.”

Four surgeries for the public to voice their concerns and queries will be held at local venues in Flintshire. Anyone wishing to receive a copy of the consultation document should contact Jim Morris at the Agency’s Buckley office on 01244 550124.

Finnish paper company M-real Group, which owns the UK Paper deinking plant for office grades in Kent, has published third quarter results for the group and said that profitability is unsatisfactory.

A statement from the company released today said that in the third quarter of 2003, the profitability of consumer packaging, publishing and tissue improved, “whereas the result reported by home and office, commercial printing and map merchants declined. In the current market situation the result was unsatisfactory. However, cost-savings programmes are moving ahead in line with plans.”

President and chief executive officer Jouko M. Jaakkola commented on the market situation and the year end. He said: “The key economic indicators are still not showing any clear direction for the future. Nevertheless, there are signs of a pick-up in the economy in the United States. In Europe, we are seeing a seasonal upswing in the demand for coated papers in September-November.

“Our previously announced 295 million euros savings programmes are moving ahead in line with plans and will for the most part reach completion by the end of the year. Weak demand will dampen their effect to some extent. The actions has been started to develop sales and marketing and productivity of certain production units. Earnings in the latter part of the year will also be affected by shutdowns, in line with collective labour agreements, at the mills in Finland in December. The last quarter is likely to be in the red.”

Powys county council has expanded its weekly twin-sack kerbside recycling scheme to 1,800 households in the rural areas of Radnorshire.

The collection uses two clear sacks: one with black print for newspapers, magazines, cardboard, junk mail, shoes and textiles and the sack with red print is for plastic bottles, carrier bags and cans.

Portfolio-holder for waste management at the county, Councillor Barry Thomas said: “Powys is one of the best performing areas in Wales with nearly a quarter of all waste dealt with by the council since April, being recycled and composted. By introducing rural households to door to door recycling, we hope to improve further. This will be the first of many rural collections.”

Once collected materials will be taken to a material recovery centre in Trewern near Welshpool to be further sorted and then sent on for reprocessing.