Plasterboard recycling kicks off in Yorkshire
Local firm Coast to Coast Recycling have started sorting, shredding and mixing plasterboard from construction and demolition waste to produce a variety of specialist growing media. The move follows trials carried out by the Waste and Resources Action Programme which found that recycled plasterboard was an effective replacement for natural gypsum- an important constituent for mushroom compost. At present, 1.3 million tonnes of waste plasterboard are produced by the construction and demolition industry in the UK each year. The plasterboard recycling scheme is one of many developed by Coast to Coast to deal with organic wastes.
Coast to Coast Recycling director David Coning said: “We are always willing to find an innovative solution to dealing with wastes. This plasterboard recycling operation is no exception.”
SITA UK tackles illegal bonfires
Waste firm SITA UK is supporting a campaign to increase public safety in the run up to bonfire night – by helping to recycle and dispose of illegal bonfires in North Tyneside.
John Grainger, general manager for SITA UK in the North East, said: “SITA UK is happy to support such a valuable campaign. Illegal bonfires are potentially extremely dangerous, so when we were asked to help with the disposal of some of the material we immediately agreed to assist.”
First UK office for Asian paper firm
Hong-Kong-based paper company Lee and Man Paper Manufacturing Ltd is to open a business to procure recovered paper in the UK next month.
Mark Lyndon Paper Enterprises UK Limited will be based in Nottingham on the Ng2 Business Park and will begin commercial operations in January 2008. The opening follows the success of a European Lee and Man office in Rotterdam, which has now purchased over 1 million tonnes of recovered paper a year for the Lee and Man organisation.
Mr Raymond Lee, Lee and Man Manufacturing Ltd chief executive, said: “Recovered paper is the lifeblood of our mills and the UK has always played an important part of our buying strategy. We have decided to show our commitment to our current and future UK suppliers by providing a UK based office to manage all aspects of our recovered paper procurement in the country.”
Blue boxes come to Croydon
At present, residents in houses and flats with four or less doorbells have a green box for paper, mixed glass, cans, textiles and shoes. However, under a major pilot scheme, 50,000 homes are set to receive a blue box for paper, card, textiles and shoes. The green box will then be used for mixed glass, cans and plastic bottles. The scheme is set to be rolled out to all residents over the next two years.
Councillor Phil Thomas, Croydon's cabinet member for environment and highways, said: “We're confident that the increase in plastics and cardboard recycling, together with other recent new services – including estates recycling, green waste collections, and improvements at the boroughs three reuse and recycling centres – will see recycling rates rise above 23% this year.”
Warwickshire gets “real” about nappies
More than 1,600 tonnes of nappy waste has been diverted from landfill in Warwickshire following the launch of a scheme to encourage “real” cloth nappies.
Since 2004, Warwickshire county council has been offering £25 cashback to parents using real nappies alongside other initiatives such as “nappuccino” coffee mornings to promote cloth nappies. So far, more than 1,300 parents have signed up to the scheme, saved £70,000 in waste disposal costs.
Cllr Martin Heatley, chair of the Warwickshire Waste Partnership and Warwickshire's portfolio holder for the environment, said: “Cotton nappies don't have to be about Terry squares and nappy pins! Modern nappies area shaped, and come in a variety of funky colours, are surprisingly soft and do not contain chemicals. They are just as easy to use as disposables and will not only save you money but will help the environment too.”
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