Scotland “within touching distance” of target
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency's waste and resource strategy unit manager, John Ferguson, said recycling and composting rates for the first quarter of the financial year 2007/08 were 33.4%. However, he said: “As positive as these results are, we all need to continue our efforts to minimise waste growth and maximise recycling.”
Commenting on the figures, the Scottish Government said local authorities were now “within touching distance” of the 2008 target for Scotland, to reach a 30% household waste recycling rate. Cabinet secretary for the environment Richard Lochhead said: “The target of 30 per cent does not take effect until the end of next year, but we are well on course to smash it.”
Corus supports can recycling in Gloucestershire
The firm has been provided with a range of Magnapower equipment, including a three metre-wide hopper, can elevator and MCS 60 can sorter to help deal with materials from kerbside schemes run by Cheltenham and Tewkesbury councils. The new equipment should ensure 500 tonnes of steel packaging can be taken back to Corus for reprocessing via the Freeths CanRoute centre in Swindon.
Geoff Quayle, sales manager at Printwaste, said: “Having decided to sort the metal packaging ourselves we discussed with Corus the optimum method and it was they who recommended that particular range of equipment. We viewed the machinery in a working application and as a result decided to install the MCS 60 can sorter and it has proved to be one of the most reliable and efficient pieces of equipment we have.”
Carbon on the composting agenda
Speakers from organisations including the Green Alliance and the European Composting Network will join industry experts from companies like Biffa, Viridor and Solum for next month's annual Composting Association conference and exhibition.
The Association said this year's event in Telford on December 5 and 6 will include sessions on the closed loop economy and carbon management as well as discussions of topics like variable charging for household biowaste collections, odour management and the marketing of compost.
Dr Jane Gilbert, chief executive of the Composting Association, said: “We are extremely pleased to have attracted such an impressive and influential line-up of speakers to our annual conference. It just shows that the Association and its annual conference are at the heart of the composting and biodegradable resource management industries. This event will help composters to meet their challenges and to take their place at the forefront of the carbon economy.”
East Sussex runs competition for Christmas
The county council is running the competition to encourage people to rethink their rubbish this Christmas, hoping to reduce the 179,405 tonnes of waste thrown out each year by the 222,793 households in East Sussex.
To win, householders have to work out how much rubbish an average household in East Sussex produces each year, and make a pledge one way that they will reduce the amount of rubbish they throw out this Christmas. The competition closes on December 14, with householders being asked to send in answers and recycling pledges by email to rethinkrubbish@eastsussex.gov.uk.
Construction firms “can reduce waste by 90%”
WRAP has said the construction industry could reduce its on-site waste by up to 90% by using a variety of off-site production methods.
The Waste and Resources Action Programme is highlighting a number of case studies developed by Mtech with companies including Framing Solutions, Yorkon, Bison and Stewart Milne. They show examples of good practice including the use of light steel and timber frames within buildings, producing construction components in controlled factories where waste can be avoided or recycled.
Mervyn Jones, Programme Manager for Waste Minimisation and Management at WRAP said: “With sustainable construction being increasingly driven by initiatives such as the Code for Sustainable Homes and Site Waste Management Plans, using more of these construction methods means contractors will be able to further improve against waste reduction targets.”
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