Augean buys hazardous waste firm Hitech
The deal includes the freehold of Hitech's two-acre hazardous waste treatment and recycling facility in Paisley, while a further £750,000 could be paid in 2009 if certain performance criteria are met in the first 18 months of trading. As well as the Paisley facility, £4 million turnover Hitech operates a site in Ellesmere Port in the North West of England. The company has assets valued at £900,000, making a £500,000 annual profit.
Augean chief executive Paul Blackler said: “This acquisition has further enhanced the geographical reach of Augean and has an immediate integration fit thus bringing new specialist services to our customers. The business also introduces an experienced and ambitious management team which will support the delivery of the development plan. The acquisition is further demonstration of Augean's strategy to become the leading provider of hazardous waste solutions in the emerging UK market.”
Veolia launches festive campaign in Sheffield
In the third annual campaign of its kind, Veolia will donate money to the Sheffield Childrens' Hospital related to the extra paper and card, glass and Christmas trees recycled over the festive period. Yesterday saw the campaign launched by the Veolia Recycling Team, who were handing out recycling goodie-bags and balloons in the city centre.
The company has kick-started the donations by sponsoring a Christmas tree and snowflake for the children's hospital to the tune of £2,000. Judith Turner, director of operations, collection and recycling for Veolia Environmental Services said: “At this time of year, a huge amount of waste is simply thrown away when it could be recycled. Last year residents helped raise £2,975 by recycling at Christmas.”
Welsh businesses dump £30m a year, study says
Welsh businesses threw away rubbish worth £30m in 2005, according to a study commissioned by Environment Agency Wales.
Half a million tonnes of potentially recyclable material went to landfill, the research from SLR Consulting found, with cardboard boxes and food waste making up the largest proportions of business waste being thrown out – 100,000 tonnes of cardboard and 90,000 tonnes of kitchen waste are sent to landfill each year by Welsh firms.
Environment Agency Wales Director, Chris Mills said: “This report sends a clear message to businesses – you need to recycle more. It makes good economic sense and will reduce the amount going to landfill. Landfill space is running out – We estimate that, at current rates, Wales' landfills are likely to be full by 2013. It costs businesses money to send potentially recyclable material to landfill, and landfill tax will rise in the future. It simply does not make financial or environmental sense.”
Paint firm saves thousands by recycling waste
The company called in Yorkshire firm Cromwell Polythene to help recycle around 156 tonnes of waste previously being sent for disposal each year from regional distribution centres in Goole and Stowmarket. Cromwell provided a baler at no cost to ICI and agreed a contract to buy waste polythene and cardboard from the company. Cromwell turns waste plastics into new plastic sacks and bags. Working with logistics company TDG, waste from Decorator Centres is also being collected on previously empty delivery lorries, with savings predicted to increase to £140,000 a year.
James Lee, managing director at Cromwell Polythene, said: “More and more companies are realising that there are many materials that can be successfully recycled, and the good news is that it's not only helping the environment, but there are also huge cost savings to be made.”
Planning bid for Tyneside biodiesel facility
Harrogate company Goes on Green has applied for planning permission for a £30 million facility to turn waste fats and oils into biodiesel.
The new plant is being proposed for a four-acre site at the Simon Storage terminal in North Shields, Tyne and Wear. GoG is being backed by Abu Dhabi-based energy investment firm Al Tayyar Energy, and if planning permission is granted, the new plant could be producing 30,000 tonnes of biodiesel within 12 months of commissioning, and 180,000 tonnes when it reaches full production within three years.
Dr Ing Giuseppe Simeone, chairman and co-founder of GoG said: “By selecting a novel means of processing a wide range of feed stocks of fats and oils, we are opening up a new platform to expand biodiesel production in the UK and ultimately internationally.”
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