News In Brief

Exeter trade waste trials to go permanent

The success of a six-month trial trade waste recycling scheme in Exeter has led to moves to make the initiative permanent, as well as expanding the size of its operations.

Since its introduction in October 2007, Exeter City Council claims that the scheme has collected roughly six tonnes of paper and cardboard for recycling every week, with the participation of 541 businesses.

With the city council's scrutiny community committee now being asked to make the scheme permanent, as well as introducing an additional collection lorry and staff, Councillor Connel Boyle, lead councillor for environment and leisure, said: “We always knew there was a demand for the service but we didn't expect such a positive uptake as this.”

£700,000 revamp for Bradford HWRC

A household waste recycling centre in Bradford is set to be expanded and fitted with improved facilities as part of the local council's aim to promote recycling in the district.

Provided it receives final financial approval, Bradford Council plans to spend £700,000 to upgrade the Hill End Lane site, in the Queensbury area of the city, following similar redevelopments at Ilkley's Golden Butts centre last year.

Councillor Anne Hawkesworth, the council's executive member for the environment, said: “Improvements to other sites have shown big increases in recycling and diverting waste away from landfill. We have found that residents respond well to modern facilities and recycle more of their waste and hopefully that will also happen in Queensbury.”

Conveyor belt firm introduces closed loop

Conveyor belt manufacturer Habasit Rossi has introduced a closed loop recycling initiative, with the aim of recycling 50 tonnes of paper and cardboard in 2008.

The Knaresborough-based company sells waste from its workplace and customers to packaging firm Sonoco, who in turn sells the converted material to Stell's Tubes, with Habasit Rossi then purchasing the cores produced for use in their manufacturing and fabrication processes.

Habasit's purchasing manager, Chana Bespalyi, said: “This has been a very positive move for the company and fulfils the requirement for ever-increasing corporate social responsibility, environmental awareness and waste reduction.”

Leeds waste firm hit by £46,000 fines

A Leeds waste firm and one of its directors have been fined a total of £46,000 for offences relating to breaches of their waste management licence.

Whitehall Transfer Station Ltd was fined £40,000, as well as being ordered to pay full costs of over £3,800, while the company's director Anthony McHugh was fined £6,000, with the breaches relating a number of issues including their unauthorised acceptance of hazardous waste and storing waste on unsealed ground.

Louise Gorman, of the Environment Agency, said: “The company ignored several warnings and failed to invest in their business to prevent these breaches. The Environment Agency will not hesitate to prosecute those breaching their waste management licence, when appropriate.”

Bracknell set for state-of-the-art recycling centre

Construction is to start next month on the second recycling facility under WRG's £600 million contract with the Central Berkshire Waste Partnership.

Engineering firm Earth Tech and construction firm Clugston are start developing a transfer station, materials recycling facility and improved recycling centre in Longshot, Bracknell. This follows the opening of WRG's first recycling centre for Berkshire in January (see letsrecycle.com story).

John Queening, general manager of Earth Tech's environmental business unit, said: “This is an example of a new generation of environmentally friendly waste facilities in the UK. With sustainable waste management high on the public agenda, dozens of other local authorities are set to follow suit as they strive to meet new targets to reduce landfill and increase recycling and composting.”