News in Brief

Shanks posts steady start to 2013/14

In a statement published ahead of its annual general meeting on Thursday (July 25) the company said its cost savings programme is progressing on plan and the Board remained confident that the Group would deliver a trading result in line with its expectations for the year ended March 31 2014.

The Milton Keynes-based company cited falling volumes of waste and lower recyclate prices as reasons why it had performed below expectations during the 2012/13 period.

Peter Dilnot, Shanks Group chief executive, said: I am pleased to report that the Group has started the year steadily, with all our divisions in line with our expectations, despite market conditions in Solid Waste remaining challenging. We have continued to deliver on our cost reduction programme and to manage actively the Groups portfolio to focus on areas where we have strategic advantage.

We have also secured important long term funding through our recent highly successful retail bond offering. The Board remains confident that the Group will deliver a trading result in line with its expectations for the year ended March 31 2014.

150,000 fund available for Scottish reuse charities

Scottish resource sector body Zero Waste Scotland has unveiled a 150,000 grant fund to increase the reuse of furniture and other household goods among third sector organisations.

The fund, launched on Friday (July 26) is designed to support organisations achieving accreditation through Revolve, Scotlands national reuse quality standard. The Revolve mark is designed to make it easier for the public, businesses and the public sector to donate and reuse items.

Scotlands reuse sector currently diverts around 450,000 tonnes of unwanted materials from landfill each year, and is estimated to generate in excess of 20 million, whilst creating over 700 jobs.

Iain Gulland, director of Zero Waste Scotland, said: Reuse has enormous benefits to the environment, diverting valuable materials from landfill and giving them a longer life.

Im delighted to announce this further round of grant funding to third sector organisations, providing the opportunity for strengthening and adding real value to their operation.

Biffa EfW deal helps Jewsons target zero waste

Site waste from UK branches of builders merchant Jewsons will soon be turned into refuse derived fuel (RDF) by waste management Biffa, as part of a new deal between the two companies.

Biffa has been managing waste on behalf of Jewsons since 2006, but the switch to RDF has been made as Jewsons has followed a number of other firms in the retail sector in targeting zero waste to landfill, with a target date of 2014.

The waste management firm already recycles material such as wood, gypsum, paper and plastics on behalf of Jewsons. Energy produced under the deal will be used by Jewsons sister company Saint-Gobain Construction Products UK.

Biffa contracts manager Ian Berry, said: At Biffa we work closely with our clients to tailor-make solutions. Our aim is always to save our clients money through the intelligent management of resources. This renewable energy deal is one of a kind and is naturally the next step after maximising recycling across the Jewson network.”

Fine for Leeds-based WEEE recycler

The operator of an electrical recycling business has been fined 2,000 for failing to provide hazardous waste documentation to the Environment Agency.

Terry Soloman Dugbo, 42, of High Ash Avenue, Leeds, was found guilty at Leeds Magistrates Court on Wednesday (24 July) for an offence of failing to file his waste consignment returns.

The offence relates to activities at his business, the Leeds Reuse Centre at Stonepit Lane, Treefield Industrial Estate, Gelderd Road, where waste electrical equipment is stored and treated for repair and refurbishment.

The Environment Agency said that the business was recycling materials that required documentation to be filed quarterly, but none was received for the latter half of 2011. The Agency then served a notice on the defendant in 2012, requiring him to provide the missing returns, but none were provided.

In court, Mr Dugbo claimed that he had filed his returns in January 2012, and that he hadnt received the enforcement notice. However, the court found him guilty of the offence after a trial. As well as the fine, Dugbo was ordered to pay legal and investigation costs of 2,001.52 and a victim surcharge of 15.

FCC helps aerospace firm reach landfill milestone

Waste management firm FCC Environment has worked with Gardner Aerospace, one of the continents leading manufacturers of aerospace parts, to achieve zero waste to landfill at its Derby facility.

FCC collects waste directly from the site, which is then sent for recycling at its 3.2 million materials recycling facility (MRF) in Alfreton, to separate out recyclable materials, with non recyclable waste then sent for incineration at its EfW plant at Eastcroft in Nottingham.

Tony Barlow, logistics manager at Gardner Aerospace Derby ltd, said: We have been impressed with FCC Environments high levels of service which includes regular collections and responding quickly to demands for more bins. Since working with FCC Environment, the factory floor is much tidier and the light and manoeuvrable bins suit a manufacturing environment.

Richard Jeffrey, national sales manager at FCC Environment, added: We are keen to work with organisations of all sizes to promote waste as a resource and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill to save our customers money. FCC Environment offers a complete waste management service to business in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire following significant investment in modern technology to recycle as much as possible from the regions waste.