News in Brief

SEPA chief executive steps down

Professor Curran has been in post since January 2012 and has led some of the most transformational changes the environment watchdog has seen since it was established in 1996. Those changes are continuing, with the development of a new regulatory framework and new funding model and the implementation of new enforcement powers.

SEPA chairman, David Sigsworth, said: James has had a long and illustrious career in environmental protection in Scotland, and was part of the team which established SEPA in 1996. As chief executive he has led SEPA through the most transformative changes we have ever experienced and he leaves the organisation in excellent shape to complete those changes over the coming years and firmly establish SEPA as a world-leading environment protection agency.

Professor Curran said: I know it will be a real wrench to leave the Agency. I have immense respect for all that it does, and Ive spent nearly all of my professional life dedicated to its aims. But I feel its time to move on. At my age there are still so many exciting things Id like to try.

Professor Curran is not immediately moving to a new post, but is considering a range of options. SEPA is currently preparing to find a successor.

BMRA hails UKs ELV recycling achievement

The Government can learn valuable lessons from the ELV processing sector as it prepares to respond to the European Commissions waste targets review, according to Ian Hetherington, director general of the British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA).

Speaking following news that the UK car manufacturing and recycling industry has met the 85% target to reuse, recycle or recover end of life vehicles (ELV) in 2012 set by the EU (see letsrecycle.com story), Mr Hetherington said that this had been achieved without an expensive producer responsibility scheme.

He commented: The sector should be applauded as this has been accomplished without an overly complicated and expensive producer responsibility scheme or substantial support from producers. However, the industry is already focused on reaching the higher target of 95% from 1 January 2015 by the recovery of plastics and generation of energy from the unrecyclable residue.

The government can learn valuable lessons from the ELV processing sector as it prepares to respond to the European Commissions proposed changes to the Waste Framework Directive and its daughter directives. Most importantly, positive value should not be regulated out of any waste stream unnecessarily.

Mr Hetherington added that industry should be supported by consistent policies so that it could invest in its own infrastructure without requiring public guarantees or subsidies explaining that he supported landfill tax instead of landfill bans.

First paper cup recycling service launches in UK

The John Lewis Partnership has become the latest business to sign up to the UKs first paper cup recycling scheme.

Officially launched last week (August 1), the Simply Cups recycling scheme is intended to help recycle the 2.5 billion paper cups that are sent to landfill or incinerated each year in the UK.

Alongside John Lewis, other organisations signed up to the service also include catering and facilities management companies, BaxterStorey and ISS Facility Services, and cup manufacturers Huhtamaki and Solo Cup Europe, alongside prominent industry associations and environmental charities including WRAP, the Automated Vending Association and Keep Britain Tidy.

The founding members, it is anticipated, will employ the scheme to begin with at their main offices. For example, John Lewis Partnership will begin participating in the scheme at its company headquarters in Victoria as well as its Waitrose headquarters in Bracknell.

Simply Cups is a partnership formed between Closed Loop Environmental Solutions the Australian parent company of plastics recycler Closed Loop London- and Buckinghamshire-based waste management firm Simply Waste Solutions that will provide paper-cup manufacturers, organisations operating in the supply chain as well as beverage and hospitality outlets with a collection and recycling service. Simply Cups will operate initially within the M25 and Thames Valley area but hopes to extend its reach further in future.

Closed Loops Peter Goodwin urged all organisations involved in the drinks, catering and hospitality sectors to sign up to the scheme: At long last there is a robust scheme in place for companies, who recognise the commercial value of taking their corporate social and environmental responsibilities seriously, to address the increasingly difficult issue of cup recycling.