Covanta Europe rebrands as ‘Encyclis’
Energy from waste specialist Covanta Europe has changed its name to Encyclis.
The move follows the split from the from US-headquartered Covanta Corporation in July 2022.
Encyclis has in its portfolio the operational Rookery South plant near Bedford. This year, the Newhurst plant in Leicestershire is due to come online with Protos, Chester following.
Two further facilities are currently under construction in Merseyside and Scotland
Encyclis will continue to be led by CEO Owen Michaelson, who joined the company in January 2021.
He said: “I’m immensely proud to be announcing the launch of Encyclis , building on the expertise the company has developed over many years with the successful delivery of some of the UK & Ireland’s most advanced energy-from-waste facilities.
“But our focus now is firmly on the future. We’ll be bringing more facilities on stream, using the latest technologies, AI and the best people to maximise our efficiency and optimise the provision of energy and other resources.”
Currys highlights recycling milestone
Electronics retailer Currys has said it has collected almost 750,000 tonnes of unwanted tech since 2011, recycling over 15 million individual tech products in the process.
Data published by the company this week also showed that in the last year, Currys collected almost 60,000 tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
The retailer said that key to these figures is the brand’s ‘Cash for Trash’ initiative which guarantees customers at least £5 store credit when they drop-off any unwanted tech.
Chris Brown, senior sustainability operations manager at Currys, commented: “We are seeing great results from both our recycling and trade-in initiatives, with customers bringing in their unwanted tech in great numbers. Whether it a be a high-value item, such as a mobile phone or tablet, or unwanted ‘tech tat’, recycling or trading-in tech with Currys is a convenient, financially incentivised way for the public to cut down on their e-waste.
“That said, despite great progress, the e-waste problem isn’t going to go away overnight. Which is why we’re bringing back our popular Cash for Trash initiative and calling on Brits to step up their tech recycling efforts in 2023, for the benefit of planet and pockets alike.”
Canterbury and Kent Police launch waste crackdown
Canterbury city council and Kent Police ran an operation earlier this month to “crack down” on unlicensed waste carriers, resulting in two fines being issued to traders.
The operation took place at a number of locations in the district as part of a regular programme of work to tackle the issues of illegal waste transfer and dumping.
During the operation, a number of traders were stopped while conducting their business, resulting in a £600 fixed penalty notice to a trader carrying scrap metal without a transfer note.
A further five vehicles were stopped where scrap and licensing offences were identified. These drivers are required to produce the relevant documents to the council or they may face being issued a Fixed Penalty Notice or prosecution.
Canterbury city council’s cabinet member for enforcement, Cllr Ashley Clark said: “Our green and pleasant land is blighted by the consequences of waste that is not collected and disposed of in accordance with our licensing system.
“Those who breach the rules can be assured that we and the police will be vigilant in our role to ensure things are done properly. When things go wrong we all end up paying to put things right. Rogues must not profit from breaking the rules.”
Scotland urges businesses to cut disposables
The Scottish Government has called on hospitality businesses to cut disposables after a pilot project led to a “huge fall”.
Zero Waste Scotland’s ‘Ditching Disposables’ initiative, which launched in 2021, saw a number of methods aimed at reducing the use of disposables trialled across multiple businesses.
After a 12-month period the pilot identified six steps businesses can take to slash single-use waste. These include switching sauce sachets for refillable bottles; charging for single-use cups and offering a reusable alternative; and making straws available on request only.
Over the course of 2021, Civerinos and The Cake and Candy Tearoom cut sauce sachet use by 99%, while ShrimpWreck and Malvarosa reduced napkin use by 64%.
A Zero Waste Scotland spokesperson said: “The Ditching Disposables scheme has been a huge success, proving that with a few simple changes, hospitality businesses can have a dramatic effect on reducing their single-use waste.”
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