Pupils plan to build permaculture garden
Students at Legh Vale Primary school in Haydock are looking to transform their garden with reused car tyres, carpet and composted kitchen waste.
The idea comes after the pupils received their second green flag award for their sustainable school garden.
Pupils, who have won £4,400 from Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority and Veolia’s Community Fund for their latest project, will transform the space re-using tyres for planters and banks, carpets for weed barriers and canteen waste as compost.
The school plans to use the permaculture garden for a series of teacher training sessions led by sustainable construction specialists, Ecolibrium, and other events encouraging local families to recycle and reuse more of their own household waste.
Legh Vale Primary head teacher, Andy Howard, said: “We’ve had a sustainable garden since 2012 but wanted to take things further to really encourage recycling and reuse of waste. The idea is to use it to promote simple and innovative ideas to a wider local audience so they can find new ways to reduce waste and have fun doing it.”
Graham Morgan, Merseyside recycling and waste authority chairperson councillor, said: “The project has real potential to help the whole community change the way they treat household waste and so has an invaluable role to play in reducing Merseyside’s reliance on landfill.”
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Call to local businesses to reduce food waste
As part of the European Waste Reduction Week. Waste management company, RiverRidge Recycling, is calling on businesses across Northern Ireland to reduce waste and recycle.
The company, along with efficiency experts WRAP and the European Commission, are backing the initiative, which will run from 22 to 29 November 2015.
As of 1 April 2016, legislation dictates that businesses producing more than 50kg of food waste per week will be required to manage this waste stream separate to their general waste volumes.
Due to this, Gavin McDonagh, business development manager, RiverRidge Recycling, advises that businesses take action now.
“The European Waste Reduction Week is an opportunity for businesses to take stock and look at their waste and ascertain can they be doing more to reduce their waste. It’s vital for each and every organisation to understand their waste and how they can reduce it and if possible, drive towards to zero waste policy,” he added.
Businesses have already started adapting their waste management processes, including Paul Connan’s franchise of McDonald’s outlets in Northern Ireland, which have been separating food waste for disposal since April 2014.
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UKCM launches ‘Beef Up Your Bins’ campaign
Repair and refurbishment company, UK Container Maintenance (UKCM) has launched its ‘Beef Up Your Bins’ campaign to highlight the importance of strengthening containers to the waste industry.
The campaign has been devised to ensure that containers with incentive wear and tear are treated accordingly, in a bid to save the sector thousands of pounds.
UKCM’s technical team will identify problem areas that need extra reinforcement such as front panels, rear wheels and castor brackets.
Emma Elston, co-founder of UKCM, commented: “By fitting reinforcing plates to the castor bracket areas and bash plates to the corner of the panels, it will help avoid the corner floor areas buckling and prevent structural damage thus allowing containers to be manoeuvred more easily. It also means that containers last longer and will save local authorities and waste companies thousands of pounds each year.”
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Sheerness Recycling adopts Brigade radar system
Waste collection company, Sheerness Recycling, has fitted a Brigade radar obstacle detection system to provide drivers with clear warnings of obstructions in the way of mobile plant.
Sheerness Recycling operates two landfill and five recycling sites, where machinery including grab, rigid and articulated vehicles and loading shovels are continuously in operation.
To ensure safe operation, Sheerness Recycling has fitted its equipment with the Brigade BackSense radar system. Its calibrated sensors can detect stationary and moving objects, providing in-cab visual and audible warnings.
Simon Carter, Sheerness Recycling’s general manager, said: “There is a two to three metre blind spot around the machines due to the height of the vehicle and the fact that the driver is stationed in a central location. Large vehicles can often be spotted but the smaller vehicles and pedestrians are difficult to see and can sometimes creep up behind you.
“It gives me extra confidence knowing that the radar system is there and that it will alert me if there is an obstacle within a couple of meters of the vehicle.”
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