REPIC offers to buy WEEE recycling evidence
The organisation said today that if any councils were “unaligned” or found themselves “cast adrift” by their current producer compliance schemes – because of data problems reported last week (see letsrecycle.com story) – it would help them to recoup their reprocessing costs. The move comes two months after the company agreed to buy evidence from procuder compliance scheme Electrolink, because it did not have enough collection sites on its network to provide the recycling required to meet its members' obligations under the WEEE Regulations (see letsrecycle.com story).
Dr Phil Morton, REPIC chief executive and member of the WEEE advisory board, said: “At present, until the data is reassessed, no one is really certain what the situation is. However, as the largest producer compliance scheme by market share we can confidently make this offer to all local authorities to ensure they can recover the appropriate transport, treatment and recycling costs for WEEE for the first compliance period.”
Westminster recycles street waste
Street sweepers in Soho have started picking out materials for recycling in a bid to boost recycling rates in the area.
Westminster city council has introduced the scheme because 20,000 tonnes of waste is dropped in the area each year, which is not usually recycled. Now, initial results show that the sweepers are collecting more than 1.2 tonnes of material for recycling each week, which would otherwise be burned or ended up in landfill.
Westminster councillor Alan Bradley said: “This is just one of the initiatives introduced by the council to increase recycling rates in the City and help do our bit to help the environment and also ensure that Westminster is a clean place to live, work and visit. If successful we will look at expanding the scheme.”
Funding secured into composting research
The Cardiff School of Health Sciences at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, has already found that current controls at composting facilities are “very variable” and is to look at the impact maintenance, cleaning and operator work practises could have on employee exposure levels, and help establish practical guidance regarding maintenance, operation, and risk control.
The BOHS said: “It is hoped the research will raise awareness and change working practises within the composting industry and beyond, especially in relation to the impact that poor practises have on operator exposure in this working environment.”
Paragon launches label recycling service
Lincolnshire-based packaging manufacturer Paragon Print and Packaging has launched a scheme to recycle self adhesive label waste for any UK business.
At present, an estimated 50,000 tonnes of self adhesive label waste is sent to landfill each year in the UK and manufacturers using the labels are left with a siliconised carrier paper after each label application. Paragon has developed a dedicated facility based in Spalding, Lincolnshire, which it claims already recycles 60% of the group's waste from its eight manufacturing sites.
Dennis Patterson, Paragon's group operations director, said: “Our recycling initiative is an integral part of our responsible packaging strategy to reduce the environmental impact of packaging in the retail supply chain, We are committed to assisting the Waste and Resources Action Programme objectives for packaging in the retail industry.”
New starter at Severnside
Tony Beech is a former fibre purchaser for recycle carton board producing firm MayrMelnhoff. Reporting to sales and purchasing manager Colin Clarke, Tony will be responsible for managing and developing merchant suppliers for Severnside, following the acquisition of a new paper machine by the St Regis Paper mill in Kent.
Mr Beech said: “Severnside has some exciting plans to develop the company in the future. I am enjoying working with such a dynamic team to meet the challenges ahead and develop the business in the UK, at the same time gaining a further understanding of this continually growing industry.”
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