Plastic bag numbers on the rise in England
The number of plastic bags taken from supermarkets has increased for the fifth year running, according to figures published on Friday (July 24).
British shoppers took 8.5 billion single-use carrier bags from major supermarkets in 2014 – up two hundred million from 2013.
From 5 October 2015, large shops in England will have to charge five pence for all single use plastic carrier bags they provide. The charge is hoped to reduce bag usage by as much as 80% in the big supermarkets. Small retailers don’t have to charge but can do so on a voluntary basis.
Commenting on the latest figures, Defra resource minister Rory Stewart said: “The latest figures on plastic bag usage come ahead of the introduction of the 5p charge for single-use plastic carrier bags, which comes into effect in England in October following the success of similar schemes in Scotland and Wales. In Wales the charge led to a 79% decrease in plastic bags taken in the first three years and in Scotland the number of ‘bags for life’ used quadrupled last year.”
He added: “Countries with the 5p charge have seen a dramatic fall in the number of plastic bags taken from supermarkets and we can expect a significant reduction in England, possibly by as much as 80% in supermarkets and 50% on the high street.”
Cromwell bags Enfield contract
Cromwell Polythene has been awarded a contract to supply Enfield council with up to four million waste and recycling sacks.
Tendered through the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO) framework, the two-year contract, with an option to extend for a further two-years, is for the supply of grey sacks for domestic refuse and blue recycling sacks.
The sacks, which are used by households who do not fit the criteria for a wheeled bin, have been manufactured to Enfield’s specific requirements.
In addition to matching the exact colours the council has used in the past so as to avoid any potential confusion among residents, Cromwell had to supply an opaque grey refuse sack to help preserve householder confidentiality, while the blue recycling sacks are transparent enough to allow collectors to verify the contents.
Enfield residents commingle paper and board, glass bottles and jars, food and drink cans, plastic bottles and packaging, drink cartons and empty aerosols – all sorted at the Biffa’s materials recycling facility (MRF) in Edmonton, north London.
Tyre recycler awarded first PAS 107 QP certificate
Tyre recycling company Conica Ltd has been awarded the first ever certificate for complying with the requirements of the PAS 107 Quality Protocol.
The Quality Protocol option (QP) accompanies the existing Publically Available Specification (PAS) 107:12 covering the manufacture and storage of size-reduced tyre-derived materials. The QP identifies the point at which tyre waste, having been fully recovered, may be regarded as a non-waste product without the need for waste-management controls.
In December 2014 the Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) added the Quality Protocol option to PAS 107 to support sustainable tyre recycling. After passing the audit and inspection process, Conica Let was awarded its certificate during the TRA’s Recycling Day conference in June.
Mike Wilson, president of the Tyre Recovery Association – the body that worked alongside the Environment Agency when updating the PAS standard – and Gary Nelson, director of Abricon Ltd – who also developed the QP and carried out the inspection of Conica – presented the certificate to John Bramwell, Conica’s operations director.
“This compliance certificate has a great many benefits for its recipients,” said Peter Taylor, TRA secretary general. “It helps clear the way for responsible recyclers to store and distribute their treated tyre-derived materials without the difficulties of compliance to waste regulations.”
WRL Glass Media enters new export markets
WRL Glass Media Ltd has entered new export markets after it secured agreements to supply its recycled glass products into Australia and Estonia.
Exports at the firm, which is part of Ward Recycling, now accounts for more than 30% of business with demand coming from countries including Spain, Greece, France, Iceland and Cyrpus.
WRL Glass Media products will be used in Estonia for building restoration, while in Australia its refined process glass is being used as a filtration media for swimming pools.
To meet the increase in demand, the firm has extended its glass clean-up operation by an additional 5,000 square feet at a cost of £450,000. It is set to open in spring 2016.
Gareth Godwin, manager at WRL Glass Media, said: “The addition of international sales markets strengthens our business and further reinforces the efficacy of our glass media as it is increasingly attracting interest from countries around the world where customers see the environmental and cost benefits of our products.”
Bournemouth in Yotta Mayrise digital drive
Bournemouth council has moved its Mayrise Waste and Highways software online with a view to boosting operational efficiency of its recycling services.
The software has been moved to a ‘hosted solution’ under a review of existing IT infrastructure and working practices, which also includes introducing mobile working and integrating its front and back office systems.
Bournemouth uses the Yotta Mayrise software to support delivery of its domestic and commercial waste services. The move online allows the council access to the latest software updates.
Jane A’Court, business development and accounts manager at Bournemouth borough council, said: “In addition, the hosted software will also be able to integrate with our CRM function, giving residents 24/7 access to information and the ability to report issues and log requests.”
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