Recycling Lives completes MWR acquisition
Preston-based Recycling Lives has completed its acquisition of Metal & Waste Recycling Ltd (MWR) this week.
The acquisition follows a process by the Competition & Markets Authority (CMA), which had stepped in following the purchase of MWR by European Metal Recycling Ltd (EMR) in 2017. CMA ruled that EMR must sell parts of the MWR business.
Recycling Lives now owns MWR’s Hitchin fragmentiser site and seven other facilities across the South East, North East, Midlands and South Wales. This takes the total number of sites owned by the company to 19.
William Fletcher, chief executive of Recycling Lives, said: “We’re excited to have completed this acquisition as part of our ongoing growth strategy.
“MWR has a long and successful history which will provide a solid foundation for our future together. We’re looking forward to working with its team and finding ways to improve one another’s businesses.”
Recycling Lives processes and recycles scrap metal, scrap cars, waste and waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), using its income to support a social enterprise offering work and training to offenders and other vulnerable individuals. In January, Recycling Lives reported a 61% rise in its year-on-year sales for 2017/18 to £75 million.
Casepak begins Aylesbury sorting contract
Casepak has been awarded a contract by Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC) to process commingled recyclables collected from households across the region.
The contract, which was awarded in September 2018, will see Casepak process up to 18,000 tonnes of dry, mixed recyclables collected from 78,000 households across the Aylesbury Vale.
The material from kerbside collections, which includes paper, card, glass and plastic, will be sent to Casepak’s materials recycling facility (MRF) in Leicester.
Councillor Sir Beville Stanier, AVDC Cabinet Member for Waste and Licensing, said: “Casepak has made a positive first impression on AVDC in these early stages of our new contract. We hope that we can continue to build a great relationship going forward.”
Georgina Cullen, Casepak’s Business Development Director, said: “We are delighted to be working with Aylesbury Vale District Council. At present, the council’s recycling rate stands at 57%, and we are going to work with them very closely to boost this figure.
“We look forward to working with them to help educate residents about recycling best practice.”
Acumen marks 25 years in business
Leeds-based waste management business Acumen has marked its 25-year anniversary.
The company, which was established in 1994, currently employs 90 people, running a fleet of 30 vehicles across seven sites in Knottingley, Wolverhampton, Keighley, Escrick, Rufforth, Immingham and Middlesbrough.
Acumen offers services including industrial site services, asbestos disposal, soil remediation, waste oil collection and other waste management services.
In 2017 the company acquired Highspeed Group Ltd, and has since outlined plans to double turnover by the end of 2021. Plans include development of an app-based ordering and reporting system and expanding its existing waste facilities.
Andy Crossley, managing director of waste management at Acumen, said: “In celebrating our 25th year of business, we are proud to say that we are in the strongest position that we have ever been.
“We have an incredible team driving the business forward and we’re well placed for further success. We have demonstrated sustained growth over a number of years and have a clear strategy to double our turnover and margin by the end 2021. We feel that is achievable with our developed plans and the strong team we have in place.”
Pembrokeshire to take PTT plastic at HWRCs
Pembrokeshire council has announced that it will be accepting plastic pots, tubs and trays at its six Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) from next week.
Items need to be sorted and rinsed before being brought to the waste and recycling centres to avoid them being rejected by the recycling processing companies, the council says.
Black or brown containers, film plastics and polystyrene and hard plastics will not be accepted at the sites. At present, the council only collects bottle plastic at the kerbside.
Cllr Cris Tomos, the council’s cabinet member for the environment, said: “The good news is that from the autumn residents can recycle a wider range of plastic from home as well, through the new kerbside service,”
“New recycling containers will be distributed to all households this autumn allowing us all to put out much more plastic for collection every week, as well as cans, tins, glass, cardboard, and paper.
“The provision of the new recycling containers will coincide with the move to three-weekly black bag collections.”
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