Fly-tipping report shows 7.5% decline in incidents on last year
Flycapture – the national database of fly-tipping incidents – saw 97% of local authorIities present monthly reports of the fly-tipping numbers between April 2007 and March 2008, with 99% of councils submitting at least 10 months' worth of records. In addition to increased enforcement and prosecution, the report also stated that the cost of clearing away fly-tipping incidents dropped to £62 million, compared to £76 million for 2006/2007 (see letsrecycle.com story), meaning that councils paid on average £14,680 per month each for illegal dumped waste to be clear away.
Jane Kennedy, waste and recycling minister, said: “Local authorities are doing well in the fight against flytipping, and the increased number of successful prosecutions is encouraging. No one should have to accept fly tipping in their area and I am determined to make flytipping a thing of the past.”
Environment Agency to get ‘green' HQ in Bristol
Following Government approval and exchange of contracts, Westmark's Cabot House in central Bristol will be the new national headquarters for the Environment Agency from late 2010, in a move which is intended to save the Agency an estimated £180,000 per year by relocating to a smaller, more efficient building. Through a range of sustainable design elements, such as a green management plan to minimise the use of energy, water and reduce the amount of waste going off site, the Environment Agency is aiming for the building to be carbon neutral by 2012. In addition, more than 85% of the old demolished building is being recycled on site.
Graham Ledward, director of resources at the Environment Agency, said: “It is encouraging to see that sustainable buildings are becoming a stronger feature in the market and we hope that Westmark's building will set an example for future commercial developments to follow.”
Highlands tenders contracts to improve transfer network
The Highland council has launched four tenders covering the maintenance of its waste transfer infrastructure ahead of producing a longer term plan.
The Scottish council has advertised the tenders in the Official Journal of the European Union, with the aim of maintaining the transfer network for residual municipal waste once the existing contracts come to an end in March 2009. The tendering of the service contracts, which offer awards running from April 2009 to March 2013, is intended to improve the council's provision of waste transfer facilities and allow refuse vehicles to stop more often to empty their loads.
Disposal of waste in the largely rural council has been an issue, with the council currently operating just two disposal sites – one at Caithness in the far north and the other at Aviemore in the south of the authority's area – which lie 190 miles apart.
WREN launches £10m biodiversity fund
WREN distributes money paid in landfill tax to waste management firm Waste Recycling Group under the Landfill Communities Fund. The Biodiversity Action Fund (BAF) is aimed at helping to protect biodiversity over the next five years, and comes just as the Landfill Communities Fund celebrates five years of supporting UK biodiversity. WREN will be issuing grants between £75,000 and £250,000 for projects proposed by voluntary groups, charities, not-for-profit organisations, local authorities and environmental organisations and, in some cases, WREN will fund 100% of the eligible costs.
Peter Cox, managing director of WREN, commented: “We are extremely excited to be launching WREN's first biodiversity fund. With £10 million being donated through grants all over the country we know that BAF will make a serious contribution towards the UK Biodiversity Plan targets.”
Northern Ireland launches financial provision consultation
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency has launched a consultation on its plans to ensure waste management companies in the country have sufficient resources available to assess the impact that their activities could have on both human health and the environment.
The proposals will affect over 330 sites which are either subject to a waste management licence or a pollution prevention and control (PPC) permit, and include the financial provision for non-landfill operations being calculated using a simple formula based on waste tonnages. However, landfill financial provision would include a detailed cost analysis, taking into account the closure and aftercare of a site.
All new applications for either a waste management licence or a PPC permit would also have to pass the financial provision test. Responses to the consultation, which can be found on the NIEA website (http://www.ni-environment.gov.uk/), must be submitted by December 23 2008.
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