WRAP to investigate construction waste framework
The proposed framework, which follows on from WRAP's commitment to halving the amount of waste the construction sector sends to landfill by 2012 (see letsrecycle.com story), would provide companies and waste managers with clear and accessible information on waste processing and recovery routes. And, the consultation, which is set to run until March 6 2009, aims to help provide specific material management advice, the locations of waste management facilities, contract details and guidance on the most effective way to reduce and reuse waste from construction projects.
Mike Falconer Hall, material recycling programme manager at WRAP, said: “In order to assess whether this tool would be useful and how it could best meet the needs of the construction industry, we first need to understand how companies and businesses view the resources and communications networks that are already available. We know we can help support both sectors in their drive to improve resource efficiency and reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill.”
Straight looks to support home composting
After WRAP said it would instead focus on improving its guidance to councils, Straight has claimed that it can step into the gap left by the move, by offering the home delivery programme which the initial WRAP campaign was modelled on, as well as running one-day sale events and partnerships with garden centres.
Jonathan Straight, chief executive of Straight, said: “We are ready to work with any council requiring the continuation of their programme. Our pricing offers an improvement on WRAP's 2009 rates and our service levels are the same or better.”
Westminster advertises £518m collection deal
Westminster city council is seeking tenders for a £518 million contract to manage waste and recycling collections in the borough.
The four-year deal is being advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union and covers the collection of waste from households, schools, charities and businesses and the provision of street cleansing services, among a range of other services. Westminster has said that, as part of the contract, it has a “strategic depot” in the south of the authority available for any potential contractor and hopes to develop another in the north, although it says it cannot guarantee that such a site would be provided.
The council said that it expects at least three companies to bid for the contract – which has the option to be extended by a further seven years – ahead of the deadline of March 23 2009.
Cosmetic firm Lush signs biomass agreement
Poole-based Lush, which already supplies 40 tonnes of waste wood pallets a year to Eco's Parley site, has now signed a deal to receive up to 50 tonnes of wood fuel each year to power a biomass boiler at it's main manufacturing plant on the Nuffield Industrial Estate in Poole. The fuel is expected to provide approximately 160kW of heat and 6,000 litres of hot water daily.
Ruth Andrade, environment officer at Lush, said: “This is good news for us and good news for the planet. We are using a renewable and sustainable source of fuel which fits perfectly with our company policy of being as environmentally friendly as possible.”
Celebrities donate items to Big Womble event
Items owned by celebrities such as Debbie Harry, Alastair McGowan and Joanna Lumley are set to be raffled at the Furniture Reuse Network's (FRN) 'Big Womble' event.
Taking place in Wimbledon today (February 20), the event – which is being run by the voluntary sector organisation and coordinated by the London Community Recycling Network – is aiming to encourage London residents to bring old and discarded furniture and household items to Wimbledon College for them to be refurbished and reused, with items collected throughout the day set to be donated to furniture reuse charities in the city. Organisations across the country will be running local events to highlight the value of donating furniture and other household items as a way of alleviating material poverty.
Paul Smith, chief executive of the FRN said: “We are excited that celebrities have seen the value of what we do and are supporting the re-use sector with donations of prizes. Money raised will go to supporting the work the FRN and its members do to reduce poverty in Britain”.
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