News in Brief

Community waste projects get share of 70,000 fund

The projects aim to encourage reuse and recycling. They range from changing the perception of recycling through the help of community champions, to reducing food waste, bike reuse and a paint reuse.

Councillor Neil Swannick, chair of the GMWDA, said: This is the third year of the community waste fund and there is an interesting and diverse range of projects starting up. Through Involving and supporting communities to increase local recycling and reduce waste will help achieve the aim of zero waste to landfill.

Charity diverts one million items from landfill

The British Heart Foundations furniture and electrical stores have prevented more than one million unwanted items from being sent to landfill over the last 12 months.

BHFs 160 stores nationwide have helped to reuse, resell and recycle 26,000 tonnes of furniture and electrical items including 61,000 sofas, 100,000 televisions and 55,000 beds and mattresses. BHF said it employs a number of techniques to divert material from landfill which includes working with WEEE recyclers to repair broken electricals as well as working with furniture retailers, local authorities and universities.

Mike Taylor, BHF retail director, said: It is estimated that the UK throws away over one million tonnes of household items into landfill every year. We want to encourage people to think more carefully about what they do with their unwanted furniture and electrical items by donating to us. Not only do we offer a free collection service to make recycling as easy as possible but all the money raised helps us continue the fight against heart disease.

Recycling Lives moves scrap metal operations

Lancashire-based recycling firm Recycling Lives has expanded its scrap metal yard following the award of several new contracts.

Known as a social business, the commercial arm of Recycling Lives supports its social welfare charity which helps vulnerable people to work their way back to independent living.

The organisations main scrap metal yard at Prestons Red Scar Industrial Estate has been moved to the nearby revamped Recycling Lives Recycling Park. Some metal was already processed on this site and the firm said it made sense to move the whole department to this location. Recycling Lives other commercial operations joining the metal department at the park include: a car depollution bay; a car stripping bay; and a tyre bay.

Chief executive of Recycling Lives, Steve Jackson OBE, commented on the move: The processing of commercial waste is a massive growth area within the UK and its such an exciting time to be part of the latest developments in these new plants. Introducing advanced automated sorting systems for this complex material stream delivers clear commercial, legislative and environmental benefits and these new contracts demonstrate that UK recycling companies are recognising this.

Lowmac opens Scottish RDF plant

Ayrshire-based Lowmac Alloys has opened a refuse derived fuel (RDF) processing facility at Shewalton Irvine in Scotland.

The facility will mechanically process household and commercial and industrial waste using screens, shredders and separators to recover recyclable materials and to produce a combustible product which can then be used as a feedstock for energy-from-waste incinerators, pyrolysis and gasification plants. Lowmac Alloys has agreed a 12,500 tonne per annum deal to produce the RDF at its Scottish plant. It has also taken delivery of five new purpose built MAN vehicles.

Kenny Smith, managing director of Lowmac Alloys, said: The recent investment in new equipment and improvement of our Irvine facility through the introduction of new offices and infrastructure coupled with our company ethos in reduction to Landfill allowed us to identify and action a long term feasible RDF route. The introduction of 5 x New MAN Vehicles through MAN Bellshill also further cements our commitment to reduce our environmental impact.

Britains households stash 17 part used paint cans

The Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association is urging the public to take their paint cans for recycling after research found that Britains households are hoarding 17 part used paint cans each on average.

According to the MPMAs research, half of these are estimated to be made of metal equating to 39,500 tonnes of material which could be recycled. However, it said many householders dont know how to recycle the paint left in them.

The Association said there are a number of ways these can be recycled and urges householders to take action. Leftover paint can be dealt with in a number of ways including being donated to local repaint schemes or soaked in absorbent material and then disposed of.

Nick Mullen, MPMAs chief executive said: So why not take stock of your own paint can hoard, add them to your recycling centre trip, and free up some overlooked storage space?.