Compliance schemes join forces for batteries service
Budget Pack, which is one of eight applicants who are set to find out on September 30 if their application to run a battery compliance scheme has been successful (see letsrecycle.com story) , will now look to provide compliance services for the 20 members of B2B's WEEE scheme who are expected to be obligated under the EU Batteries Directive from January 1 2010 to fund the recycling, collection and treatment of waste portable batteries.
Steve Clark, managing director of Budget Pack, welcomed B2B Compliance's decision and said: “We're delighted to be aligned with B2B Compliance to meet the needs of their members in terms of portable battery obligations. We both have a similar focus in providing best value for members, as B2B Compliance has been doing for its members in the WEEE marketplace.”
Wiltshire waste plan identifies need for infrastructure
Wiltshire and Swindon councils need to deliver a range of additional waste treatment facilities to cater for a projected gap in available capacity in the region over the next 17 years, the councils' joint core waste strategy has revealed.
Published last Friday (21 August), the strategy outlines the current arrangements for managing waste by Wiltshire county council and Swindon borough council and also identifies shortfalls in treatment, recycling and landfill capacities that the local authorities are liable to face in the future. Under the waste core strategy, the two council partnership claims it will need to develop three household recycling centres, a materials recycling facility and a composting facility, as well as treatment facilities capable of handling 54,000 tonnes of municipal waste arising each year.
The plan, which covers the period 2006-2026, was developed as a set of preferred options three years ago and was formerly adopted by the partnership following an independent scrutiny study of its proposed long-term waste core and mineral core strategies.
Sapphire earns management system awards
The firm – which is the waste processing and resource recovery subsidiary of construction giant Lafarge Cement – achieved certification for ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 14001 for environmental compliance and OHSAS 18001 for health and safety. The certifications were awarded following independent reviews from BSI, the National Standards Body of the UK, and were Sapphire's first independent audits as a stand-alone business. The certificates were handed to members of the Sapphire team by BSI representative Colin Rushmere at a ceremony held to mark the occasion at Lafarge Cement's head office in Solihull.
Andy Jones, compliance coordinator for Sapphire, said: “Previously we would have come under the umbrella of our parent company when looking to achieve such standards, but as our profile grows in the waste processing and resource recovery sector we felt it was important for our customers to see that we had independent certification.”
Rent-to-own firm nears recycling target
National weekly-payment appliance specialist BrightHouse has announced that it is halfway towards saving over 2,400 trees this year after five months of a paper recycling programme.
The BrightHouse recycling depot at the firms national distribution centre in Manchester has pledged to cut waste going to landfill by 80% by the end of 2009/10 and claims that by shredding paperwork the company now recycles approximately 120 additional tonnes of paper each year. BrightHouse has also appointed mascot George the Bear as its ‘green ambassador' to help further its cause.
Kieran O'Callaghan, head of logistics at BrightHouse, said: “With over 50 tonnes of paper recycled since we started our green campaign in March, we should have recycled over 100 tonnes of paper by the end of the year. This figure works out at the equivalents of about 2,400 trees saved. With all of our stores, and central distribution centres becoming more involved, this figure is just set to go on rising.”
Deputy chair appointed to EA Board
Secretary of State for the environment, food and rural affairs Hilary Benn has appointed Andrew Brown as deputy chair of the Environment Agency Board – which oversees the EA's operations.
Mr Brown, who has been a member of the EA Board since 2006, replaces Ted Cantle who retired from the Board at the end of 2008. Mr Brown was previously the chief executive of English Nature and of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. The appointment is for one year with a salary of £20,691 pro rata based on five days per month. In addition there is responsibility allowance of £4,137 per annum.
The appointment was made by the Secretary of State on recommendation from the chairman of the Environment Agency, Lord Chris Smith, in consultation with sponsoring minister Jim Fitzpatrick and in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments' Code of Practice.
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