News in Brief

Work on a community composting trial began last month at a civic amenity site in Crieff, Perthshire.

The project is the latest part of the 1.5 million Integrated Composting Programme (ICP) launched last year and funded by SITA Environmental Trust through the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme (see letsrecycle.com story).
https://www.letsrecycle.com/materials/composting/news.jsp?story=2423

Crieff's 15-month community composting trial aims to engage the community in green waste and test the suitability of in-vessel composting equipment.

The project is being delivered by Perth and Kinross council and will use a Sirrocco containerised composting machine which can process 10-20 tonnes of green waste in a two-week cycle.

Councillor Michael Barnacle, convenor of the environment committee, said: “I'm pleased to note that site preparations for this pilot in-vessel community composting scheme at Crieff are progressing well and we're looking forward to a successful collaboration with the surrounding communities and our funding partners SITA Environmental Trust.”

Residents of Harborough, Leicestershire, have a four-container waste system as of this week.

Harborough council has distributed black wheeled bins for residual waste, which will be collected on alternate weeks to the existing green wheeled bins. The latter will now be devoted to compost and grey cardboard.

Weekly collections will remain for recyclable materials, which are divided between two boxes, blue for paper and green for glass and cans.

The new system will be operated by contractor Onyx Environmental Group, which bought five new vehicles for the service backed by a 1.15m grant from Defra's waste minimisation and recycling fund. Onyx has also taken on 14 additional staff for the contract.

Audit Commission figures for last year showed that Harborough recycled 7.7% of its waste but composted none.

Council leader Robin Totten said: “I am encouraged that Harborough district is taking on board the challenges of the new recycling scheme and I hope that everyone will help to make Harborough a cleaner, greener district.”

Dundee council has included a Sulo Iceberg recycling system as part of a regeneration project in the city.

The hydraulic system uses ordinary 1,100 litres wheeled bins, which can be raised from their underground pit on an electro hydraulic life for emptying by the council's comb-life refuse vehicles.

It has been installed in a re-landscaped car park as part of the redevelopment of the Stobswell area.

There are seven units to take glass, aluminium, paper and textiles. Only a wedge-shaped received unit is visible at ground level.