New Earth receives £5m investment to help grow business
The funding from clean-technology investment firm Ludgate Environmental Fund Limited comes as part of wider plans to raise £15 million equity funding, announced in August this year. Ludgate said it was attracted to New Earth due to its potential to become a leading player in the development of new waste treatment technologies and that it was looking forward to working with London-based Impax Asset Management as a substantial co-investor and New Earth's management team to encourage further growth.
Bill Riddle, chairman of New Earth, said: “I'm delighted to announce the first closing of our current fundraising and to have Ludgate Environmental Fund on board as an investor. The Ludgate investment team is highly respected in the cleantech sector and will add significant value as we rapidly expand our waste treatment and energy from waste facilities throughout the UK.”
Advantage West Midlands publishes landfill diversion strategy
The strategy published earlier this month (October 5) was developed with help from AWM's Waste Infrastructure Advisory Group and is intended to help the development of treatment capacity in the region to cater for a predicted 3.7 million tonnes shortfall in waste capacity by 2021. The strategy draws on research carried out at the end of August, which assessed 34 locations across the West Midlands with regards to their suitability for developing specific types of waste management (see letsrecycle.com story).
Mark Pearce, AWM's corporate director for economic regeneration, said: “This is a real step forward for the region and a first for the UK. We anticipate it will stimulate discussions to accelerate the process to create new waste facilities as an alternative to landfill. The West Midlands now has a clear strategy ensuring it is a leader in waste industries.”
ACE UK criticises focus of packaging strategy
Members of the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (ACE) UK have claimed that the government's packaging strategy fails to acknowledge the need to use renewable materials for packaging and the role they will play in a future low carbon economy.
The umbrella group representing beverage carton manufacturers claims that the strategy, which was published in June this year (see letsrecycle.com story), focuses on post-use measures to recycle high carbon impact materials rather than taking a “more holistic, whole life-cycle perspective” – starting with the resources used to construct the packaging in the first place. ACE UK said it would continue to look to engage with Defra to ensure its message on the importance of renewable materials, and their place in the future of UK packaging, was properly understood.
Commenting on the strategy, Mark Eaves of ACE UK said: “Increasing the share of renewable content in packaging can lower its carbon footprint. So, while we welcome any move towards carbon-based measurement, which could have significant benefits both for the environment and in helping the Government achieve its stringent carbon reduction targets, omitting renewability from the strategy is extremely worrying and raises a question over its longevity and sustainability.”
EA approves Climafuel burning at Cemex works
The Mexican-owned company uses Climafuel as a substitute for conventional fuels, which it produces itself from household waste after removing recyclable materials. Cemex had to carry out extensive trials to show whether it could safely be used as a substitute for coal and the Environment Agency said it was satisfied that Climafuel could be used at the Rugby cement works without harm to human health. In addition, Cemex has also applied to increase the use of Climafuel to 65% of its total heat input, which is the maximum level of substitution. If the EA decides to grant this it would require further trials to show that it also safe before it would be given permission to operate at the higher rate permanently.
The decision by the EA to allow the continued burning of Climafuel comes a fortnight after Cemex announced that it was teaming up with Northamptonshire-based WRG to develop a mechanical biological treatment facility in Rugby. Cemex hopes the new plant will be able to produce 150,000 tonnes of Climafuel each year to be used solely at the Rugby cement works (see letsrecycle.com story).
Telford & Wrekin to introduce mixed plastic collections
Telford & Wrekin council is set to become the first Shropshire council to introduce mixed plastic collections from the kerbside when it introduces the scheme in March 2010.
Telford & Wrekin said it was responding to residents' requests for the collection of plastic bottles, yoghurt pots, butter tubs and some food trays for recycling, with plastic is only currently collected through bring banks in the local authority area. At this stage, the council was unable to confirm how the addition of plastics would fit into the council's existing twin-stream kerbside recycling system or what the end markets for the material would be. Although, the council did state that its contractor Telford & Wrekin Services (TWS) – which is a subsidiary of Spanish-owned waste firm Focsa – would be introducing new vehicles to deliver the service.
Councillor Steve Bentley, cabinet member for the environment, said: “We will be the first council in Shropshire to offer a mixed plastics collection and recycling service for our residents. This is a significant step forward both in terms of providing a service our customers tell us they want and increasing our levels of recycling in the borough.”
Hadfield Wood Recyclers takes on dedicated sales team
The move has seen Tom Atkins promoted to key account manager, to head up the team. Mr Atkins, who has been at the company 18 months, will be working alongside Paul McIntosh and Craig Pledge. The company takes waste wood from a variety of sources including local authority civic amenity sites, waste management companies, builders, skip firms, construction sites and furniture manufacturers. It opened its third site in Tilbury, Essex, in May to add to its existing sites in Droylsden in Manchester and Redcar on Teesside (see letsrecycle.com story)
Commenting on his new role, Mr Atkins: “With the team now in place it has given us complete national coverage and we will be able to improve our customer services ten-fold, and we are keen to develop more national accounts and are looking forward to working hard.”
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