News in Brief

EA begins assessment of missing battery scheme data

Earlier this month, the Agency revealed that it had only counted tonnages from five of the six batteries producer compliance schemes towards a 9.56% collection rate for 2010. The sixth scheme, CCR REBAT, was served with an enforcement notice requiring it to submit accurate data (see letsrecycle.com story). It is understood that the tonnage collected by CCR REBAT on behalf of its producer members could add around 1% to the UKs battery recycling rate.

And, a spokeswoman for the Agency last week (March 21) confirmed that it had received additional information from CCR REBAT. She said: We have received further information from CCR, we will now assess this data. We won’t be publishing anymore data until we have completed this assessment, which is likely to take us until after early April.

Palm Recycling celebrates first year anniversary

Palm Recycling is celebrating its one-year paper anniversary, marking a year of successful operations since its launch by Palm Paper Limited 12 months ago.

Based in Ellesmere Port, Palm Recycling came into existence following Palm Papers acquisition of Cheshire Recycling in 2010 from Abitibi-Consolidated Recycling Europe. This acquisition secured Cheshires future and continued service to clients, which includes local authorities and press rooms throughout the UK. In its first year as Palm Recycling, Ron Humphreys, managing director, said that the company had grown rapidly through the retention of existing business as well as securing a number of additional contracts and thereby significantly developing the long-term fibre supply for Palm Papers new state-of-the-art paper mill in Kings Lynn.

Mr Humphreys added: Our one year anniversary is a great landmark for us; we have grown as well as secured existing business, building confidence with our customers on a daily basis. We are now part of am extremely large, stable and innovative company sharing many of the same values, which can only be positive for the future of Palm Recycling.

Orchid achieves ISO14001 environmental standard

Waste management and recycling company Orchid Environmental has been awarded certification to ISO14001, which is the international standard covering Environmental and Quality Management Systems.

This certification follows an independent audit of various Orchid waste related activities, including waste management, transport, recycling and fuel recovery operations at its site at Huyton on Merseyside. Orchid will now be audited every six months to ensure the required performance standards are being maintained. Plans are in place to extend the certification to Orchids future facilities scheduled to come on stream in early 2012 and 2013.

Steve Whatmore, managing director Orchid, said: ISO14001 is an extremely hard standard to achieve so we are absolutely delighted to be awarded this certification which reflects another key milestone in the continuing development of the Orchid business.

Hills opens its eleventh recycling centre in Wiltshire

Waste management firm Hills Group has installed a new recycling centre at Marlborough, bringing the number of sites operated by the firm in Wiltshire up to 11.

The site was officially opened by Councillor Toby Sturgis, cabinet member for waste, property and environment at Wiltshire council, and Mike Hill, chief executive of the Hills Group. The recycling centre will be run by Hills Waste Solutions under its long-term waste contract with Wiltshire council and is part of the councils strategy to increase recycling in the county and reduce the amount of rubbish which currently goes to landfill.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Hill said: This new facility will save time and miles travelled for those who are regular recyclers and we are confident that its great location and easy access will encourage those who currently do not recycle to perhaps do so.

Caption: The Marlborough household recycling centre is the 11th to be opened by Hills Group under its long-term waste contract with Wiltshire council

EU citizens call for producer responsibility over waste

Seventy per cent of citizens in almost all European Union countries have said that better waste collection services were needed to improve waste management in their community, according to a survey carried out by Eurobarometer.

The study, which also looked at attitudes to waste generation and was undertaken at the request of the Directorate-General of Environment within the European Commission, found that 63% of respondents supported the idea of making producers pay for collection and recycling of waste. However, only 38% of householders to respond to the EU survey said that householders should shoulder the cost of collections. Support for this approach varied across the Members States, gaining most favour among Italians (65%) and finding least support among the Maltese (14%).

And, 75% of respondents expressed a preference for paying an amount related to the quantity of waste generated by their household rather than pay through their taxes. Similarly, roughly 60% of those surveyed would prefer to include the cost of waste management in product prices rather than via taxes. The full Eurobarometer study can be found here.