News in brief

EIC: Cameron comments concerning

The wide range of proposed regulatory cuts is designed to make it vastly easier and cheaper for businesses to meet environmental obligations, with Defra currently due to slash 80,000 pages of environmental guidance by March 2015.

Speaking today, Prime Minister David Cameron said: Supporting business is a crucial part of our long term economic plan, creating jobs and security for all. That is why, among so many other things, I have insisted on slashing needless regulation. We will be the first government in modern history to have reduced rather than increased domestic business regulation during our time in office.

But, responding to the Prime Ministers announcement, EIC executive director Matthew Farrow said: Nobody wants regulation for the sake of it, and addressing areas of duplication or over complex guidance is reasonable enough.

But the rhetoric used and the scale of what is planned is a major concern to the UK’s environmental industries and their investors a sector worth 122 billion with 4.7% growth last year.

A consultation on how guidance on environmental regulations can be simplified for businesses, including proposed amendments on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and packaging, is due to end on February 7 (see letsrecycle.com story).

Axion Polymers operation goes global

UK-based plastics recycler Axion Polymers is to reach an international market following acceptance of its Axpoly PS01 & Axpoly r-PP51 brands in Materials Libraries worldwide.

Axpoly PSO1, a high grade white polystyrene polymer sourced from post-consumer waste fridge plastic, was recognised by the Library for being the first polymer with EU toy approval.

Meanwhile Axpoly r-PP51, a high performance grade of black polypropylene, is derived from end of life vehicles and is used in closed-loop applications in automotive products, as well as utility, construction and manufacturing industries.

Samples of the two polymers are now showcased in Bangkok, Beijing, Cologne, Daegu, Istanbul, Milan, Seoul, Shanghai and Sweden.

Axions marketing manager Caroline Howarth said: Having our recycled polymers featured in these worldwide Materials Libraries is a great opportunity to attract interest in our sustainable polymer product ranges, which will hopefully increase sales and the use of recycled plastics in many more innovative applications.

Planning for Bridport waste sites approved

Planning for an 8 million joint household waste recycling centre and waste transfer station has been approved by Dorset County Council following a 20-year wait.

The facility, which will be located at the Broomhills Nursery site west of Bridport, was approved by the planning committee after an application was submitted in July.

The centre will replace a current household recycling site that was opened on a temporary basis in 1998 following the closure of the former Bothenhampton landfill site facility.

The new facility will include a modern, split-level recycling centre and transfer station where materials collected from West Dorset households will be bulked and sent for recycling, treatment or disposal.

It will also return to full seven day opening times and accept more material types such as wood and glass.

Hilary Cox, chair of the DWP joint committee, said: I am delighted that a positive conclusion has been reached after such a long wait.

The new facility is integral to achieving our long-term vision for transforming waste management in Dorset, increasing recycling and improving efficiency. It means that people in the west of Dorset will finally get a modern waste facility to meet their current and future needs.

AMCS Group announces 20 new jobs

Waste management software provider AMCS Group has announced 20 new jobs as part of a 19 million round of financing.

The deal, which follows growth of the Groups Glasgow site, is led by Highland Capital Partners Europe and includes financial support from existing investor Investec, enabling the business to create the jobs as part of its international expansion.

The Group, which saw its turnover increase by 50% to 15 million last year, provides VDH vehicle technology for the waste market a service used by 700 clients worldwide including UK-based William Tracey Group.

Jimmy Martin, chief executive officer of AMCS Group, said: Securing funding of this scale will enable us to grow our business and expand our operations in existing and new markets.

There really is no business that can match the integrated waste management solutions that our ELEMOS software and vehicle technology offers. We look forward to working with our new partners, Highland Capital Partners, as we continue our ambitious growth plans.

Cornwall family fined for illegal waste operation

A family from Cornwall has been ordered to repay 365,275 it made from an illegal waste operation it ran from a former smallholding in St Austell between 2003 and 2011.

Eight members of the Buckland family were also ordered to pay a total of 91,934 in fines and costs at a sentencing hearing at Truro Crown Court on January 22.

The defendants had already pleaded guilty to a series of waste offences that included dumping several thousand tonnes of waste at Rock Farm, Bugle.

The Environment Agency alleged that the site had been transformed into an illegal waste transfer station and landfill where waste was sorted, burnt or tipped by the extended family.
Working with Devon and Cornwall police, the Agency mounted a raid on the premesis in June 2011 exposing the scale of the operation and leading to arrests.