News in brief

Scottish food waste campaign launched

Costing Scotland an estimated 1 billion per annum, the government has promoted its national food waste drive across TV, press and social media with the message: waste less food and save around 470 a year.

As well as promoting the financial benefits for individual households, the Government hopes the campaign will see Scottish people recycling food waste that cannot be eaten such as banana skins, bones and tea bags. At present, 53% of Scottish households are part of local food waste collection schemes.

Commenting on the launch, Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said: If we used up all the food and drink we currently waste, it would cut carbon emissions equal to taking one in four cars off Scotlands roads.

We all waste food without thinking, but by making a few small changes, we can make a big difference to our budgets and the environment. By shopping smarter and wasting less we can save money and help create a greener, cleaner Scotland now and for the future.

Scotland intends to implement a ban on food waste to landfill by the end of 2020 as part of its larger waste reduction targets.

Vital SME investment for waste projects

A 10 million fund will be made available to SMEs to generate vital innovation across the energy sector, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced.

The move, which could include investment in energy-from-waste technologies, will see small and medium sized enterprises bid for funding of up to 2 million under the third phase of the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund, first launched in September 2012.

Successful applicants will also be receive advice from commercial experts on how to attract investment to bring their products to market. Bids will be judged against a range of criteria, including the ability to cut the cost of existing technology.

The government hopes its support for state-of-the-art technologies, including ground source heat pumps, will help bring down the cost of consumer bills and reduce carbon emissions.

Energy and climate change minister Greg Baker said: This investment will give SMEs a vital boost to drive forward the development of a range of innovative low carbon designs, helping cut costs and bringing new technologies to market in this sector.

UKCM wins ESPO Contract

Refurbishment firm UK Container Maintenance has secured a two year contract with Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO) a framework for supplying waste containers to local authorities.

The contract will see UKCM repair and refurbish four-wheeled waste containers both in factory and mobile for councils, as well as providing spare parts for all makes and models of the bin.

Co-founder of UKCM, Emma Elston said: The increasing profile given to reusing and recycling products and materials, with the drive in both private and public sectors to reduce overall spend, has allowed UKCM to demonstrate its ability to recycle otherwise redundant containers back into service, saving local authorities and waste companies over 50 million in the last 5 years.

Being awarded this contract is fantastic for UKCM and a great opportunity for other local authorities to make substantial savings.

Wales invites views on reuse network

Organisations with an interest in reuse have been invited to help shape a new reuse network for Wales.

The network was initially set out under the Welsh Governments Waste Prevention Programme in December 2013, with the running of the organisation to be determined by the needs of its members.

WRAP Cymru, which is facilitating the networks development on behalf of the Welsh Government, is calling on private sector businesses, social enterprises and community interest companies in and outside of Wales to contribute at free events or online.

Head of WRAP Cymru Beth Winkley said: Wales has a thriving re-use sector which can make a major contribution to the nations zero waste plans. This is an exciting opportunity to help grow the sector and I urge any organisation with an interest in re-use to come along to the events or take part online.

The networking events will take place on February 18 at Conwy Business Centre and February 20 at the Maldron Hotel, Cardiff.

TerraCycle and McVities launch recycling campaign

Post-consumer waste service provider TerraCycle and biscuit manufacturer McVities have teamed up to launch the Wrappers to Riches collection contest.

The competition encourages people across the UK to collect and send in their waste biscuit wrappers to be recycled into new products.

The partnership between the two firms was established in 2012 as a result of very little kerbside recycling collections of mixed plastic waste. The partners claim that millions of wrappers are sent to landfill each.

At the end of the contest in April, the top 20 collectors will win contributions of between 10 and 125 for the school, charity or non-profit organisation of their choice, with the Grand Prize winner aloes receiving a goodie bag of McVities biscuits.

Collectors will additionally win TerraCycle points for their wrapper contributions, with each point redeemed for a 1p contribution for the chosen organisation.