News in Brief

Manchester targets low-performing areas for recycling

The GMWDAs project aims to understand how to evaluate, monitor and develop policies that can only be delivered by active engagement with the public. The funding is being provided by the LIFE programme, a scheme which contributes to the implementation and development of environmental policy across Europe.

The Environment Agency has also received funding from the programme and is looking to demonstrate how methane from closed landfill sites can be captured.

Commenting on the Agencys project the European Commission said: Economic and technical uncertainties have so far hampered the wide take-up of new technologies to manage methane emissions from closed landfill sites. ACUMEN will show how these can be overcome through a combination of innovative technologies and techniques, and will establish the technical and economic viability of capturing, using and mitigating methane from closed landfill sites.

Councils renew textiles contracts with Salvation Army

Three English local authorities have renewed their textiles bring bank contracts with the Salvation Army Trading Company Ltd (SATCoL), the trading arm of charity The Salvation Army.

The City of London Corporation, the London Borough of Bexley and Cotswold district council have signed new agreements for the collection of their textiles through bring banks. SATCoL will retain 58 bring bank sites across the three councils, and said it is seeking additional sites in the areas.

Earlier this year SATCoL and textile charity TRAID raised concerns that charities were being squeezed out of the market as more councils looked to sign bring bank deals with private companies in a bid to increase revenue (see letsrecycle.com story). This meant that the charity bring banks were being removed from the sites.

Commenting on the contract renewals, Paul Ozanne, national recycling co-ordinator for SATCoL, said: Were really pleased that as a charitable clothing collection service weve been able to sign new agreements to continue our partnership with these local authorities. We have maintained nearly 60 clothing banks sites and will be actively looking to develop additional sites in these locations, which is good news in terms of diverting textiles from landfill as well as raising more money to support The Salvation Army.

Europe-wide recycled plastics standard developed

Europes plastics recyclers and collectors have agreed an EU-wide certification scheme for recovered material, EuCertPlast, which enforces standards for plastics recycling.

The scheme was developed by European Plastics Recyclers (EuPR) and the European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery Organisations (EPRO) in partnership with European Plastics Converters (EuPC), PVC recycling body Recovinyl, and plastics recycling companies from across the continent.

EuCertPlast will be the new certification and audit scheme that will implement the existing European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) standard 14343 to an array of plastic products.

Ton Emans, president of European Plastics Recyclers (EuPR), said: A suitable harmonized auditing scheme for Europe was needed due to the difficulty in gaining access to plastics waste from the different and often complex national systems. Now with EuCertPlast a level playing field has been created and plastics recyclers can work with all national collection schemes to get access to raw materials for further treatment in Europe.

Bucks agrees to award waste treatment contract to FCC

Buckinghamshire county council yesterday (July 23) formally agreed to award its 275 million waste treatment contract to FCC Environment (formerly WRG).

The contract, due to be signed at the end of the summer, will involve the construction of an energy-from-waste (EfW) facility at Greatmoor, near Calvert, to treat both municipal and commercial waste. Work is expected to begin at the end of the summer with the plant being fully operational by 2015.

The 30-year contract is anticipated to save the council 150 million over its lifetime. FCC Environment was granted planning permission for the 300,000-tonne-a-year facility in April this year.

Steven Adams, Buckinghamshire county council cabinet member for environment, said: I am confident that this is the best solution for Buckinghamshire. We have spent a considerable amount of time through this rigorous process understanding the various technology options, the perceived health implications and selected the most competitive company to provide the service.

Businesses urged to check waste tyres are collected legally

The Tyre Recovery Association (TRA) is urging businesses and retailers to check that their waste tyres are collected by a member of the Responsible Recycler Scheme, in a bid to drive down waste crime.

The comments come after the BBCs current affairs programme Panorama, broadcast on July 16, exposed how large quantities of tyres are being illegally dumped by rogue collectors. The TRA said that currently, more than 80% of the 55 million used tyres generated in the UK are processed via the Tyre Industry Federation Responsible Recycler Scheme. The Scheme ensures full traceability and accountability of waste tyres throughout the disposal chain, from collection through to their final reuse in an environmentally friendly or acceptable method.

Peter Taylor, secretary general of the TRA, said: All those involved with end of life tyres should take particular note of this latest investigation. To avoid becoming complicit in any waste tyre crimes, retailers must be certain that they know their collector operates within the confines of the law. They should check to see if they are a member of the Responsible Recycler Scheme, with the assurance that they have the necessary authorisation and permits from the Environment Agency to be collecting and storing tyres.

Hills Waste Solutions staff dubbed recycling heroes

Staff at Hills Waste Solutions have been dubbed recycling heroes after retrieving two lost phones and a wallet from the firms materials recycling facility (MRF) at Lower Compton, near Calne, Wiltshire.

Colin Stevens, a resident from nearby Collingbourne Kingston, lost his phones and wallet after putting them in his recycling box for safe keeping. The box was later placed at the kerbside for collection which was collected by Hills Waste Solutions. Mr Stevens alerted the Hills waste staff after realising his error, who then contacted the MRF.

Commenting on the rescue efforts of the staff, Tom Clifford, kerbside supervisor for Hills, said: We are always willing to do our best to help. As soon as the truck arrived we tipped the paper into a pile and starting sifting through it. Mr Stevens was overjoyed when we called to say that we had found both phones and the wallet. I had the pleasure of delivering them back to him at home.

Mr Stevens said: In these days when the media only covers bad news and bad service, I felt I had to say a big thank you to all the staff that helped me they are my recycling heroes.