News in Brief

Peterborough council has begun pilot alternate week collection service for green waste and refuse.

With a recycling rate of 30%, Peterborough is one of the higher performing councils but it is now hoping to boost this to 50% in Hampton where the six-month trial is taking place.

Hampton Hargate and Hampton Vale will receive compostable sacks for garden waste and green bins for dry recyclables, such as cardboard, paper, plastic bottles and cans. The dry recyclables and green waste will be collected on a fortnightly basis on alternate weeks to refuse.

Councillor John Peach, portfolio holder for the environment, said: “We hope that this six-month trial in Hampton will prove a success and that the scheme will then be rolled out across the rest of Peterborough.”

To promote the new scheme to residents in Hampton, Peterborough council has adapted awareness campaign materials from local authority recycling awareness initiative Bankit.

Cllr Peach said: “The latest poster campaign, produced by the highly supportive Bankit team will be an essential tool to ensure all Hampton residents are aware of the new initiative.”

Packaging filling company Diageo Supply has linked up with glass recycler Berryman to improve the recycling of its broken bottles.

Diageo, which fills products including Guinness and Smirnoff Ice at its Runcorn Plant, has formed a working party with Berryman and reprocessor Rockware Glass to set up a new collection system.

Tracey Edwards, components manager at Diageo Supply, explained: “All the waste containers on the filling lines are placed immediately into wheel mounted bins, and moved by forklift trucks to the Berryman skip outside in readiness for a timely collection.”

Rockware's customer services executive Steve Spencer added: “The pristine condition of Diageo’s waste cullet is ideal for return to our cullet treatment plants, and this arrangement shows how both companies are successfully using a partnership approach to meet packaging waste regulations within the brewing and glass manufacturing industries.”

Community sector initiative EnPloy has launched a recycling showcase and training facility in Bristol to promote recycling issues and training opportunities.

The new centre is based at the ECT Recycling's depot, one of the partners in the 1.5 million EnPloy project along with community groups Future West and The Training and Learning Consultancy.

Greg Eynon, from ECT’s Bristol depot, said: “The Recycling Showcase will not only help businesses and the local community understand the importance of both recycling and re-using rubbish, but it will also promote the wide range of career opportunities within the waste sector.”

The training centre will be used to provide training and qualifications for businesses in environmental, technical and management as well as supporting unemployed people through training and placements in environmental management.