News in Brief

Malaby Biogas is first to benefit from WRAP AD loan fund

The company has secured an 800,000 loan to help construct an anaerobic digestion plant at Bore Hill Farm, a disused 12-acre smallholding, south of Warminster. The proposed 5 million plant is expected to generate 4.3 million KwH of electricity per year.

WRAP director Steve Creed said: Malaby is the first of what we hope will be a number of companies to benefit from the anaerobic digestion loan fund and it is excellent to see such good progress being made at the Wiltshire plant.

Were currently considering a number of other applications, and the new round of loan awards for 2012 has just begun, so wed encourage anyone who is interested in the fund to get in touch with us.

Wood-fuelled energy plantmoves a step closer

Wood recycling firm R Plevin & Sons has received a draft environmental permit for its proposed biomass combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Elkesley, Nottinghamshire.

The draft environmental permit, published for consultation by the Environment Agency, indicates that the proposed facility will be environmentally safe. The proposed facility will create green heat and energy from around 22,000 tonnes of waste wood per year, sourced from local civic amenity sites.

R Plevin & Sons managing director Jamie Plevin said: We welcome this decision as it demonstrates the Environment Agencys faith in our proposals.

We are aware that there has been concern over the plant in some sections of the community. Hopefully this will go some way to reassure residents that, if given the go-ahead, the biomass plant will be safe and environmentally friendly.

The company is now awaiting planning permission before it is able to begin building the facility.

Aberdeen recycling centre gets planning approval

Plans to build a new household waste recycling centre in the west of Aberdeen have been approved by Aberdeen city councils development management sub committee.

The facility, proposed by waste management company SITA UK, looks set to be located on a 1.2 hectare tract of land in the disused Grove Nursery at Hazlehead, and will accept domestic waste for recycling and disposal.

The plans had been subject to vocal opposition from members of the local community, but the city council ruled that the development of the plant did not breach planning rules.

Aberdeen city council convener of enterprise, planning and infrastructure Kate Dean, said: I am very conscious about the number of objections. We have to look at those objections and the planning considerations in them. I dont like it, is not a material planning consideration.

There are recycling facilities all over this city. This is not in my mind an industrial use for the site. This is a needed community facility. Many, many safeguards have been put in and I have asked for a zebra crossing to be provided and an additional condition to provide extra safety for pedestrians.

Hackney councilprovides funds for composting schemes

Voluntary, community or school groups can apply for funding for a new composting scheme, set up by Hackney council, the London Community Resource Network and environmental charity ecoACTIVE.

The application process is open until 30 January, and the scheme will provide support for four groups in the area to set up composting facilities. Currently eight community and school composting projects are already established in Hackney, diverting up to 3,000kg of kitchen waste from landfill each per year.

Councillor Feryal Demrici, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: This is a wonderful opportunity providing free support to get even more community composting schemes started in Hackney. Id encourage those keen to do their bit to help make Hackney greener to submit an application as soon as possible.

Apple launches WEEE recycling scheme

Electronics giant Apple haslaunched a free reuse and recycling service for its customers in the UK.

The makers of the iPhone and iPad are offering customers the opportunity to trade in old products for cash. The company already operates a recycling scheme in the US, and has extended it to cover the UK and Europe.

The scheme will be run by IT asset recovery firm Dataserv. Customers can register the model of their product including Apple mobile phones and tablets, Mac computers as well as non-Apple laptops on the Apple website.

A spokesperson for Apple said: Whether its an iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC computer, working or not, well take it and determine if it qualifies for reuse and has a monetary value. If it does, the amount will be credited directly into your bank account. If it doesnt, you can recycle it responsibly through one of our free recycling programme.