Recycling figures named in Rich List
The most prominent recycling and waste representatives on the list were Philip Sheppard and family, heads of European Metal Recycling, who were ranked as 121st on the list with a fortune of £530 million. In the list, it was noted that EMR had faced a “tough time” having seen its 2008 profits halve, although the family still managed to rise 45 places from its position of joint 156th in 2009. The second most prominent recycling-related millionaire was Gary Widdowson, owner of Total Waste Management. Mr Widdowson, 52, sold his 22% stake in Metal & Recycling Business in 2006 for £120 million and was ranked joint 398th in the list with a fortune of £165 million.
Further down the list, Anthony de Mulder was named as one of 27 tied on £100 million, having achieved his fortune through Doncaster-based meat renderers Prosper De Mulder (PDM), who have also branched into food waste recycling.
Powerday kicks off recycling deal with Chelsea FC
Under the four-year deal, waste such as drinks bottles, food and food packaging from match days, as well as office waste, will be collected from Chelsea's home ground Stamford Bridge and its Cobham training facility before being sent to the Powerday facility for sorting. The material is set to be sorted into recyclable material and some refuse-derived fuel, which is then sent to a number of energy-from-waste facilities. Powerday has been providing recycling and waste management services to the Chelsea for 10 years.
Chris Alexander, Chelsea's finance and operations director, said: “We have a number of initiatives to get our staff and fans aware of their own impact on the environment as well as installing energy efficient systems at both Stamford Bridge and Cobham which is one of the most environmentally friendly training grounds in the world.”
Concerns raised over revisions to emissions monitoring
Medical and environmental groups have raised concerns over potential reductions in the monitoring of emissions from waste burning incinerators and co-incinerators under planned revisions to the Waste Incineration Directive (WID) by the European Parliament.
The comments come ahead of a forthcoming vote on plans to unify seven separate directives on emissions, including the WID and the Integrated Pollution Prevention Controls (IPPC), into a single directive on industrial emissions. In response, the International of Society of Doctors for the Environment (ISDE) and Health Care without Harm Europe (HCWHE) blasted the possible reduction in monitoring controls for incinerators and co-incinerators that could occur under a single directive as “irresponsible” and urged the European Parliament to keep the monitoring levels as they stand in the existing IPPC.
A statement released by the ISDE and the HCWHE said: “We consider irresponsible that the European Parliament might now vote in favour of reducing the control on emissions when Europe will be burning the biggest amount of waste in its history.”
BCB to appeal North Yorks EfW planning decision
Hazardous waste management specialist BCB Environmental Management has announced plans to appeal North Yorkshire county council's decision to refuse planning permission for a £24 million energy-from-waste facility near York.
The council rejected the proposal to develop the waste treatment facility at the Marston Business Park outside Tockwith in December 2009 and BCB has opted to appeal having sought the opinion of Stephen Tromans QC. Mr Tromans will represent BCB in the matter. The Tockwith plant, which is set to use gasification technology and generate 10KWh of energy each year, was first proposed in 2007, however, the first attempt to gain planning permission was withdrawn and revised in autumn 2008 before being refused.
Phil Boardman, managing director at BCB, said: “We believe that North Yorkshire county council's decision last year was unreasonable and demonstrated a complete lack of moral courage and leadership, being unduly influenced by political considerations. We are encouraged that our view is supported by the opinion of one of Britain's top planning lawyers and believe that commonsense and an impartial interpretation of the law will ultimately prevail.”
Tickets available for Awards for Excellence in Waste and Recycling
The seventh annual Awards, which received a record number of entrants this year, involve a champagne reception sponsored by producer compliance scheme Valpak followed by a three-course meal and then the awards ceremony itself, presented by BBC News broadcaster Huw Edwards. The Awards for Excellence are intended to showcase achievements in the waste and recycling sector over the past 12 months, with finalists for nine categories being announced earlier this month (see letsrecycle.com story). For more information on the awards, please contact Louisa Tribe, marketing and PR executive on 020 7633 4503 or e-mail louisa.t@letsrecycle.com
Steve Eminton, editor of letsrecycle.com, said: “The Awards mark the stand-out achievements in the field of waste and recycling and the event itself provides a great opportunity to meet other members of the industry over a fine three-course meal in brilliant surroundings.”
SITA UK revises plans for Perthshire EfW
Waste management firm SITA UK has revised its plans to construct an energy-from-waste facility in Perthshire and will now be developing a new application for a waste gasification plant at the site.
The new proposal would see the French-owned firm construct a 60,000 tonnes-a-year capacity gasification plant at the Binn Eco Innovation Park in Tayside to treat municipal waste and, potentially, a small amount of business waste. SITA will require planning approval from Perth and Kinross council and a waste permit from SEPA before it can operate. The company will be consulting with local communities and other stakeholders as part of its pre-application consultation activity. The firm hopes to submit a full planning application in autumn this year which would replace plans for an energy-from-waste plant approved by Perth and Kinross council in September 2007.
Martin Cracknell, strategic development manager for SITA UK in Scotland, said: “Our aim is to submit a pre-application notification to the council in late spring, after which we will be consulting locally in Perth and Kinross and nearby parts of Fife.”
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