Ministerial launch for Northern Irish recycling firm
The minister praised the efforts of the firm, formerly known as Wright Skips, while he toured the company's Newtownards recycling centre. Wright Skips was formed in 1994 with one skip lorry and today boasts 30 employees, as well as investing in new technology to allow it to sort and separate waste streams. The company said that increased investment had allowed it to open contact with companies in Scotland, allowing material to be brought from there to its facility for sorting.
Speaking on the visit, Mr Poots said: “This is much more than a change in name for Wright Recycling. The journey that this company has travelled from Wright Skips to Wright Recycling reflects the value of the recycling industry. This is becoming increasingly important to the Northern Ireland economy – in 2007, the recycling sector accounted for around 1,000 jobs with a turnover of £180million.”
Celebrity gardener backs Surrey composting campaign
Celebrity gardener Matt James has pledged his support to Surrey Waste Partnership's composting campaign, which aims to boost the uptake of home composting in the region.
Mr James has thrown his support behind the campaign as the council's contractor SITA UK reported that more than 2,500 discount compost bins had been purchased by residents to date. The television star, who studied in the county – at Merrist Wood Horticultural College in Guildford – praised the initiative and said that home composting would give the “best possible start” for anyone looking to grow plants or vegetables themselves. Since April, Surrey Waste Partnership has been offering two sizes of discount compost bins, at £14 and £17, as part of the county council's aim to cut the amount of household waste and green waste being landfilled each year.
Jean Pearson, chairman of Surrey Waste Partnership, said: “The cost of sending rubbish to landfill is rising by millions of pounds a year so we need to find alternative ways to dispose of our waste. Composting is one thing all of us can do to reduce the amount we throw out. It's easy to do, so I would urge people to buy one of our discount bins and have a go.”
EMS to unveil waste sorting screen
The screen, known as the ‘Vibraflow', has been tested on facilities in the UK, having been developed by the company over the course of the last year. The screen was developed in a bid to help remove sticky materials from the dry recyclable stream, with it using polyurethane mats to extract material. The company, which has founded its reputation on the development of bespoke sorting equipment, has turned its attention to research and development over the past 12 months and, following the Vibraflow, intends to launch a specialist waste shredder to the market later this year.
The Vibraflow system can be installed as a stand-alone system or incorporated into existing sorting systems. And, in addition to announcing plans to unveil the equipment next month, EMS has also announced that it is set to enter an agreement with Canadian optical sorting firm Eaglevizion to install its equipment throughout the UK, Republic of Ireland and Europe.
Marylebone businesses urged to join Westminster recycling scheme
Westminster city council claims businesses in the central London area of Marylebone could save a combined £30,000 by signing up to its new collection service.
The roll-out of the scheme follows a six-month trial of the business waste recycling service in Mayfair, which saw 1,124 tonnes of material collected for recycling and an estimated £31,000 saved on waste disposal costs by participating firms. The service operates via daily evening collections of business recycling bags in blue bags and covers material such as paper, cardboard, plastic packaging, food cartons and cans and empty aerosols. The London council has urged businesses to take the opportunity to cut their waste disposal costs while also enhancing their recycling performance.
Councillor Ed Argar, cabinet member for city management at Westminster, said: “We have a huge number of small businesses in Westminster, and we understand that they've got a lot on their plate dealing with the current economic hardships, so anything we can do which makes life easier for them at the same time as helping the environment, is a bonus.”
Youngman chosen to supply technology to Donarbon
The company selected Youngman and its BoSS X-Series lifts to help provide a means of catering for conveyor and framework maintenance at its Waterbeach site following a successful trial of the service. The battery-powered units, which can reach 5.2 metres in height, are set to be provided by local dealer Access Platform Sales, which is based at Huntingdon. Donarbon operates the £42 million MBT under its long-term, PFI-backed waste treatment contract with Cambridgeshire county council, which it signed in April 2008 and is believed to be worth around £730 million (see letsrecycle.com story).
Commenting on the appointment of Youngman, Donarbon's MBT plant manager Huw Gaskill said: “From a health and safety point of view it was important to avoid the use of ladders wherever possible and hence find a suitable platform capable of operating between the plant's support legs both accurately and safely, with little risk of causing any damage. This platform allows us to perform routine maintenance and cleaning in even the tightest corners of the plant.”
Register for free to comment