Covanta invites public comment on Rookery Pit EfW plans
The plans have been accepted for examination by the Infrastructure Planning Commission and Covanta is calling on interested parties to register with the IPC to ensure their views can be heard during the examination hearings. Members of the public and interested parties are required by the IPC and the 2008 Planning Act, to register their interest by the November 19 2010. Covanta submitted proposals for the 585,000 tonnes-a-year capacity plant to the IPC in August seeking a development consent order for the project (see letsrecycle.com story).
Malcolm Chilton, managing director of Covanta Energy, said: “I'm pleased that the Infrastructure Planning Commission has accepted the Covanta planning submission for a RRF. While this is an important step forward for the environment by creating a more sustainable way of generating power and diverting waste away from landfill in the future, there's still a long way to go in the planning process.”
EA refuses permit application for Derbyshire composting plant
The Environment Agency has refused to grant an environmental permit to Taywell Composting Ltd for a proposed composting plant at Bonsall in Derbyshire.
The Agency received a permit application from Taywell to develop the Dunsley Mill site to compost food and green waste in August 2009. The Agency then considered the application alongside other information and responses from local residents following two public meetings in November 2009, which allowed people to give us their views on the proposals, before reaching its decision to refuse the permit application on September 17 2010, stating that Taywell was unable to demonstrate how its proposed activities would not cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health. Taywell has until 17 March 2011 to do appeal the decision.
Mark Haslam, area environment manager at the EA, said “We were not satisfied that Taywell Composting could operate the proposed site at Dunsley Mill, which is close to houses and businesses, without causing pollution and harm from odour and without an impact on special areas of conservation such as the Via Gellia Woodlands and Rose End Meadows.”
MWDA and Veolia launched £20,000 waste fund
Applicants for the funding are expected to be drawn from the community sector and not-for-profit organisations, with awards being made between £2,000 and £5,000. The schemes are set to focus on sustainable waste management, through the prevention of waste, reduction of waste to landfill and increased reuse and recycling, as well as addressing carbon impacts. The MWDA has stated that funding is not available to those that have already received financial support from the it. Applications are being accepted until October 29 2010.
Commenting on the fund, Carl Beer, director of the MWDA, said: “We've been running this fund for a few years now and there have been some very innovative schemes that we've helped, and some projects that have really connected with local people and communities.”
Derbyshire competition promotes reusable batteries
Derbyshire county council is attempting to drive residents towards using reusable batteries with a prize draw offering battery chargers complete with rechargeable batteries.
The initiative, which will see 500 AA battery and charger sets given away each month in October, November and December, coincides with all libraries in Derbyshire being issued with battery recycling points to reduce the volume of batteries going to landfill. To be in with a chance of winning one of the 1,500 battery and charger sets, anyone living in Derbyshire should fill in a form published in the September edition of the council's newspaper Derbyshire First, or complete a form available in all county libraries. The scheme does not extent to residents living within Derby city council's boundaries.
Councillor John Allsop, cabinet member for technology and recycling, said: “Used batteries are bad news in landfill because they sit there forever and the valuable chemicals and metals cannot be recovered for recycling. Using rechargeable batteries means less waste and saves people money.”
Hertfordshire unveils new Harpenden HWRC mural
Pupils and teachers from The Grove JMI School, which is next door to the recycling centre, first painted a mural at the recycling centre in 2005. However, in an effort to enhance the public image of the HWRC, Hertfordshire held a competition to renew the mural, with Lucy Barter's entry being chosen as the winning design, which was brought to life at the start of September. The paint used in the artwork was reused emulsion brought by residents to various recycling centres around the county.
“It's fitting that Harpenden's recycling centre has such a fine piece of artwork using reused materials on display, as this is one of our top performing centres,” said Derrick Ashley, executive member for waste. “This spring, an impressive 82% of material brought to the recycling centre was sent for reuse, recycling or composting. That's 981 tonnes of waste that would otherwise have gone to landfill.”
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