EA launches consultation on Poultry Litter Ash
The 12-week consultation, which can be found here, is part of the wider Waste Protocols Programme run by the Environment Agency and WRAP to develop potential end uses for a range of products. Poultry litter is currently used as a fuel in biomass stations to produce renewable energy, but the resulting ash is currently classified as a waste by the Environment Agency. However, the Agency stated that PLA is an increasingly rare natural source of phosphate and it is therefore working closely with industry to determine whether it can be removed from waste control and used as an agricultural fertiliser under a Quality Protocol. Because PLA does not contain nitrogen, it could be a used as an alternative for farmers working in nitrate-vulnerable zones – areas identified as having high levels of nitrates in the water and where there are restrictions on the use of nitrogen.
Martin Brocklehurst, head of environment and business partnerships at the Agency, said: “Waste is a valuable resource, and as the world's resources diminish, it's important that we look at ways to divert more waste materials from landfill and turn them into quality products.”
Vehicle branding specialist Agripa expands
The company, which offers an alternative to vehicle painting or stickers, said the new Hillington Park site would incorporate in-house printing facilities centred on a £150,000 state-of-the-art printer in order to offer a “faster and more comprehensive” service. Agripa was formed in 2002 and its vehicle advertising system is now in use on over 3,500 refuse and recycling vehicles across 220 UK local authorities.
Mark Hendry, sales and marketing director at Agripa, said: “We are dedicated to providing a first class service, from our agency standard creative studio to our exceptional after-sales care. The fact we can now offer high quality visuals printed in-house will enable us to reduce lead times for customers, helping them to get the most from their vehicle advertising campaigns.”
Welsh councils urged towards joint working at conference
Local authorities from across Wales met on Monday (November 1) to discuss how working together could help reduce service costs and increase recycling rates at a Waste Awareness Wales event in Llandrindod Wells in Powys.
The conference, entitled ‘Changing behaviours: Supporting councils' conference, was intended to give councils the chance to share resources – such as research findings and communications materials – to help them spend less while encouraging their householders to reduce their waste and recycle more. Speakers included WLGA chief executive Steve Thomas, who discussed budgets and efficiencies, and Rachel Jowitt, head of Waste Awareness Wales, who explained how Waste Awareness Wales is set to support councils in the coming months. The event was supported by the Welsh Local Government Association and the Welsh Assembly Government.
Commenting on the conference, environment minister Jane Davidson said: “If we are to reach our goal of recycling 70 per cent of our waste by 2025 and being a zero waste nation by 2050 we need people to change their behaviour. Local authorities are best placed to make this behaviour change happen.”
MGB Plastics starts Herts and Kent bin rollout
The deal will see MGB Plastics manufacture and deliver around 25,000 240 litre brown bins to Hertsmere borough council alongside a roll-out of 30,000 240 litre grey bins to Stevenage borough council. This contract marks the first time that the company has worked with both councils to provide its wheeled bins and services. It comes in the wake of MGB Plastics completing the delivery of over 250,000 240L wheeled bins direct to households across the North East in what is believed to be the largest wheeled bin contract in the UK in 2010 (see letsrecycle.com story).
Conor Sugrue, general manager at MGB Plastics, said: “We will supply both authorities gradually and expect to complete the contract over the next month or so. All the 50,000 bins we are supplying have been made at our factory in Rotherham and as part of our commitment to sustainability all of them will contain some element of recycled content in there.”
Ealing council advertises £250m integrated waste contract
The London borough of Ealing has advertised a contract worth £250 million to provide integrated waste management, recycling and street cleansing, among other services, in the west London local authority over the next 15 years.
Included in the contract notice, which was advertised in the Official Journal of the European Union last week (October 28), includes the collection and treatment of dry recyclables from properties in Ealing, garden and food waste collections, and the collection of clinical and residual waste from properties in Ealing and delivery to location(s) directed by the council. Furthermore, the contract notice includes the provision and management of recycling bring bank sites across Ealing including the management and treatment of recyclables collected, as well as the operation and management of household waste and recycling centres.
The notice also states that the service provision will cover 127,000 properties in the Ealing area. The local authority expects between five and eight bids for the contract, with the timeline for receipt of tenders to participate being set as December 6 2010. Those invited to progress to the next stage of procurement will be alerted by January 14 2011.
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