Yorkshire waste firms sign £2.5m partnership deal
The five-year partnership deal between the two Yorkshire businesses is intended to help both develop a nationwide offering and procure more contracts by virtue of providing a ‘one-stop-shop' for waste management services. Under the agreement, 707 Resource Management is set to provide GW Butler with its general waste and recycling collections in addition to its clinical waste services throughout the UK. The partnership has also enabled GW Butler to acquire a waste processing plant at Rainham in Essex, which allows waste material to be sterilised, processed and subsequently turned into refuse derived fuel.
Graeme Rose, managing director of 707 Resource Management, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for us to be working with such an established and highly regarded business within the industry. I have always known GW Butler as a reliable, efficient and customer-focused business able to provide first class services and I'm confident that this partnership will bring fruitful results to both sides.”
Viridor wins MediaCityUK recycling contract
The project, which is being developed in Salford Quays, Greater Manchester, will also house parts of Salford University, hotels, bars, restaurants and retail outlets, as well as ITV. Taunton-based Viridor intends to utilise recycling and energy recovery facilities across the North West in order to meet MediaCityUK's ambitions for minimising waste to landfill. Viridor will also partner MediaCityUK in developing sustainable waste and recycling strategies, which will focus upon residential training, resource optimisation and carbon efficiency.
Steve Newman, Viridor regional manager, said: “Viridor is very pleased to have been chosen by MediaCityUK to provide essential recycling and recovery services to this fantastic new development. This contract will be fully supported by Viridor's existing facilities within Greater Manchester and the wider North West region.”
US infrastructure fund touted as alternative to PFI schemes
Alternative capital specialists Equility Capital has announced an infrastructure fund developed in the United States aimed at helping projects stalled by the PFI-funding withdrawals in October's Spending Review.
The company is targeting so-called ‘shovel ready' projects which were curtailed by the Chancellor in his announcement earlier this year, which saw seven large-scale waste projects lose their government funding support (see letsrecycle.com story). The funding programme is mainly targeted at the development of energy-from-waste projects and would see the funding is provided as a capital lease. This would see the investing institutions take ownership of the plant for the duration of the funding term, leaving the local authority and/or contractors in complete management and financial control.
Paul Carten, UK infrastructure funding specialist at Equility, said: “This programme represents a step change in the approach to how infrastructure projects of all kinds should be financed in the UK. It strips away many of the complexities and nearly all of the costs that come with traditional PFI and introduces a streamlined, structured and proven funding process.”
Preston city council claims £70,000 savings from bulky waste service
The scheme was launched in the Lancashire local authority area in April as a means of providing residents with a means of disposing of items too large for wheeled bins. Recycling Lives has an intention to reuse or recycle 60% of material collected, with items of furniture being sold to charities or low-income families at a discounted price. All of the profits from this are then recovered by Recycling Lives social welfare charity. To date, the scheme has collected 150 tonnes of material and is intended to offer an alternative to landfill, provide an opportunity for employment and make material available to low-income families. The council has made the savings in associated collection costs.
Steve Jackson, chairman and founder of Recycling Lives, said: “BulkyWaste is a great service and provides social, financial and environmental benefits to Preston city council and the local residents. We're pleased to have launched the online BulkyWaste portal, as people can now book a collection in a few easy steps.”
Community service for Surry waste business owner
Guildford Crown Court has ordered the owner of Surry-based skip hire firm to undertake 240 hours of community services after ignoring notices to stop dangerous work at his premises.
Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited Peter Mason Skip Hire on the Slyfield Industrial Estate in Guildford on June 4 2009, where they found skips and general waste stored in a way that put workers at risk from falling objects. An ‘Improvement Notice' was issued ordering a reduction in the number of skips and waste materials stored on site. However, inspectors returned on nearly two months later July 27 2009 and discovered Mark Mason had ignored the original order. Mr Mason was convicted of breaching Section 2(1), of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, which requires employers to ensure reasonable steps have been made to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees, and breaching Sections 21 and 22 of the Act for contravening the Improvement and Prohibition Notices issued upon him.
Commenting on the case, Kari Sprostranova, HSE inspector, said: “Mark Mason put not only himself in danger, but his employees and other people in the area. He was extremely lucky that no one was injured as a result of the unsafe practices being used.”
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