News in Brief

Exeter charity night to raise funds for Kenya waste project

Through the event, which will be held at the Rougemont Hotel in Exeter, DCW is hoping to raise funds to purchase a refuse truck which will be exported to Kenya to help with waste collections in the Kibera district of the countrys capital Nairobi.

The project was started by DCWs managing director Simon Almond who set up a waste company Riziki Safi Services to help clean up villages in Kibera and introduce a waste collection service to prevent further build-up of waste and improve the health of the locals. The aim of the project is to have a fully self-sufficient waste management service up and running within five years which will cater to all of the residents of Kibera, up to one million people, with subsidised commercial waste services in Nairobi.

Commenting on the progress so far, Mr Almond said: So far we are collecting from five villages within the slum from about 3,000 people which is fantastic but we really need to accelerate the services now and to do that we need to start commercial waste collections in the suburbs of Nairobi in order to subsidise the expansion of the collections in the slum.

Entertainment on the night will include musical act Shane Richie & The Preludes as well as comedy from Luke Montague as seen on Channel 4s The Undateables and close up magic with Oz Symons. A ticket to the black tie event costs 85 per person and includes a three course dinner. To purchase a ticket call 01392 361 300.

Serco launches Waste Collection Guarantee

Services firm Serco has today (November 4) launched a waste collection guarantee scheme to residents in Canterbury under its eight year contract with the city council (see letsrecycle.com story).

Under the scheme, whenever it misses a bin collection, Serco has committed to donate the cost of the collection to one of three specially selected charitable projects Umbrella Centre of Herne Bay and Whitstable Umbrella Community Centre, both are mental health and wellbeing charities, alongside homelessness charity Porchlight. All three charities are set to receive 5,000 per annum for the next two years and this donation will be topped up if Serco misses any bin collections.

The scheme starts immediately and residents must be registered to the WCG scheme for Serco to be able to allocate the missed bin refunds to the preferred charity. After registering, if residents experience a missed bin collection, they must report it the same day. If Serco is unable to collect it the next day it will donate the cost of the collection to the cause selected by that resident whose bin has been missed.

Geoff Dunne, contract manager for Serco Canterbury said: This scheme is the first of its type and it demonstrates Sercos commitment to its customers. If we fall short on our promise on delivering this vital service to the local community, we will make sure we increase our support to the three local charities who are instrumental in providing care to those in need.

RDC gains WEEE reuse standard

Computer reuse and recycling firm RDC has gained PAS 141 certification the new British standard for the reuse of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
The standard, which was launched in February 2013 (see letsrecycle.com story) assures prospective users that used electrical and electronic equipment has been tested for safety and functionality. RDC operates a reuse and recycling facility in Essex which processed more than 1.8 million items in 2012.

Braintree-based RDC was the first firm to be certified for the standard by Really Green Credentials one of the two bodies accredited to the standard. The other organisation is Oakdene Hollins (see letsrecycle.com story).

RDC managing director Gerry Hackett said: Certification to PAS 141 is evidence of RDCs commitment to continuing to operate to best practice standards. RDCs PAS 141 certified process will stand out from others especially when exporting tested for re-use IT. This new certification reassures RDCs service and product sales customers that equipment has been tested as being safe and fit for re-use, differentiating them from products for sale from non-certified organisations.

MRF health and safety training launched

Recruitment firm Barker Ross Waste has launched a dedicated health and safety training programme for temporary employees at materials recycling facilities (MRFs).

The MRF health and safety etraining candidate programme readies candidates for various roles at a MRF, according to Barker Ross Waste, which means clients can be confidents that procedures will be adhered to. In addition, candidates are screened and a silent supervisor scheme is in place to facilitate new starters.Also offered is video capture on site, soBarker Ross can show candidates what sites actually look like, where to report and what processes they will have to undertake.

The firm, which is part of the Barker Ross Group, recruits for temporary and permanent roles including picking operatives, engineers and weighbridge clerks.
Simon Gimson, who heads up the MRF team, said: More and more MRFs are being built to cope with the need to reuse materials, but finding the right people with the right training to work in what can be a complex environment can be hard.Weve been working in the waste and recycling industry for over 20 years. We know what kind of people are needed and as the industry has grown it is an obvious step to create a dedicated training package and a team to support our MRF clients.

Axion gains second accreditation for ELV facility

Axion Polymers end-of-life vehicle processing facility in Trafford Park, Greater Manchester has been awarded the OHSAS 18001:2007 accreditation for occupational health and safety management.

The firm, which is part of waste and recycling business Axion Group, now holds two accreditations for its Shredder Waste Advanced Processing Plant (SWAPP) facility after gaining its ISO 9001:2008 certification for a quality management system earlier in 2013.

At the plant, non-metallic materials are separated from about 600,000 cars a year to produce recycled plastics, aggregates for the construction industry and fuel to substitute coal.

Adam Joyce, Axions business improvement manager, commented: The SWAPP plant now has two of the most recognised international standards for its operations. These accreditations show we mean business when it comes to product quality, continuous improvement and health and safety. This latest OHSAS 18001:2008 certification provides peace of mind for employees that their safety has been considered. It also reassures our clients and potential customers that they are doing business with a responsible company that works and complies with a recognised standard.