News in Brief

Carpet manufacturers on track for recycling target

Figures collated by the trade association for carpet manufacturers, Carpet Recycling UK, show that in 2011 seven of its manufacturers collectively diverted almost 6,000 tonnes of post-manufacture waste carpet away from landfill, representing an overall diversion rate of 85%.

Commenting on the progress so far, Jane Gardner, project manager for CRUK, which also represents carpet retailers and recyclers, remains confident that its target will be met on time. She said: A lot of the manufacturers have realised zero waste to landfill already, she said. We will definitely hit our targets by the end of 2012.

ESA praises findings of health and safety review

The Environmental Services Association has praised the findings of an independent government review into health and safety legislation, following initial concerns that it could be damaging for the waste management sector.

The Lfstedt report, officially titled Reclaiming health and safety for all: An independent review of health and safety legislation, was commissioned by the Department for Work and Pensions to examine ways of reducing the burden of health and safety laws on business.

The ESA had feared that any changes to health and safety laws concerning the waste industry might be damaging, as the sector has historically had a poor health and safety record (see letsrecycle.com story).

But, the completed report, published by the DWP in November, concludes that the majority of regulations in place are fit for purpose, with only some areas need of clarification or revision.

Welcoming the findings, ESA policy executive Stephen Freeland, said: We are pleased that Professor Lfstedt has listened to our concerns and acknowledged that existing health and safety regulations placed on business are broadly appropriate and that there is no case for radically altering legislative requirements. Instead, the Lfstedt Review has correctly focused on how interpretation and application of the regulations could be improved. One of the key recommendations in the report included the HSE to review all of its existing codes of practice by June 2012.

Countrystyleawarded waste contract for Kemsley Mill

DS Smith Recycling has appointed Countrystyleas the wastemanagement and recycling contractor for itssister company, DS Smith Papers, Kemsley Mill in Sittingbourne, Kent.

Countrystyle brings expertise in handling industrial waste from the paper manufacturing process enabling the company to deliver a sustainable waste management provision.The company will oversee the daily running of all waste management services at the site including the segregation and recycling of materials and the transportation of production waste to DS Smiths on-site CHP waste-to-energy plant, which provides heat and power to the mill.

Mathew Prosser, commercial director for DS Smith Recycling, comments: The DS Smith Group is committed to being as sustainable as possible across all its businesses. Countrystyle has demonstrated it has the innovation to identify the best solutions for the waste produced at Kemsley Mill to improve sustainability and help minimise the operations carbon footprint.

Mat Stewart, managing director at Countrystyle , said: We are delighted to have begun working with DS Smith. Kemsley Mill is a close neighbour to our Ridham recycling facility which means we can offer an innovative and effective waste management service. The nature of the waste produced at the site means there are challenges in finding sustainable alternatives to landfill, but its a challenge were meeting head on.

Europe exploring new farm films solution

A leading European plastics organisation has set up a working group to target waste agricultural plastics that are currently being sent to landfill every year.

The European Association of Plastics Recycling and Recovery (EPRO) has pledged to develop forward-thinking solutions to prevent an estimated 600,000 tonnes of plastic products including films, bale nets, yarns, irrigation hoses and packaging from being sent to landfill.

The formation of the group, which is made up of representatives from 14 European countries including the UK follows the decision by Defra in October last year, to drop plans for a producer responsibility scheme for waste agricultural plastics (see letsrecycle.com story).

EPRO has stated that the main purpose of the group is to research existing agricultural plastics disposal solutions, assess the environmental impact and cost of current systems and how best to set up new schemes in countries that currently do not have a means for dealing with farm films in place.

Energy park gets ROCs approval

The developers of a 250 million green energy park have confirmed that the site has been pre-approved under the government Renewable Obligation Certificate (ROCs) scheme.

Energy Park Peterborough will recycle waste by gasification and pyrolysis, and will generate energy at a level of 2 ROCs per megawatt hour under current ROCs banding.

ROCs are certificates issued by Ofgem to operators of renewable energy generating facilities for the power they generate. The ROCs are used suppliers to demonstrate that they have met their renewable energy obligation.

Managing director of Green Energy Parks Chris Williams, said: Energy Park Peterborough will divert 750,000 tonnes of waste from landfill per year in a sustainable way, at the same time as generating thousands of megawatt hours of renewable energy.

Construction has not yet started on the project, but work could get underway early next year.