Gloucestershire firms meet EfW developer
Last month (22 November), 30 representatives from firms in the area attended the Meet the Buyer event at Gloucester Rugby Clubs Kingsholm Stadium to discuss future business opportunities with UBB.
UBB was awarded a 500 million contract in September by Gloucestershire county council to develop an EfW incinerator at Javelin Park, just outside Gloucester (see Letsrecycle.com story here).
Javier Peiro, project director at UBB, said: This event was a great way to start the dialogue with the local business community. There are so many opportunities available and it was fantastic to see Gloucestershire businesses getting involved.
Local suppliers for the project are still being sought by UBB, and a complete list of trades needed can be found on the project website.
Essex ReclamationMD celebrates 80th birthday
Bob Short, managing director of Essex Reclamation Ltd, celebrated his 80th birthday on 17 December and says he still has no plans to retire, despite working 45 hours a week at the recycling firm.
To mark the occasion, Mr Shorts wife Jean as well as his children and fellow directors Chris and Kay presented him with a birthday cake modelled on a photograph one of the companys delivery vehicles.
Mr Short started the business in 1957, working alone with a small van collecting empty animal feed sacks and rabbit skins from farmers.
He has since overseen the expansion of Essex Reclamation to become a recycling firm employing more than 30 people on a 2.5 acre site in Witham which processes more than 50,000 tonnes of material for recycling each year.
Recycling firm receives business award
Waste management firm J&B Recycling was recently named Business of the Year at Star Radios Business Awards in County Durham.
Sponsored by Business Durham, the awards ceremony took place at the Xcel Centre in Newton Aycliffe, with J&B receiving the top award for: offering excellent service and innovation in its efforts to reduce landfill through recycling initiatives.
The Hartlepool-based firm operates nationwide and recycles more than 100,000 tonnes of waste each year for the public and private sector. It employs 145 staff and recently reported an increase in year-on-year turnover and profits.
J&B managing director Vikki Jackson Smith said: We are absolutely delighted to win the Business of the Year award. This is a real achievement and fantastic endorsement and recognition of what we have achieved over the year and the amazing and dedicated team we have here. Winning such an award is an acknowledgement for everyones hard work which will continue as we focus on growth and commitment to investing in our people and our business.
Transparent wheelie bins unveiled for councils
Lincolnshire-based Genesis Innovations has unveiled a range of transparent wheeled bins which it claimsis suitable for household waste and recycling collections.
The see-through design enables both the public and council waste collection services to identify the type of content inside the bin, according to designers of the product, Genesis Innovations Ltd and Genesis Designs Ltd.
The firm said it has undertaken market research on the product and over the last year, with managing director Aaron Baker commenting: Each wheelie bin lid is supplied and fitted with an adhesive label for identification of the waste to be both deposited and not deposited. The visual impact of the label has been found more beneficial to each household rather than a tie on label.
More information about the product can be found on the Genesis Designs website.
Environmental permitting workshops in Wales
The Environment Agency (EA) is set to hold a series of workshops across Wales in January in order to help waste operators better understand its environmental permitting and compliance system.
Attendees will also be able to talk to Welsh Government waste strategy advisors, trade bodies and other waste organisations such as the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) for help and information on the issue.
Mair Davies, an advisor at EQ who is organising the workshops, said: How we assess performance against your permit can sometimes be confusing and difficult to understand. We want to demystify our permitting and compliance regime so you can spend more time concentrating on your business. By improving your environmental performance, the risk of environmental pollution incidents will be reduced and your annual subsistence fees will be lower.
The workshops will run from 9am until 11am at the following venues (more information is available on the EA website here):
- 21/01/13 – Reichel Hall, Bangor Uni, Bangor.
- 22/01/13 Ramada Plaza, Wrexham24/01/13 Halliwell Conference Centre, Carmarthen.
- 25/01/13 Dragon Classic Hotel, Swansea.
- 29/01/13 City United Reformed Church, Cardiff.
- 31/01/13 Bessemer Hotel, Merthyr Tydfil.
Small electricals recyclable in Croydon
Small electricals such as broken and unwanted kettles, hairdryers, irons, calculators, shavers, domestic batteries and energy efficient light bulbs are among the items that can now be left in containers for recycling around Croydon, the council has announced.
Five sites are currently accepting small electrical waste for recycling in the borough, with another five containers for WEEE set to follow in early 2013. Large electrical appliances must still be taken to household reuse and recycling centres, however.
Cabinet member for environment at Croydon council, Councillor Phil Thomas, said: Over a lifetime each person will go through an average of 3.3 tonnes of electrical waste, so its really important to recycle all old electrical items rather than throwing them in the bin.
Clement Gaubert, Veolia Environmental Services waste manager for electrical and electronic equipment, said: We are pleased to extend our partnership with Croydon Council by offering residents an easier way to recycle their unwanted small electrical items. The new containers will also help to increase recycling in Croydon and divert more WEEE from landfill.”
BSI publish waste management standards report
A report aimed at improving the consistency and level of compliance with waste permits in the waste management industry has been published by the British Standards Institution (BSI).
The Standardization Roadmap to Support Waste Regulations report recommends the introduction of standards in the metals, biowaste and recycling industries in order to improve compliance with permits. But, it is unclear whether the report will actually be followed through and what impact it will have, if any.
Various key groups in the sector were consulted and involved in producing the report: the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS); Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra); the Environmental Agency (EA); the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS); the Better Regulation Executive (BRE); and Waste Watch.
A spokeswoman for BSI said: It has been a challenge to bring all this information together through consultation with an enormous project team. We would like to see the Government taking these recommendations forward and implementing them.
There is currently no timetable for the introduction of standards for the industry. The spokeswoman commented: There isnt a date set but we are looking to get started on the next phase in early 2013.
Jeff Weeks, owner of WEEE recycling consultancy firm W E & E Consulting, who originally suggested to Government (BIS) that this piece of work was required said: “It has taken two years to do this, which is an awful long time I have to say. It (the report) is quite a weak phase one although it had to be done and it is a start, but come on – let’s get cracking on this.
He added: “What this process was supposed to achieve was a roadmap which is currently absent. Although some recommendations have been made, we still need to see a lot more commitment from the Government before we can move forward. There is no doubt in my opinion that we need a proper structure for standards across the waste industry.
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