News in Brief

Agency's advice on business waste

The website, funded by Defra's Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) programme, will cover issues such as preventing and dealing with fly-tipping, as well as providing advice on reducing waste and waste legislation. There will also be an online forum for businesses to share best practice on dealing with different types of waste.

BREW project manager Arwyn Jones said: “Members had the opportunity to suggest what they'd like out of the website. They wanted more advice to address hot topics and practical issues, as well as information on using waste as a resource, helping to cut costs.”

 

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New Chairman for Remade

Andrew Hartley, programme director of Recycling Action Yorkshire (RAY), has been elected the new chairman of the Remade Network UK, the recycling development organisation.

The Remade Network UK works with business and public sector organisations to develop the market for recycled goods in a sustainable way. Mr Hartley takes over the role from Diana Lock of Remade East. He will continue to work at RAY – which also promotes the market for recycled goods – as well as fulfilling his new, part-time role.

He said: “As chairman, I hope to expand the role and influence of the Remade Network whilst ensuring we continue to develop real partnership at national and local levels and to share good practice and knowledge across the member organisations.”

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WEEE contamination creating a barrier for recycling

Manchester-based plastic recycler, Axion Recycling, has said that contamination is one of the biggest barriers to Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling.

Technical director Keith Freegard has been working on a Defra funded research project into waste plastics, which includes running trials for shredding and granulating, as well as removing the hazardous brominated flame retardant (BTR). He concluded that WEEE recycling facilities need effective sorting and separating techniques that can handle contaminants such as dust, metals and glass.

He said: “With the vast majority of primary WEEE treatment in Europe being done in large-scale, bulk shredding or fragmentation units, there has to be a huge clean-up task before you can even think about plastic separation. Hence a full plant capable of doing the whole job is needed for successful WEEE recycling.”

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New Factory for Red Rhino

Recycling equipment makers, Red Rhino Crushers, are celebrating the opening of their new factory in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, with production now in full force.

The factory was officially opened last week by Aylesbury MP, David Liddington, who rode a Red Rhino 4000 series- a compact crusher vehicle – through the red ribbon.

Mr Liddington said: “With the significant expansion planned for the Aylesbury region, it is important to promote companies like Red Rhino who provide the environmentally and cost efficient recycling equipment solutions to ensure that the construction growth is environmentally and economically well managed.”

 

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Tonnages double for Sandwell's garden waste collections

Sandwell metropolitan borough council has seen the participation levels for its fortnightly garden waste collections, rolled out earlier in the year, rise to more than 80% of its residents.

To launch the new collections, Shropshire-based Plastic Omnium supplied and delivered over 86,000, 240 litre two-wheeled bins to households in the West Midlands council area, during February and March this year, replacing a bookable, bagged, garden waste collection.

Sandwell council's recycling supervisor Ian O'Brien said: “Even at a time when much of the country was at a standstill with bad weather and snow, Plastic Omnium delivered a well-planned and well managed rollout and finished ahead of schedule.”