Compost Awareness Week 2008
From Sunday, May 4 to Saturday, May 10, organisations across the country will be encouraged to promoted the environmental benefits of composting in a bid to persuade more people to take part. The Waste and Resources Action Programme will help to co-ordinate the campaign.
Jane Gilbert, chief executive of the Composting Association, said: “Compost Awareness Week is a great opportunity for the composting and biodegradable resource management industries to raise awareness about the importance of composting and the role it plays in helping to make the country more environmentally friendly.”
Relocation for Yorkshire plastics recycler
A plastics recycling firm from Sheffield has reported that it is more productive than ever after receiving a £60,000 grant from Recycling Action Yorkshire.
Intruplas, which has helped Yorkshire businesses to divert nearly 1,300 tonnes of waste plastic from landfill a year, was given the money to relocate to Halifax after its site in Sheffield was sold for redevelopment.
Doug Anderson, of the Lynwood, Group, which is now the parent company to Intruplas, said: “We are now more efficient and more productive, and have been able to cut our lead times from eight weeks to two. Intruplas owns one of the most versatile plastic shredding systems in the UK, which gives us all a great competitive advantage.”
Recycling trials launched for students
Working with the Waste and Resources Action Programme and Green Lancaster, the university is offering a doorstep recycling service at its County College and a do-it-yourself service at Furness and Fylde Colleges, which will compete against each other for a prize. Materials collected will include mixed glass, plastic bottles and card.
Tom Roberts, the university's environmental co-ordinator, said: “These pilot schemes send out a clear message to students and staff that at Lancaster University people are expected to do their bit for the environment.”
Microsoft goes green in Northern Ireland
A computer refurbishment programme which aims to increase the number of low-cost computers available to charities and schools has been launched in Belfast.
Software giant Microsoft has started to take waste computers from local businesses before re-conditioning them and donating them to charities or schools. To date, the Microsoft Authorised Refurbisher (MAR) has already diverted 1,000 computers from landfill through two refurbishment companies. Microsoft is now recruiting more refurbishing businesses to work under the scheme.
Peter Russell, of Microsoft Northern Ireland, said: “We believe that the MAR programme is a realistic alternative to scrapping unused technology while extending its useful life with a growing number of charities and schools.”
Seminar success for Shanks
The company has revealed that during a series of events on legislation held at the Woburn Safari Park and High Point conference centre in the city, it was “amazed” by the level of interest. Around 200 delegated attended seminars on topics ranging from waste electrical equipment to pre-treatment of waste to landfill.
Shanks' sales and marketing director Robin Stevenson, said: “Shanks recognises the importance of communicating with our customers and events such as this reinforce the work we are doing operationally to provide a range of services to enable customers to maximise the amount they recycle.”
Register for free to comment