News in Brief

Already increasing its recycling, through centres like this one in Wakefield, Asda is now tackling waste reduction

Supermarket chain Asda is carrying out a “radical” trial that could reduce the amount of packaging it uses by 25%.

From next week, the company is to “substantially” cut the range of packaged fruit and vegetables, starting at two stores in the North West. Around 60 pre-packed products will be affected, with only fruits like raspberries to keep their packaging, the company said.

Asda, which is part of the retailers' Courtauld Commitment to cut waste, is marketing the reduction of packaging as a return to “traditional” shopping for its customers.

Asda's anti-packaging expert Emma Sinclair-Morris said: “We believe this return to traditional values could have a huge impact upon the amount of packaging thrown away every day. Reducing packaging is one of Asda's key objectives, and we are considering every option to achieve this.”

Three UK charities are now gaining funds as the result of paper recycling carried out by Aylesford Newsprint.

The Kent-based paper manufacturer donates money to charity for each tonne of newspaper recycled through its blue bank scheme. London's Great Ormond Street Hospital received 6,500 last year, while 1659 went to the Noah's Ark Appeal and 911 went to the South Gwent Children's Foundation.

Karen Newell of Aylesford Newsprint said: “It is fantastic that Aylesford is continuing to support all of these charities. Making a donation per tonne of recycled paper is a good way to encourage participation and show our support. A recent visit to Great Ormond Street Hospital really brought home the importance of their work and we are only too glad to help.”

The 1.3m upgrade has given the Boston site a covered drop-off point for household waste

Waste Recycling Group has completed the 1.3 million upgrade of a recycling centre in Boston on behalf of Lincolnshire county council.

The new-look, larger site includes a covered drive-through facility allowing residents to park their cars and drop off materials into containers from an elevated platform. WRG said waiting times have been “dramatically reduced” as a result, while new signage, enhanced security and longer opening hours are also set to improve the operation of the centre.

Cllr Richard Austin of Lincolnshire county council said: “This has proved a successful partnership between the public and private sectors. I hope these major improvements in accessibility and convenience will encourage more members of the public to use the facility, and make an even greater contribution to increasing recycling rates in the area.”

REPIC – the Recycling Electrical Producers' Consortium – has unveiled a new website to help electronics producers with their new recycling obligations under the WEEE Regulations.

REPIC, which is backed electrical trade associations AMDEA, SEAMA and Intellect and is currently waiting for formal approval as a WEEE producer compliance scheme – said its new Electronic Recycling Information Centre (ERIC) will allow its members to input sales data and also to track collected WEEE from point of collection through treatment and on to the generation of evidence.

Dr Philip Morton, chief executive of REPIC, said: “Our unique tracking system gives all our members piece of mind that we can monitor where every load of their end of life products came from and has gone to. ERIC also gives us the facility to monitor all our WEEE compliance targets, ensure our costs to members are transparent, low, and auditable, and regularly check that the whole process is working to the best possible standards.”

(left to right): WeeeCare production director Graeme Parkin and technical director Graham Whittaker with WasteCare MD Peter Hunt and WeeeCare chief executive Kevin Bray at the company's Leeds depot

WeeeCare, the producer compliance scheme being run by Leeds-based recycling and waste firm WasteCare, has pledged to “clearly and openly state” its costs of collecting waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).

The scheme, which has now been approved by the Environment Agency to assist electronics producers with their obligations under the WEEE Regulations, said its WEEE removal costs would start from “as little as 6 per tonne, with an average of 9”.

Kevin Bray, acting chief executive of WeeeCare, said: “Individual producers must know now how much the new rules will cost them, to plan for the future. To ensure minimal outlay and help producers decide which scheme to enrol with, WeeeCare was keen to be upfront and transparent about its costs from the outset.”