Teignbridge to launch new fleet
Teignbridge district council is set to launch a new fleet in spring 2024 under an ongoing contract hire arrangement with Specialist Fleet Services Ltd (SFS).
(Picture: Teignbridge district council)
The new 56-vehicle fleet includes 12 Refuse Collection Vehicles, 20 Romaquip Kerb-Sort recycling vehicles, a street-cleansing sweeper, and various vans for council services like car parks and enforcement.
Chris Braines, waste and cleansing manager, Teignbridge district council: “The new fleet will include the latest lower emissions technologies and assist us in providing the most efficient service we can, whilst improving our sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint. We have a long-standing and successful partnership with SFS who continue to provide a very professional service and a high standard of expertise,”
Cambridge introduces pink e-waste bins
The Greater Cambridge Shared Waste Service, a partnership between Cambridge Council and South Cambridgeshire district council, has installed pink e-waste bins across the area in an aim to decrease the amount of electronic waste in its black bins.
The pink bins are suitable for the collection of most small items with plugs or batteries, including phones, toys, and kettles. Once collected, recycling firm, Wiser Recycling, based in Thetford handles the sorting, refurbishing, and recycling of these unwanted appliances. Items that can be repaired and reused are tested for safety and functionality. Any items that are unsuitable for reuse are dismantled into component parts, many of which can also be reused, the councils said.
Executive councillor for climate action and environment at Cambridge City council, Cllr Rosy Moore said: “We’ve collected over 49 tonnes of small electrical appliances, from toasters to telephones, since the new banks were put in place – that’s about the same weight as seven African elephants, and 44 tonnes more than the previous year. We’re really pleased that more people have been able to easily recycle these items, which are full of vital materials like copper and lithium, closer to where they live.”
Beyondly members donate £49,000 to charity
The B corp environmental consultancy, Beyondly, has said that its Customer Impact Rewards initiative, introduced in 2022, saw its members come together to donate £49,199 to charity.
As part of this program, Beyondly selected five charities to be part of their mission: the National Oceanography Centre, The Cellar Trust, Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, The Toy Trust, and WasteAid.
WasteAid said that the donation will help its Organics Programme in The Gambia, which it says is “a vital project aimed at addressing food insecurity and deforestation by implementing a Circular Approach”.
European Recycling Industries Federation visits the Netherlands
The European Recycling Industries Federation (EuRIC) visited Renewi Westpoort in Amsterdam and Remondis in Son en Beugel on October 12.
(Picture: EuRIC)
The Federation explained the focus of this visit was the circularity of the construction industry and the role that recycling can play in achieving this goal.
According to the Federation within the European Union, the construction sector contributes to 10% of the overall economic value and sustains a workforce of around 25 million individuals across five million companies. However, it carries a significant environmental footprint, being accountable for approximately 12% of the European Union’s greenhouse gas emissions and is responsible for generating 30% of the total waste in Europe, amounting to 375 million tonnes of construction and demolition waste annually.
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