News in Brief

Community-based recycling group Newport Wastesavers has moved into a new 1.4 million “Cleanstream Resource Centre”, with hopes to recycle up to 80% of waste received there.

The centre has received funding from Newport council, the Welsh Assembly, Waste Council for Voluntary Action and from the European Union. The centre includes an education facility, recycling facilities and three workshops, which will provide training in kerbside recycling, electrical equipment refurbishment and furniture refurbishment.

Recycling facilities at the centre include collection bays and baling machinery for plastic bottles as well as a conveyor and baler to separate and compact steel and aluminium cans. The centre also includes an internal container for paper as well as containers to collect and transport glass and textiles.

The building was constructed using recycled material, while solar panels provide heat and power for the centre.

Mike Croxford, Wastesavers manager, said: “From here we can achieve our aims of giving people a chance by offering them skills and employment, educating the recyclers of the future and recycling as much as the residents of Newport will give us,” he added.

Wheeled bin supplier Taylor is to expand its production after gaining planning permission for a 60,000 sq ft expansion to its Worcestershire manufacturing facility.

The company was granted permission by Wychavon district council for the expansion, which will also include a 5,000 sq ft of new office space. The new facility will replace a storage facility at the Oak Park estate site near Kidderminster.

Announcing the proposed development, operations manager Alden Taylor said: “Planning permission is a milestone for Taylor. It allows the business to enter the next growth phase, where we will consolidate our strong market position with the development of further new products.”

Producer responsibility scheme Valpak has teamed up with environmental consultancy Environ to deliver its pre-compliance service for waste electronics.

New regulations next year will see producers of electrical or electronic equipment responsible for the collection and recycling of their share of waste equipment. Valpak's compliance service is one of a number of new schemes that will help producers with their obligations under the new regulations.

International environmental consultancy Environ has been brought in to help Valpak keep the costs of its compliance service low, it said.

Michael Sadler, head of Valpak’s pre-compliance service, said: “Teaming up with Environ gives our pre-compliance members the chance to tap into its expertise and provides even more added value to their membership.”

Dr Aidan Turnbull from Environ explained that the consultancy would help Valpak members assess costs and benefits of different options for collection and recycling. And, he said help would be provided on improving the “eco-design” of products to make them easier to dismantle, recycle and recover.

Dr Turnbull said: “Minimising the costs of compliance with this Directive means producers need to start taking action now.”

A recycling business in Fife is celebrating after reaching the one million tonne mark in the amount of recycling they have carried out.

The Purvis Group's Bowhill Restoration and Recycling Project was set up three years ago, creating 15 jobs. The project was originally intended to restore the former colliery site back to nature using waste materials generated by the building supplies company, but the Purvis Group also experimented in recycling to become successful at producing recycled aggregates.

Robert Purvis, who has led the recycling project, said: “The chance to become involved with Bowhill was a great opportunity to not only remove a local eyesore at no expense to the taxpayer but explore various recycling methods.

“While we have worked exceptionally hard to earn this success, we have had excellent support from Fife Council and, most recently, Scottish Enterprise Fife,” he said.