Peter Jones scoops composting sector prize

Mr Jones, who has featured heavily in the national media this week after making comments on the BBC's 'Ten O'Clock News' regarding the impact of recycling on global warming (see letsrecycle.com story), was credited by the judges with having helped to raise the profile of the composting sector and attempting to unify thinking on waste with that on energy and climate change

He was joint recipient of the lifetime achievement accolade alongside soil scientist Colin Rudd, who was recognised for his 35 years work in the sector.

Both men received their awards at a gala dinner staged as part of AFOR's annual conference, which was held at the National Motorcycle Museum, near Solihull, in conjunction with media partner letsrecycle.com.

The ceremony aims to honour marketing, innovation, research and development and partnership working within the organics recycling sector.

Potential

Mr Rudd is credited with recognising early on the potential for recycling industrial waste while working at the former Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (now Defra),

He has also worked for consultancy firm ADAS and co-wrote the guidance notes currently being used by the Environment Agency to regulate agricultural recycling operations. In 2006, he set up his support service for the composting sector called 4Recycling and continues to press for new permitting regulations.

Mr Jones was one of the founders of the Composting Organisation, which was renamed as AFOR last year. He spent 18 years working for Biffa, and is now Mayor Boris Johnson's advisor on the London Waste and Recycling Board.

Commenting on the awards, Jeremy Jacobs, managing director of AFOR, said: “We were very pleased with the quality of this year's entries especially with the new award categories. All sectors of the industry were well represented and reflected the excellent work that is being carried out.”

Winners

Other award winners on the night included Derbyshire in-vessel composting firm Vital Earth for its successful relaunch, which involved the company rebranding, expanding its range and promoting the changes within the media.

Lancashire-based organics recycling company TEG Environmental received the partnership award for the work it has undertaken with Sefton council in helping to establish food waste collections.

Meanwhile, waste management company Envar received the innovation in composting and machinery award for its six double-ended GICOM batch-composting tunnels at its Cambridgeshire composting facility, while the research and development award was earned by Wrexham-based IMC for its examination into food waste disposal in English and Welsh prisons.

And, Nick Treagus of the Green Composting Waste site in Tangmere, West Sussex, was awarded composting site manager award for his “exceptional commitment to his work and wider objectives behind composting”.

AFOR's Mr Jacobs said: “Composting and biowaste management is now a mainstream activity and is being embraced by a wider audience from householders through to the large waste management companies.

“Composting and the treatment of biodegradable resources have an important role to play to improve the sustainability of waste management treatment. Without the pioneering individuals in the industry, some of whom we have highlighted with these awards, none of this would be possible,” he added.