Materials Recycling Week
11 May 2007
View all stories from this issue.
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Barnet Council says 'no' to AWC
Barnet Council has told residents that it will not switch to alternate weekly collections (AWC) when its refuse contracts come up for renewal in the next few months. The view that fortnightly refuse collections boost recycling rates had been considered by the council. However, it is on course to meet its target to recycle 40% of waste by 2010 without introducing AWC. A survey of residents has shown high levels of satisfaction with existing weekly collections -
Bio Group unites three organics companies
To strengthen their position in the UK market, three organic waste companies will come together under a single parent company called the Bio Group. The companies, Material Change, Global Recycling Solutions and Cambridge Recycling Services, will retain their own names but will work closely together to develop and operate a network of existing facilities as well as creating new sites and operations. Bio Group chief executive Steve Sharratt said: The cre -
Britain falls short on ELV directive
Britain has one of the worst car recycling rates in Europe , according to a recent European Union report. -
Compost producers enjoy market promotion
International Compost Awareness Week 2007 (6 to 12 May), organised in the UK by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP), aims to promote the use and production of good quality green compost. The week is a joint venture between three of WRAPs campaigns: Compost At Home; Know Your Compost; and the Organics Programme. Compost producers have much to celebrate as a WRAP report has found that landscaping professionals are specifying more quality assured compost than ever before -
CRR to get Early Day Motion
Source separated recycling fans the Campaign for Real Recycling have taken their plans to Parliament. Supporters met up with Newport East MP Jessica Morden to launch their campaign. Outside the offices of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Local Government Association, Morden pledged to put forward a Parliamentary Early Day Motion to call for research into understanding the contribution quality material collections can make to br -
Draft strategy pushes green business benefits
To encourage businesses to recycle more the Mayor of London Ken Livingstone has published a draft strategy to emphasise the economic benefits of recycling and to help develop business specific services. Using case studies the draft strategy demonstrates that sustainable waste management and improved environmental performance can be profitable. Livingstone said: 75% of Londons rubbish comes from our businesses and my vision is that by 2020 the waste produced by -
EU proposes new raft of green legislation
The European Commission has released information on planned initiatives for what will be a busy year regarding the boosting of recycling in the European Union (EU). Anticipated actions include a green paper on sustainable consumption and production, suggesting improvement to integrated product policy, and including ecolabel, environmental management schemes, resource and waste policies and innovation. This oncoming broad-based consultation document was reveale -
Extra machinery installed to meet paper demand
The installation of extra machinery at M-reals New Thames Mill in Kent will mean more recycled paper coming onto the market. M-real New Thames Conversion Manager Alan Young said: Demand for recycled papers from customers is increasing, for commercial uses as well as photocopying, desktop printers and home use. As well as increased volumes, we can now provide a wider range of cut size products, with faster lead times and improved stock availability. -
Innovative Arrowbio hydro-plant proposed
A renewable fuels plant that uses water to separate commingled waste is at the planning stage for a site in West London. Park Royal Partnership (PRP), a not for profit company, wants to use the Arrowbio process, developed in Israel, to treat commercial waste and turn it into biogas, soil conditioner, biodiesel and water. PRP has been working on the proposal for a year and took it to Ealing Council four months ago. The proposed plant would have the capacity to -
M Baker Recycling bought out by management team
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) treatment services provider M Baker Recycling (MBR) has undergone a management buyout. The company has been bought by Environmental Intelligence whose directors Andy Slaney and Julie-Ann Adams have been involved in the setting up and operational management of MBR since its inception in 2001. Andy Slaney said: We are confident that with the investment this deal has secured, the huge potential of MBR in the WEEE re -
Mayor's fight against High Court ruling continues
The Mayor of London Ken Livingstone will continue to appeal against a High Court decision to allow West London Waste Authority (WLWA) to tender for an incineration contract. His oral application follows an Appeals Court refusal of his written application for leave to appeal. A spokesperson for the Mayor said: The High Court's decision means that WLWA could tender for a waste contract to incinerate West Londons waste. The effect of such a decis -
Public confusion about compostable and biodegradable materials
Consumer research has highlighted the confusion the public have over new forms of biodegradable and compostable packaging which retailers are increasingly introducing. The study commissioned by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) involved questioning over 400 members of the public in order to find out how informed they were about the materials. WRAP materials development manager Peter Skelton told the delegates of a recent Recoup-organised conference -
Specialist recycling firm due for expansion
A specialist recycling firm has initiated a significant expansion of its recycling services in anticipation of the Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive which comes into force July 1. The WEEE direct -
Survey reveals developers recognise green compost benefits
A survey to gauge peoples knowledge about using green compost on brownfield sites has revealed that a promising number recognise the benefits. More than half of the respondents to the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) survey understood that compost can improve soil nutrient levels (57%), soil structure (55%) and water retention (53%) on brownfield sites. However, work still needs to be done, by WRAPs Organics Brownfield programme, to educate developers -
Variable charges could backfire
If variable charging is introduced in areas with commingled collections it could have a detrimental effect on the recycling market, the Campaign for Real Recycling (CRR) has warned. This follows predictions that the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Waste Strategy will include an option to have variable charging waste schemes. The CRR supports variable charging in principle because financial incentives to encourage recycling will help in -
Waitrose to ban carrier bags for two weeks - COMMENT UPDATE
Waitrose supermarket stores are set to ban disposable plastic carrier bags for a two week trial period. Shoppers passing through Waitroses checkouts from May 14 will be greeted with new green tills which will be carrier bag free in 14 stores. It will also test -
WRAP makes results of HDPE recycling trial available
Results from a large scale trial into the commercial viability of producing recycled plastic milk bottles from food-grade HDPE are to be made freely available by the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP). The trial led to the successful development of what WRAP describes as world leading UK recycling technology that allows post-consumer milk bottles to be recycled back into food contact milk bottles. It would now like to see plastics processors, packagers a
