Materials Recycling Week
13 January 2012
View all stories from this issue.
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Norfolk incinerator decision due
Caroline Spelman is to announce this week if £169m of withheld private finance credits to fund a controversial incinerator in Norfolk will be released, according to local reports. -
Valpak deal details unveiled
Valpak has unveiled details of its proposed restructure, which would see its existing management buy 70% of the business and German compliance scheme owner Greenpoint snap up the rest. -
Wales targets 50% recycling in 2012
The Welsh government has targeted recycling at least 50% of its waste in 2012, a minister has announced. -
2012: Metals: Ian Hetherington
Metals recyclers recover around 15 million tonnes of metal and contribute an estimated £5 billion to the UK economy each year – making metals recycling the largest and most successful recycling sector in the UK. -
2012: Organics: Charlie Trousdell
It would be great if for 2012 we could finally have some consistent policy from all government agencies - and not just for the organic sector but for waste in general. -
2012: Paper: David Workman
For those of us who have spent the last few years representing industrial manufacturing sectors, what we have witnessed from the government during 2011 has been akin to a conversion. -
2012: Waste management: Steve Lee
The uncertain policy landscape will continue to be one of the main challenges for our industry and we need to be ready to respond quickly to Government on a range of important developments that will be taking shape in the first half of the year. -
2012: Wood: Peter Butt
The main issues for wood recyclers in 2012. -
A different attitude brings its rewards
Last January Sean Feeney started as chief executive of troubled WEEE recycler EnvironCom. Andrea Lockerbie finds out how he has re-focused the business and taken it from loss to profit -
AD industry 'not meeting customer needs'
The largest retail user of anaerobic digestion (AD) has warned the industry of “unacceptable” practices. -
Another council contract for UPM
Paper products firm UPM has signed-up another local council to supply commingled recycling to its Shotton MRF. -
Anti-metal theft trial launched in north east
Government, police and industry leaders have welcomed a trial scheme to help combat metal theft. -
Application made for Warrington landfill extension
WRG has submitted a planning application to extend the life of Arpley landfill site in Warrington - despite local opposition to the plan. -
Ardagh buys metal packaging firm
Aluminum packaging firm Boxal has been acquired by Dublin-based Ardagh Group. -
Barnsley contract goes to WRG
Waste Recycling Group (WRG) has won a three-year, £590,000, contract with Barnsley council with a possible two-year extension. -
Bin boss: council imports bad for environment and economy
A British bin manufacturer has insisted a council that awarded a contract to an overseas company made the wrong decision for the environment and the local economy. -
Bins fund details delayed
Local authorities will have to wait until February to learn how they can tap into a £250m pot to help fund weekly bin collections after ministers pushed back publication of the bid criteria, according to council chiefs. -
Boris calls for Xmas recycling effort
London mayor Boris Johnson has called on Londoners to maximise the recycling of Christmas waste to save the capital cash. -
Campaigners pledge to fight on against Norfolk incinerator
Campaigners against a planned incinerator in Norfolk have pledged to take their fight to central government after settling the bill from their doomed bid for a judicial review. -
Competence rules fears raised
A “worrying number” of waste treatment and metals recycling facilities face losing their licences for failing to comply with new competence rules, sector chiefs have warned. -
Cory backs 200th environmental project
Cory Environmental Trust in Britain (CETB) has backed its 200th project, and donated over £8m to community improvement schemes since its creation in 2003. -
Council defends continental bins contract
A council has defended itself from criticism over the award of a multimillion-pound wheelie bin contract. -
Councils take incinerator objections to Parliament
More than 20 town and parish councils have petitioned Parliament objecting to an Energy from Waste incinerator. -
County-wide waste scheme moves another step closer
West Dorset District Council has voted in favour of joining a county-wide waste and recycling service. -
Dockyard energy plan gets go-ahead
An energy-from-waste plant at Devonport Dockyard has been backed by planners in Plymouth. -
Don't dump Christmas presents - rent them out
Many thoughts may cross your mind when unwrapping that knitted jumper from Auntie Aggie on Christmas Day – but will you consider renting it out? -
Drinks manufacturers maintain sustainability progress
The British Soft Drinks Association (BDSA) has reported progress on four areas, including packaging, which are part of its strategy to reduce the sector’s environmental impact. -
Driver dies in accident at landfill site
A man has been killed at a landfill site in Cambridgeshire. -
EfW could lose out in rate-retention scheme
Energy from waste plants could be partially exempted from a government scheme to allow communities to benefit from business rate payments. -
EfW takeover offers development opportunity
Renewable energy firm Energos Holdings has acquired energy-from-waste business BioGen Power through a share swap arrangement. -
Electric waste trucks for the Square Mile
Six new hybrid electric refuse collection vehicles will hit the streets of the City of London in the New Year. -
Expansion for autoclave waste plant
An energy-from-waste firm has raised £5.1m investment to fund expansion of what is claimed to be a unique waste treatment facility. -
Export success for UK engineering firm
A West Country supplier has won a second export order from Scandinavia’s largest recycling company. -
Family firm brings international balers to UK
A family-owned machinary merchant in London has acquired the rights to sell items for a major US baler manufacturer. -
Hampshire wood contract awarded
An organics recycling firm has won a three-year contract to deal with waste wood in Hampshire. -
Illegal trade in the sights
With the launch of a £5m taskforce and a dedicated resource to deal with the issue of metal theft, Ian Hetherington considers the implications for the metals recycling industry -
Industry concern at packaging target proposals
The plastics recycling industry has expressed concern at proposed new government targets on packaging. -
Industry defends health and safety laws against PM attack
Industry figures have criticised plans by David Cameron to “kill” health and safety culture. -
Kent opts for weekly food rounds
All 15 Kent district councils will collect food waste weekly by the end of next year, research has revealed. -
Kent site has permit revoked
A household waste transfer site in Kent has had its permit revoked by the Environment Agency. -
Market queries value of offer to Valpak members
The proposed £1.4m restructure of compliance giant Valpak has prompted fresh questions from rivals about whether members are being offered the best possible deal for the business. -
MBT contract for Essex
The consortium of Urbaser and Balfour Beatty has been chosen as the preferred bidder to treat household residual waste, trade waste collected by local authorities, street sweepings, and all non-recyclable waste from household recycling centres across Essex. -
Metals giant makes two senior appointments
Metals recycling giant EMR has made two senior appointments to its board. -
Minister slams 'environmental Taliban'
Energy & climate change minister Greg Barker has rejected criticism by green campaigners of government efforts on the low-carbon agenda. -
Minister supports latest waste wood power plant
The Government has approved a new waste wood biomass plant - the 15th new power station backed in 2011. -
Minister: 'AD important to green revolution'
The government has reiterated its support for the anaerobic digestion industry. -
New contracts for waste management firm
Biffa’s municipal division has secured four new waste and recycling contracts. -
New delay for Redcar steel plant
The proposed re-opening of the former Corus steel plant on Teesside has been further delayed. -
Noise complaints lead to £150,000 fine
A London-based recycling company that sparked constant complaints from its neighbours has been fined £150,000 for two offences of operating without an environmental permit -
Norwich calls on Spelman to block burner
Norwich City Council has urged the government to block plans for an incinerator in nearby King’s Lynn amid speculation a ministerial decision on the project is imminent. -
Perils and pitfalls of purchasing an AD plant
Trelawney Dampney on customer service and client relationships -
Pickles: weekly bins a ‘class issue’
Communities secretary Eric Pickles has called weekly bin collections a “class issue” and accused those in favour of less frequent collections of being out of touch with public opinion. -
Rail waste transfer plans approved
Plans for a rail waste transfer station have been approved by local councillors in Merseyside. -
Recognition for cutting carbon emissions
Wastecycle, a Nottingham-based waste management company, has been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard certification for reducing carbon emissions generated by its operations. -
Recovered paper report
This month’s update of the sector -
Recycling advert to screen on Boxing Day
A television advert promoting electronics recycling will be screened on Boxing Day to catch people before they throw away unwanted Christmas gifts. -
Recycling firm fined for crushing equipment safety failings
A Yorkshire recycling company has been fined £8,000 for failing to protect workers properly against the dangers of cutting and crushing equipment. -
Revamped firm may look outside the UK
Valpak could look to expand outside the UK if its proposed £1.4m restructure is given the green light by members, a senior figure has indicated. -
Scottish councils seek waste contractor
Two Scottish councils are seeking a contractor to design, build, finance and operate shared facilities to treat 110,000 tonnes of residual waste per year. -
Season's greetings from MRW
Everyone associated with MRW wishes you a great 2012. We will be back on 3 January and raring to go -
Shoe banks' charity return criticised
Individual shoe recycling banks bring less than £4.50 a year to the charity they are advertised as benefiting, according to a national newspaper report. -
Shortlist for west London waste contract announced
Four bidders have been shortlisted for the long-term west London residual waste services contract. -
Shrewsbury EfW gets green light
Veolia has been given the green light to build a controversial £60m energy-from-waste facility in Shropshire. -
SITA plans cashless payments at all metal yards
One of the UK’s largest metal recyclers has launched a cashless payment system at one of its sites. -
SME food waste project launched by Defra
A fund to encourage innovative means of collecting food waste from small businesses and public sector buildings has been announced. -
Spotlight on 2012
MRW invited leading figures across different sectors to look ahead to the key issues they expect us to be reporting on in the coming 12 months -
Stephen Fry praises Veolia staff
Actor and presenter Stephen Fry has praised Veolia Environmental Services staff after they raised £80,000 for mental health charity Mind in 2011. -
Still no date for Redcar opening
The owner of the Redcar steel plant was this week unable to name a date for the long-awaited and delayed reopening of the iconic facility. -
Study could derail incinerator projects, experts warn
A Government-backed study into the potential health risks posed by incinerators could derail a raft of key projects, experts warned ahead of a crucial ministerial decision on a proposed energy-from-waste plant in Norfolk. -
Success for expanding metals firm
A major metals recycling firm has announced it is boosting its capacity in the UK after investing more than £6m and creating 25 new jobs. -
Tory councils to snub bin cash
Communities secretary Eric Pickles’ campaign to re-install weekly bin collections has been dealt a further blow with a group of Tory councils set to snub his offer of cash to fund changes to their collections. -
'Tougher' packaging targets proposed
Ministers have unveiled proposals for “tougher” packaging recycling targets in a bid to stop 400,000 tonnes of wrapping going to landfill by 2017. -
UK waste legislation '20 years out of date'
Manufacturers have branded UK waste legislation as “20 years out of date” and warned that material shortages are holding back recovery from the recession. -
Union disappointed by Redcar works delay
The union representing workers at the SSI Redcar steel works says it is disappointed by the latest delay to the plant restart, but is hopeful it will go ahead soon. -
Veolia facing possible US lawsuit
Waste management giant Veolia says its senior executives are facing a possible US-class action lawsuit. -
Viridor appoints business development director
Viridor has promoted Howard Ellard to business development director. -
Viridor secures waste partnership backing
Viridor has been named as preferred bidder to treat the South London Waste Partnership’s residual waste over the next 25 years. -
Wales hits record recycling rate
Wales recycled a record-breaking 49% of its municipal waste in the third quarter of 2011, figures revealed this morning. -
Warning sounded as government moots cashless metal sites
A cash ban in the scrap metal trade could increase illegal activity, a key industry figure has warned - after the government said it was considering the move. -
Waste reduction 'key to food security'
Tackling food waste is key to securing food production, the government’s chief scientific advisor has said. -
Why waste is everyone's business
The debate on waste incinerators should not pit the industry against the wider community -
WRG gains Neath recycle centre contract
Waste Recycling Group has won the contract to manage two household waste and recycling centres and a waste transfer station for Neath Port Talbot council.
