Materials Recycling Week
19 August 2011
View all stories from this issue.
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4R thrives on R&D
4Recycling won Best Recycled Product at last month’s NRAs for its agricultural fertiliser replacement product, Potassic Lime. What next for a company at the heart of the zero waste economy? MRW finds out -
A date with carbon-14
Tiffany Holland reports on a breakthrough technique to measure the renewable content of feedstock for energy-from-waste plants -
Anti-EfW campaigners challenge facility appeal ruling
A campaign group has applied to the Court of Appeal for leave to challenge the rejection of a Statutory Appeal against the construction of a 300,000-tonne energy-from-waste (EfW) incinerator facility. -
Backing for recycling metal-ended paperboard tubes
A leading packaging company has claimed sector support for the recycling of paperboard cans with metal ends. -
Call to reconsider banning cash deals for scrap
The Home Office has been urged to crack down on illegal scrap operators before banning the use of cash in trade transactions. -
Casepak moves closer to Leicester MRF opening
Casepak has reached a landmark in its construction of a £21m materials recycling facility in Leicester. -
Companies urged to improve their green reporting
The Environment Agency (EA) has called on large organisations to improve their environmental reporting and performance. -
Council targets 70% recycling goal within three years
Surrey County Council is claiming a 50% recycling rate for household waste - and promising to hit 70% within three years. A Government target requires councils to recycle at least half their household waste by 2020. -
County proposes volunteer-run recycling centres
Consultation over proposals that two waste recycling centres be run by volunteers has been concluded by a county council. -
EfW industry on hold as it waits for announcement on ROC levels
Renewables Obligation and ROCs explained -
Fire destroys paper at recycling site
Around 150 tonnes of baled paper have been destroyed by fire at SCA Recycling’s Cambridge site. -
Glass PRN market could crash again, says expert
Another crash in the price of glass packaging recovery notes (PRNs) is an “absolute certainty” if the Government does not set higher packaging recycling targets for 2012, says glass recycling firm Recresco director Tim Gent. -
Laid to rest
Unwanted mattresses have long been a type of waste that ends up in landfill but, as John Neill explains, they can now be 100% recycled -
Met council considers alternate-week collections
Another local authority could be set to shift to alternate-week refuse and recyclable collections - against ministers’ wishes. -
Mitie and Manchester Airport aim for zero waste to landfill by 2030
Outsourcing company Mitie and Manchester Airport have signed a £1.5m contract aimed at achieving zero waste to landfill by 2030. -
Mitie builds cash store for further growth
Outsourcing and energy services company Mitie has identified significant potential for growth in overseas markets. -
New household waste centre in Derbyshire
Derbyshire County Council has opened a new household waste recycling centre at a cost of £1.1m. -
Opportunity knocks
Bring banks and kerbside collections should be seen as complementary rather than conflicting solutions, writes Mandy Kelly -
Peterborough joins green bank bidders
Peterborough has joined the list of towns and cities seeking to host the government’s proposed Green Investment Bank (GIB). -
Planning consent for major biomass facilities
Drax Group has been awarded planning consent for two 1.4m tonne biomass facilities - but progress depends on the Renewables Obligation. -
Price correction expected for paper in Q4
Recovered paper industry figures are expecting a potentially “massive” price correction in paper prices towards the back end of 2011, as demand for material drops in the traditionally busy period from August to October. -
Scotland plans carrier bag consultation
The Scottish Government has announced plans to consult in the autumn on methods of reducing single-use carrier bag consumption. -
Sita looks to develop Lancashire waste site
Sita UK is preparing to apply to develop a site in Lancashire and create 30 jobs at a cost of £5m. -
Sita submits plans for Birmingham facility
Sita UK has submitted a planning application for a recycling and waste management facility in Birmingham that would divert about 170,000 tonnes of waste from landfill. -
Smurfit Kappa reports 137% increase in recycling input costs
Smurfit Kappa Group’s (SKG) half-year financial results show a 137% increase in year-on-year manufacturing costs within its European operations, putting pressure on margins. -
Tesco drops oxo-biodegradable bags
Tesco has stopped the use of oxo-biodegradable bags following a Defra report which questioned their environmental benefit. -
Up to 80% of flexible packaging waste landfilled
Around 80% of flexible packaging waste, such as plastic bags and laminate films, was landfilled in 2010, according to environmental consultancy Envicura. -
Viridor expected to hit full year profit growth
Viridor is confident of fulfilling its profit growth expectations for the current year, its parent company Pennon Group has stated in an interim management statement. -
Waiting for the RO banding review
REA is on tenterhooks for the RO Banding Review consultation which will set out proposed levels of support for different renewable power from 2013. -
Waste industry welcomes agency worker regulations
The waste management industry has welcomed forthcoming legislation aimed at improving rights for agency workers. -
Welwyn Hatfield council pledges £20,000 to anti-EfW campaign
Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council has agreed to provide £20,000 as part of a growing fund to legally challenge plans for a controversial 180,000-tonne Hertfordshire energy-from-waste (EfW) facility. -
What did the waste review really achieve?
…offers brickbats and bouquets -
Wood sector in flux
WRAP’s recent report into the wood sector gave an insight into some of the trends being experienced. But do these tally with what the industry has been experiencing? Andrea Lockerbie reports -
Workplace failings cost Lowmac Alloys £80,000
A recycling company has been fined £80,000 after a worker was severely injured when he was crushed between two skips. -
WRAP reports “good progress” in annual report
WRAP has reported “good progress” in its key priority areas, according to its annual report. -
WSR announces £4m investment programme
Waste management company WSR Recycling has announced a £4m expansion programme to more than double the capacity of its waste recovery site in Widnes, Cheshire.
