Materials Recycling Week
James Illman

AWCs are here to stay, Mr Pickles

28 September 2012
MRW’s extensive research on the £250m Weekly Collection Support Scheme published in July, which suggested that communities secretary Eric Pickles’ campaign to rid England of alternate weekly bin collections (AWCs) was failing, met a hostile reception from ministers.
We spoke to all councils: an emphatic 'no' to ditching AWCs

28 September 2012
Councils have emphatically snubbed communities secretary Eric Pickles’ £250m “bribe” to return to weekly rubbish collections, exclusive research confirms.
WRAP publishes EfW guide

12 September 2012
A guide for businesses looking at developing smaller-scale energy from waste facilities (EfW) has been launched by WRAP.
Defra’s revolving door leaves waste sector facing policy hiatus

7 September 2012
It has long been a frustration for senior figures in the waste industry that as soon as a minister or official gets their head around the sector, they leave.
Waste minister Lord Taylor leaves Defra

7 September 2012
Lord Taylor has left his post as waste minister to join the Home Office in a surprise late twist in the prime minister’s reshuffle.
Big interview: Lord Deben - pioneer peer of landfill tax

7 September 2012
As environment minister, John Gummer - now Lord Deben - was responsible for introducing the landfill tax. James Illman spoke to him about how he would refresh England’s waste policy if he was in charge
Defra guide on squeezing waste contracts due in autumn

7 September 2012
A guide on how councils can squeeze savings out of their waste contracts is to be published this autumn, as emails obtained by MRW about a similar pilot exercise reveal problems in “finding a joint direction”.
Deben declares support for waste separation camp

6 September 2012
John Major’s environment secretary Lord Deben has waded into the debate surrounding waste collection methods, and raised concerns about the number of climate change sceptics in Whitehall.
Waste chiefs deliver mixed response on Paterson

6 September 2012
Waste industry groups have delivered a mixed verdict on new environment secretary Owen Paterson, who appears more likely to prioritise economic growth over building the Government’s green credentials.
Paterson must embrace EfW says REA

5 September 2012
Renewable energy chiefs have made a plea to new environment secretary Owen Paterson to “embrace the waste to energy agenda” after it emerged he wants to ditch all energy subsidies.
Owen Paterson replaces Caroline Spelman at Defra

4 September 2012
Environment secretary Caroline Spelman has been replaced by Owen Paterson as part of David Cameron’s ministerial reshuffle.
GIB makes first waste investment

3 September 2012
A fund set up as a precursor to the Green Investment Bank (GIB) has made its first investment in the waste sector, ministers have announced.
Waste crime convictions rise

3 September 2012
The number of people sent to prison for serious waste crime offences has risen but enforcers have also recorded an increase in illegal waste sites, a new report reveals.
Celebrities and politicians sign up to National Zero Waste Week 2012

24 August 2012
Environmental celebrities, industry figures and politicians have signed up to a grassroots initiative to encourage householders to reduce landfill waste.
Defra unveils waste definition guide

22 August 2012
Defra has published fresh guidance on the legal definition of waste for UK industry and the broader business community.
'Business as usual' for AEA

10 August 2012
Sustainability consultants AEA Technology Group has published a statement insisting it is “business as usual” as it looks for a new owner.
WRAP income falls 18%

8 August 2012
WRAP’s income fell 18% to £65.6m between 2011/12 and the previous year due to its grant being cut, the not-for-profit company has announced.
AEA Technology Group woes laid bare

3 August 2012
Sustainability consultants AEA Technology Group says it could face “significant doubt” over the group’s ability to continue as a going concern.
Council launches first nappy round

2 August 2012
Cheshire West and Chester Council has launched England’s first nappy recycling service.
Welsh councils raise collection fears

1 August 2012
Local authorities in Wales have again urged policy makers to clarify what recycling collection methods are legally acceptable.
Defra unveils wood consultation

31 July 2012
Defra’s latest proposals tacitly rule out a fully-blown ban on landfilling wood and suggest ministers could consider no restrictions at all.
Ireland unveils waste policy

30 July 2012
The Irish Government has launched a new waste management strategy following a five-year policy review.
Mayor nominates LWARB chair

26 July 2012
Former environment minister Richard Tracey (Con) is poised to be appointed chair of the London Waste and Recycling Board (LWaRB) after being nominated by Boris Johnson.
WEEE Recast given green light

25 July 2012
The UK faces a steep increase in the mandatory recycling rates for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) following the European Union adopting the WEEE Recast.
PRNs price rise as glass target fears surface

25 July 2012
The value of packaging recovery notes (PRNs) has risen across a raft of material types as interim recycling data reveals a substantial slump in glass recycling.
EA faces ‘robust’ review

23 July 2012
Defra has launched a review of the Environment Agency and Natural England, saying it would provide a “robust challenge of both form and function” of both bodies.
Fears over rise in illegal scrap exports

20 July 2012
Police have begun drawing up plans to tackle a potentially sharp increase in the amount of scrap metal being exported illegally, according to a senior officer.
Police notch 400 metal theft arrests

20 July 2012
The police have made 400 arrests this year related to metal theft and seen crime levels decrease as a result of a voluntary scheme for scrap dealers, a senior officer has announced.
Defra fails to appease collection opponents

19 July 2012
Defra’s hopes of resolving the legal battle surrounding recycling collection methods by amending the waste regulations have been dashed as campaigners vowed to pursue their Judicial Review.
Defra sets out crucial collection regulations

19 July 2012
Defra has laid amended regulations before Parliament in a move aimed at drawing a line under the current legal battle surrounding recycling collection methods.
Treasury predicts landfill tax take rise

17 July 2012
The amount of landfill tax the Treasury forecasts to collect will rise £100m between 2014/15 and 2015/16 despite no corresponding rise in the chargeable rate, according to official projections.
Defra EfW guide faces fresh setback

17 July 2012
A long-awaited guide for residents addressing the environmental, economic and health issues related to energy from waste (EfW) faces fresh delays, MRW has learned.
EfW subsidy review faces fresh delays

17 July 2012
A crucial Government decision on the level of subsidy for renewable energy is set to be delayed – dealing a blow to a raft of energy from waste (EfW) projects.
Industry tries to agree acceptable contamination levels

13 July 2012
Waste chiefs are attempting to agree a pan-industry line on the thorny issue of what level of contamination should be allowed in material charged at the lower landfill tax rate, MRW has learned.
Scrap metal bill reaches key stage in the Commons

13 July 2012
A radical shake-up of the scrap metal trade could clear a significant hurdle in the House of Commons today (Friday) or be killed off.
Waste firm withdraws from IESE

12 July 2012
One of the 11 suppliers set to be involved with the UK’s first waste management services framework has announced its withdrawal from the controversial project.
New radioactive waste chair appointed

10 July 2012
Professor Laurence Williams has been appointed as chair of the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management, the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has announced.
Veolia UK profits surge 20%

9 July 2012
Veolia’s UK waste arm posted a 20% profits hike for last year as revenues from the company’s private finance initiative (PFI) contracts portfolio surged.
Councils reject ‘bribe’ to ditch AWC

6 July 2012
Community secretary Eric Pickles’ prolonged campaign to rid England of alternate weekly rubbish rounds looks set to end in failure, exclusive MRW research suggests.
Tory councils defend AWC as bidders target food waste

6 July 2012
Last September, a Daily Mail headline triumphantly announced ‘Weekly bins are on the way back! Minister pledges £250m fund to PAY councils to dump fortnightly rounds’.
Plastic bag data reveals Welsh success

5 July 2012
The number of single-use plastic bags issued by supermarkets has risen in England but dropped off in Wales following the devolved administration’s decision to tax carrier bags, official estimates have revealed.
HMRC publish interim landfill tax guidance

5 July 2012
Tax officials have published further guidance on when the lower rate of landfill tax should be applied, designed as an interim solution to the hiatus which has rocked the industry.
AD plant numbers rise by ‘a third’ in year

3 July 2012
The number of anaerobic digestion (AD) plants has risen by a third over the last 12 months, doubling the country’s capacity, Defra has announced.
Retailers and charities hold food waste talks

3 July 2012
Major retailers and charities are meeting at a Defra-organised summit to establish new plans for cutting food waste, ministers have announced.
Norfolk incinerator put on hold by Pickles

29 June 2012
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has waded into the King’s Lynn incinerator row with a dramatic intervention which could ultimately result in the plans being ditched.
GIB ready to step in on large waste PFI projects

29 June 2012
The Green Investment Bank’s (GIB) start-up team is poised to help out a number of waste private finance initiative (PFI) projects as major schemes struggle to secure traditional lending, MRW has learned.
Welsh recycling increases

28 June 2012
Wales recycled 48% of its municipal waste in the 2011-12 year to March – a four percentage point increase on the previous year, according to provisional estimates.
Fresh landfill tax guidance ‘won’t end saga’

27 June 2012
Tax officials are finally due to issue a keenly awaited third clarification of landfill tax - but industry chiefs warned the fresh guidance will not fully resolve the issues and “challenging” months lay ahead.
EC confirms commingled recycling

25 June 2012
The European Commission has confirmed commingled recycling collections are allowed under the revised Waste Framework Directive (rWFD).
LGA issues fly tipping warning

25 June 2012
Councils could face new barriers to prosecuting fly tippers at a time when illegal dumping could be set to rise, papers being discussed by council leaders have warned.
Call to phase in food waste landfill ban

22 June 2012
Waste leaders insisted a ban on sending food to landfill was a “vital step” as figures revealed around 169 English councils still have no separate food waste collections.
Defra EfW guide ‘before recess’

21 June 2012
A long-awaited guide for residents addressing the environmental, economic and health considerations related to energy from waste is expected to be published next month.
ESA raises landfill tax eligibility issue

21 June 2012
Landfill site operators have raised fresh questions about how customers dumping waste can prove the material is of the required standard to attract the lower tax rate.
Scots make recycling ‘on the go’ easier

19 June 2012
Hundreds of new recycling bins are being installed in busy public places across Scotland to make it easier for people to recycle when they are out and about.
Industry braced for fresh landfill guidance

18 June 2012
A third statement on trommel fines could be published as early as today (18 June) as tax officials try to resolve the controversial landfill tax dispute.
Taylor sets out his vision for waste

15 June 2012
Waste minister Lord Taylor has labelled efforts to persuade councils to return to weekly bin rounds a “political imperative” and slammed some Tory MPs as “short sighted”, during an exclusive MRW interview.
Big Interview: Lord Taylor on the challenges ahead

15 June 2012
In an exclusive interview, waste minister Lord Taylor tells MRW how the Government is facing up to the challenge of bringing cohesion to the UK’s recycling and waste policy. James Illman reports
Defra admits struggle to engage on waste prevention

13 June 2012
Defra is struggling to get businesses and stakeholders outside the industry to engage with its desire to drive up waste prevention, a senior official has conceded.
CIWM chief slams Defra's vision on waste

13 June 2012
Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) chief executive Steve Lee this week mocked last year’s waste review and urged Defra to take note of the Wales and Scotland government’s recycling plans.
Fresh landfill tax guidance on way as saga continues

13 June 2012
The Government is to publish yet another guidance note on the controversial landfill tax changes - the third in a month - as the chaotic saga rumbles on.
WEEE recast edges closer

11 June 2012
The Waste Electrical and Electronic (WEEE) recast has edged closer to becoming law after backing from the European Council of Ministers.
Landfill tax clarification is ‘shambles’

7 June 2012
Clarification by Whitehall of controversial landfill tax (LFT) changes has been labelled a “shambles” by Labour and done little to defuse anger within the waste industry.
Crisis summit as landfill tax row rumbles on

6 June 2012
Waste firms are to meet Government officials today for further talks on controversial landfill tax guidance after clarifications late last week failed to assure industry leaders.
Landfill fee increases 'reversed'

1 June 2012
Re-issued guidance on the controversial landfill tax changes will result in “landfill sites reversing their fee increases”, according to a Treasury letter seen by MRW.
Landfill fee increases to be reversed

1 June 2012
The Treasury has revealed “clarifications” to the controversial landfill tax changes that will result in “landfill sites reversing their fee increases”, according to a Treasury letter seen by MRW.
Skip leaders ‘delighted’ with tax clarification

1 June 2012
Skip bosses have declared they are “delighted” with proposed clarifications to the controversial landfill tax changes.
HMRC to further ‘clarify’ landfill tax

1 June 2012
The Government is to publish further clarification on its controversial landfill tax changes but insists it is not making a U-turn.
Investment firm to inject millions into waste

1 June 2012
A private equity firm focusing solely on the waste sector is set to inject tens of millions of pounds into a series of projects.
Businesses shut as tax hike bites

31 May 2012
Campaigners against the landfill tax hike say waste disposal businesses are closing at a rate of four a week and they are warning that a Jubilee weekend protest is growing more likely.
Labour: landfill tax hike ‘scandalous’

31 May 2012
Labour has labelled controversial landfill tax changes a “scandalous tax hike on small businesses” and warned ministers risk destroying jobs and economic growth.
MP brokers skip crisis talks at Parliament

29 May 2012
A Labour MP has invited senior Government figures including prime minister David Cameron to emergency talks in an attempt to thrash out a deal over the controversial landfill tax hikes.
Skip protest threatens Jubilee chaos

29 May 2012
Skip operators are to offer prime minister David Cameron an ultimatum: freeze the controversial landfill tax hike or prepare for Queen’s Jubilee weekend chaos.
Councils face street waste costs hike

29 May 2012
New guidelines on the treatment of street sweepings and gully emptyings could place an additional cost burden on councils, waste chiefs fear.
Scottish businesses urged to improve waste record

28 May 2012
More than half the waste Scottish businesses put into black bags is potentially recyclable, according to fresh research by Zero Waste Scotland.
MEPs vote for landfill ban

28 May 2012
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have called on EU member states to roll out new waste proposals including a ban on landfill, a cap on incineration and revision of the 2020 targets.
BIS names Green Bank team

25 May 2012
Ministers have named the duo in charge of the Green Investment Bank (GIB).
Waste firms write to ministers over landfill tax changes

25 May 2012
Pressure is mounting on ministers over controversial landfill tax changes after a coalition of small waste firms urged a re-think and lawyers warned the move would stymie an economic recovery.
Skips in Parliament Square protest over landfill tax

24 May 2012
Skips brought traffic around Parliament Square to a standstill for three hours to protest over changes to the landfill tax.
Tax changes rock industry

24 May 2012
Changes to landfill tax rules have sent shock waves through the waste industry as the tax cost of disposing of certain materials surged 2,460% overnight.
LWaRB holds talks with charities over textiles plan

24 May 2012
The London Waste and Recycling Board (LWaRB) has held “constructive” talks with charity bosses over controversial plans to tender for a pan-London textile recycling bank contract.
Energy Bill 'does nothing' to solve uncertainty

23 May 2012
The draft Energy Bill has failed to provide the firm commitment to renewables crucial to lever in finance for energy-from-waste (EfW) projects, industry chiefs have told MRW.
Government 'misses a trick' with rates-for-waste plans

22 May 2012
Plans to hand councils fresh financial incentives to host renewable energy projects including waste plants have been given a lukewarm reception from industry chiefs.
Lord Lewis steps down from key role

21 May 2012
The Veolia Environmental Trust has appointed a new chair and executive director.
Slashing waste red tape 'risks environment'

21 May 2012
A Government bid to slash red tape, which includes scrapping a raft of waste regulations, risks sweeping away laws vital to protecting the environment, an influential group of MPs has warned.
Waste projects get rates boost

17 May 2012
Councils are to be handed fresh financial incentives to host new renewable energy projects including waste plants, ministers have confirmed.
Waste offender’s permit revoked

17 May 2012
A waste operator has his permits revoked following a string of offences, the Environment Agency has announced.
Planning shake-up 'good for waste' insists official

16 May 2012
A senior government official this week rejected claims that ministers’ decision to omit waste from new planning guidelines would stall the development of vital infrastructure.
London waste board yet to hand out bulk of promised loans

16 May 2012
A flagship waste funding agency has handed out just a quarter of the value of loans it has pledged to companies since it was launched, MRW has learned.
Cleverly to quit LWaRB

14 May 2012
London Waste and Recycling Board (LWaRB) chairman James Cleverly is to leave, MRW has learned.
MPs: food waste strategy falling short

14 May 2012
A blueprint to tackle the UK’s “failing food system”, including greater funding for food waste collections, has been laid out by an influential committee of MPs.
Revealed: MRF code of practice details

11 May 2012
Defra has presented plans for its much-vaunted materials recovery facilities code of practice to key stakeholders, MRW has learned.
Councils make fresh attempt to grab PRN cash

11 May 2012
Councils are stepping up attempts to grab a slice of the cash generated by the Packaging Recovery Notes (PRN) system, ahead of a crucial report expected next month.
Scotland passes ambitious waste laws

10 May 2012
The Scottish Parliament has passed a raft of waste laws.
Packaging guide for councils launched

10 May 2012
Fresh guidance for councils on environmental and economic quick wins available through collecting rigid plastic packaging such as pots, tubs and trays has been issued by Wrap.
GIB and Energy Bill in Queen’s Speech

9 May 2012
A new Energy Bill and legislation to set up the Green Investment bank (GIB) will be on the Parliamentary programme for the coming year.
Boris urged to up his game on waste

8 May 2012
Boris Johnson was in bullish mood after securing another four years at the City Hall helm but he faces calls from the industry to up his game on waste.
Minister targets plastic bottles

3 May 2012
Waste minister Lord Taylor has outlined plans to boost plastic bottle recycling which could see producers sign up to a new responsibility deal.
Firms urged to aid councils bin cash bid

3 May 2012
Waste firms have been urged by ministers to help councils with their bids for cash from the £250m weekly bin collection fund.
IESE framework appoints all bidders

2 May 2012
A much-vaunted project to provide cost effective waste services to more than 100 councils has attracted a lukewarm reaction from industry with less than half of the firms invited to tender submitting bids.
MEPs call for waste policy overhaul

2 May 2012
Members of the European Parliament have called on the European Commission to publish plans to ban landfill as part of a shake-up of waste disposal policy.
Council faces landfill misuse claims

30 April 2012
A council is under pressure to probe claims “hundreds of tonnes” of material destined for its materials recovery facility (MRF) were deliberately sent to landfill instead.
Livingstone's 'cheeky' waste claims challenged

26 April 2012
The chairman of the London Waste and Recycling Board has countered claims by Ken Livingstone about his record on waste management when he was the capital’s mayor.
Can onsite disposal system redraw waste landscape?

20 April 2012
An on-site waste disposal unit no bigger than a large chest freezer and as easy to use as a washing machine sounds like a pretty neat piece of kit.
GIB will be used to bail out large waste PPP projects

19 April 2012
The Green Investment Bank (GIB) will bail out flagging public-private partnership (PPP) waste projects at the expense of riskier schemes, it has been revealed.
Defra unveils cash for local recycling projects

19 April 2012
Community groups, charities and councils with innovative ideas to accelerate recycling rates can now apply for a slice of £650,000 of funding, Defra has announced.
Bin fine curb will harm vulnerable, warn charities

17 April 2012
Plans to curb councils’ abilities to fine residents for waste offences such as putting their bin out on the wrong day will hit vulnerable residents, charities and councils have warned.
Watchdog in WEEE crackdown

17 April 2012
Fresh guidance on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) recovery has been published in a bid to clamp down on illegal activity in the sector.
Big interview: Anne McIntosh MP

6 April 2012
Efra chair and Conservative MP Anne McIntosh hopes to push the waste industry’s concerns up the agenda
While Defra dithers, industry wonders where policy is heading

6 April 2012
Defra’s stuttering progress on its waste review was laid bare as a progress report revealed delays on key projects and sparked fundamental questions about the sector’s strategic direction.
PRNs revenue drops by third

4 April 2012
Packaging recovery note (PRN) revenues dropped by nearly a third in 2011, according to official data published by the Environment Agency to replace previous figures it said were published in error.
Key bidders snub iESE framework

3 April 2012
Serco and Kier are among key firms snubbing the opportunity to take part in a controversial waste framework contract.
Weekly rubbish collections shunned

3 April 2012
Just one out of 184 councils responding to a survey about the Government’s weekly collection fund is bidding for cash to revert to a weekly black bag round.
Defra waste chief leaves

30 March 2012
Defra’s senior waste civil servant Nigel Thornton is stepping down from the role as part of a shake-up of the department’s senior waste personnel.
MRF code expected to be mandatory

30 March 2012
Ministers have begun drafting the MRF code of practice, MRW understands, as operators and reprocessors gear up for showdown talks on quality standards in April.
Criticism mounts over planning hiatus

30 March 2012
Ministers’ decision to delay crucial waste planning guidance for up to 18 months drew strong criticism from industry and political opponents this week.
Planning delays branded a ‘joke’ by shadow minister

28 March 2012
Defra’s decision to delay the National Waste Management Plan has been slammed by a shadow minister as the outcry over the planning muddle grows.
Onsite gasification unit set for launch

28 March 2012
A product designed to save the healthcare sector “millions of pounds a year” by allowing on-site disposal of non-recyclable organic waste is to be launched later this year.
Further planning blow as Waste Management Plan delayed until 2013

27 March 2012
The publication of a National Waste Management Plan (NWMP) has been delayed, adding to industry concerns that waste projects could face significant hold-ups.
Planning reforms exclude waste despite pressure

27 March 2012
Ministers have ignored pleas to directly address the waste sector in new planning guidelines, sparking fears waste projects could be hampered.
Packaging data underlines plastics challenge

27 March 2012
Producers scraped past the 2011 plastics packaging target, provisional data has suggested, leaving a much work required to hit tougher targets in 2017.
Defra targets waste PFIs for savings

23 March 2012
Waste private finance initiative contracts are to be targeted for retrospective savings as part of probe launched this week, MRW can reveal.
Budget 2012: Green economy hopes dashed

21 March 2012
George Osborne largely ignored the waste industry’s demands in a Budget which dashed fleeting hopes the sector could benefit if the Chancellor opted to use his annual statement to boost the green economy.
Budget 2012: Packaging targets announced

21 March 2012
Ministers are to forge ahead with new tougher packaging recycling targets later this year, including a controversial 5% annual hike for the plastics sector, the Chancellor confirmed in the Budget.
Senior Tory slams push for weekly bin round

21 March 2012
Former environment secretary Lord Deben has become the latest high-profile Tory to speak out against ministers’ campaign to increase weekly rubbish collections.
Waste laws poised to be slashed

19 March 2012
A raft of waste regulations are set for the axe, ministers have announced.
Budget 2012: Planning reforms to get go-ahead

19 March 2012
A radical shake-up of planning rules will feature in this week’s Budget, the prime minister has confirmed, following waste experts lambasting draft proposals.
Resource action plan a ‘good first step’ but is it enough?

19 March 2012
The importance of resource security has been profoundly underlined by an international row currently simmering between the US and China about the export of rare earth metals.
Defra unveils resource security plan

16 March 2012
Ministers have pledged to hand recyclers a key role in an action plan to protect the UK from a global shortage of precious metals and materials.
Industry could get EfW evidence opportunity

16 March 2012
The energy-from-waste (EfW) industry could be handed a major opportunity to sell itself to a nervous public after an influential MP called for a “much wider public debate” on incineration.
AD boss slams 'mixed messages' over food waste

16 March 2012
The Anaerobic Digestion (AD) industry is being held back by a lack of organic waste targets, a senior industry figure warned this week.
Bins fine proposals rubbished

15 March 2012
Waste chiefs and council leaders have issued robust defences of existing legal powers to fine residents who repeatedly misuse waste collection services.
Radioactive waste policy published

14 March 2012
Ministers have published a strategy for dealing with low-level radioactive waste from the non-nuclear industries.
Councils fear commingling legal rows

13 March 2012
Councils could face costly legal battles because of proposed changes to waste collection laws, representatives have warned.
More evidence councils will shun bins fund

12 March 2012
Nearly half the local authorities who took part in fresh research on Eric Pickles’ weekly bins collection scheme have said they are not going to apply for funding.
Councils four years ahead of landfill target

9 March 2012
Councils sent less than 6.5m tonnes of biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) to landfill in 2011-12 – nearly a fifth less than the previous year - according to official figures published this week.
Budget 2012: Industry calls for tax breaks

8 March 2012
Waste chiefs have urged George Osborne to unlock the growth potential of the industry with tax incentives in this month’s Budget.
Plastics PRNs ‘could hit £65’

8 March 2012
Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs) for plastics could rise more than ten times their current value to around £65 if ministers introduce proposed new recycling targets, packaging experts have predicted.
Edinburgh to host Green Bank HQ

8 March 2012
The headquarters of the Green Investment Bank will be based in Edinburgh after the Scottish capital saw off competition from 18 other cities.
Budget 2012: Plea to shake up packaging notes system

7 March 2012
Reprocessors have urged chancellor George Osborne to give the UK plastics recycling market a boost in the Budget by shaking up the producer responsibility system.
Councils can cash in on businesses, says Wrap

7 March 2012
Councils should boost their coffers by providing more business recycling and waste services, Wrap has said.
Welsh waste infrastructure fund opens for bids

6 March 2012
Small and medium recycling firms in Wales can apply for grants from a £4.2m infrastructure fund, Wrap Cymru has announced.
Veolia UK posts revenue hike

2 March 2012
Veolia’s UK waste business has reported a 6.7% rise in revenue to €1.65bn (£1.38bn) in 2011.
Biomass sector dealt double blow

2 March 2012
The evolving biomass industry has been dealt a double blow in recent days with a fire at the UK’s largest facility and an energy firm ditching plans for a key plant.
Defra makes hazardous waste plea

2 March 2012
Defra has called on waste firms to shop companies dealing with hazardous waste outside the law, amid concerns that producers are sidestepping legislation.
Contractual tangles warning for weekly collection fund bidders

2 March 2012
Councils will have to clear a number of costly hurdles with their waste management contractors if they successfully bid for a slice of the government’s £250m weekly collection fund, waste experts warned this week.
Natural England drops Norfolk concerns

1 March 2012
Cory Wheelabrator’s bid to build an incinerator in Norfolk has received a significant boost after Natural England withdrew its concerns about the site.
Hertfordshire incinerator set back

1 March 2012
Veolia’s proposed Hertfordshire energy from waste plant has been dealt a fresh blow after ministers told the local council to halt plans designed to pave the way for its construction.
Veolia bullish despite €490m loss

1 March 2012
Veolia has reported a net loss of €489.8m (£410m) in 2011 following substantial restructuring costs and write downs across its global business.
Deben to chair food waste supergroup

29 February 2012
Former environment secretary Lord Deben has been given a key role in an attempt to eradicate food waste from landfill by 2020.
Councils slammed as 'archaic' over plastic bottles slight

29 February 2012
A senior industry figure has branded councils that do not collect plastic bottles for recycling as “archaic” and accused them of presiding over “environmental madness” as the sector gears up for a huge targets hike.
Tilbury fire sparks Biomass safety warning

28 February 2012
Biomass plants pose “considerable public safety risks”, environmental campaigners have claimed, following a blaze at Tilbury power station in Essex.
Norfolk incinerator flood issue resolved

28 February 2012
Flood risk and drainage arrangements for the proposed King’s Lynn incinerator site in Norfolk have been given the all clear by the Environment Agency.
Fire rages at leading biomass plant

27 February 2012
A blaze has erupted at Tilbury power station in Essex, Britain’s largest dedicated biomass plant, after 4,000 tonnes of fuel in storage cells caught fire, according to reports.
Recycling in Scotland flatlines

27 February 2012
Scottish councils recycled 43.6% of the household waste they collected between July and September 2011, according to official statistics.
Pickles attacks weekly collection rebels

27 February 2012
Eric Pickles has accused Sheffield City Council of “intentionally ignoring” his £250m weekly bin collections fund and urged the authority to review its recent decision to move to fortnightly bin collections.
Drax scraps biomass plans

24 February 2012
The UK bio-energy sector has been dealt a “potentially significant blow” with energy giant Drax axing plans to build a biomass plant in Yorkshire.
Fledgling waste projects set for funding boost

24 February 2012
EXCLUSIVE: Fledgling waste projects are set to benefit from crucial funding as ministers finalise arrangements for UK Green Investments’ £100m waste fund.
Scottish landfill tax flaw highlighted

22 February 2012
Ministers are to correct a legal “flaw” that means landfill sites in Scotland have been outside the scope of landfill tax for more than a decade.
Ministers to unveil bioenergy strategy

22 February 2012
Ministers are set to publish a UK bioenergy strategy next month, energy minister Greg Barker has told MPs.
Veolia submits fresh plans for Nottinghamshire waste

22 February 2012
Veolia has submitted fresh plans to Nottinghamshire County Council after ministers rejected proposals for an incinerator last year.
No soft loans from GIB, warns chief

21 February 2012
The Green Investment Bank will have lending criteria akin to its private sector counterparts, according to a senior member of the start-up team, who warned there would be “no soft loans”.
Welsh government defends waste record

20 February 2012
The Welsh government has defended its recycling record following a critical report claiming a row between the executive and councils about collection methods was undermining efforts.
WEEE compliance clampdown

20 February 2012
Ministers are clamping down on councils failing to comply with their waste electrical and electronic compliance (WEEE) obligations.
Welsh recycling efforts 'hindered by gov't approach'

17 February 2012
Welsh recycling efforts are being undermined by disagreements between ministers and councils about what collection methods work best, according to an official report.
Fresh fears over lack of support for incinerators

17 February 2012
Industry chiefs are concerned that energy-from-waste (EfW) projects could be further undermined by guidance the government is drawing up for councils, MRW has learned.
Plastics chiefs’ confidence dip

16 February 2012
Plastics industry chiefs are less confident about market conditions for 2012 than in recent years, according to a survey.
BPF lobbies Treasury over targets

15 February 2012
The British Plastics Federation has attempted to circumvent Defra and take its grave concerns over “unachievable” packaging targets to the Treasury.
Veolia project attacked by minister

13 February 2012
Veolia’s plans for an incinerator in Hertfordshire have been criticised by a government minister, who claimed residents were being kept in the dark over the proposed plant.
Packaging targets criticised by industry

10 February 2012
Proposed plastics packaging recycling targets have been labelled “politically driven” and “deeply concerning” by industry chiefs as the government consultation on the new objectives closes.
Waste minister hints at mandatory MRF code

10 February 2012
Waste minister Lord Taylor last week gave a heavy hint that the long-awaited code of practice for materials recovery facilities (MRFs) would be made mandatory.
Minister backs IESE framework

9 February 2012
Lord Taylor has given his backing to a controversial project to save councils £85m on waste contracts by pooling their buying power, as the deadline to submit tenders was delayed.
Cory closes Norfolk deal

8 February 2012
Cory Wheelabrator has formally signed a deal with Norfolk County Council to build and run the controversial King’s Lynn incinerator.
Watchdog probes toxic waste export

8 February 2012
The Environment Agency is to probe how a reported 113 shipping containers of toxic waste from the UK and the Netherlands ended up in Indonesian waters.
Northern Ireland opts for plastic bag tax

8 February 2012
A 5p tax on plastic carrier bags is to be introduced in Northern Ireland next year, an environment minister announced last week.
BPF slams ‘ridiculous’ packaging targets

7 February 2012
The British Plastics Federation has slammed Defra’s proposed plastics packaging recycling targets, labelling them “unachievable and deeply concerning”.
Minister: councils should adopt business recycling code

7 February 2012
Waste minister Lord Taylor has urged every council in England to commit to a voluntary code to drive up business recycling.
Peake joins Kier

6 February 2012
Former May Gurney waste chief Nicola Peake has joined Kier’s environmental services division, MRW has learned.
Food (waste) for thought from Pickles

6 February 2012
Eric Pickles’ has used the media well to promote his campaign to banish alternate weekly bin collections, so it was curious he chose last Friday to publish the Weekly Collection Support Scheme prospectus.
FoE: Pickles ‘seen sense’ on bins plans

3 February 2012
Green campaigners have praised Eric Pickles for “belatedly seeing sense” in allowing councils to bid for funding for food waste collections.
Food bids allowed for weekly collection fund

3 February 2012
Councils will be able to bid for a slice of the £250m weekly bin collections fund if they want to develop food waste collection services as well as residual waste services, Eric Pickles has revealed.
Waste criminals beware

3 February 2012
The residents of Colnbrook, a large village situated three and half miles south east of Slough, said their lives had been made “hell” by their local scrap metal dealer.
MRF code consultation ‘in summer’

2 February 2012
Defra will consult on a code of practice for materials recovery facilities (MRFs) in the summer, if ministers agree to make the code mandatory, Lord Taylor has said.
WRAP hands plastic recycler boost

1 February 2012
ECO Plastics is set to boost its rigid plastic packaging recycling capacity by 15,000 tonnes after landing a £1.15m loan from WRAP.
Bins cash details expected amid Tory rebellion

1 February 2012
More Tory councils have announced plans to snub government cash for weekly residual waste collections as ministers prepare to unveil details of the much-hyped £250m fund this week.
Two incinerator projects move forward

1 February 2012
Two major waste projects edged forward last week in Leeds and Gloucestershire.
District council to fight Norfolk incinerator approval

27 January 2012
A Tory-led district council has announced it will legally challenge Defra’s decision to part-fund the controversial £500m Norfolk incinerator project, claiming financial arrangements impeded fair debate.
EA crime chief targets 300 site shutdowns

27 January 2012
A senior Environment Agency figure has outlined his ambition to shut down almost 300 illegal waste sites in England and Wales following a £5m cash investment into the watchdog’s crime unit.
Meeting sparks hopes of MRF code decision

27 January 2012
Waste industry chiefs are set to meet Defra officials in the next fortnight to re-assert pressure on ministers to force all material recovery facility (MRF) operators to sign up to a code of practice.
What next in the Norfolk incinerator row?

27 January 2012
Spelman releases £91m of private finance initiative (PFI) credits prompting another legal challenge
Valpak directors complete buy-out

26 January 2012
Valpak’s new owners have said they will seek to develop new services for the UK and European markets after completing their controversial buy-out of the compliance giant.
Incinerator study gets green light

24 January 2012
A fresh government-backed study into the potential health risks of incinerators has been given the go-ahead, sparking concerns that key projects could be de-railed.
Halve food waste by 2025, say MEPs

23 January 2012
Urgent measures to halve food waste by 2025 and to improved access to food for needy citizens across Europe are needed, MEPs have announced.
Axing HWRCs a concern, agrees minister

23 January 2012
A defra minister has urged councils to ensure the closure of household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) does not lead to additional waste going to landfill.
Landfill firm fined

23 January 2012
A Kent firm has been fined for repeatedly breaching its landfill permit, the Environment Agency has announced.
Valpak deal ‘ludicrous’, says rival

20 January 2012
Valpak directors have been accused of trying to buy the company “on the cheap”, ahead of a crucial vote on the future ownership of the compliance scheme.
Former Valpak CEO questions value of proposed buyout

20 January 2012
Valpak members should “seriously question” voting in favour of a proposed £1.4bn restructure of the company, a former chief executive of the compliance giant said this week.
Doubts raised over benefits of waste framework

20 January 2012
A much-vaunted waste procurement framework designed to save councils £85m by pooling their collective buying power will not achieve its aims, consultants warned this week, as leading suppliers geared up to submit their final bids.
Cheshire waste project set for chop

19 January 2012
Council leaders are calling for plans for a £850m waste disposal contract to be ditched after they failed to overturn a government decision to withdraw funding.
Norfolk incinerator gets all clear

18 January 2012
Caroline Spelman is to release withheld private finance credits worth £91m to fund a controversial incinerator in Norfolk – a move which could prompt a legal challenge.
Industry 'concerns' over bin fine plans

17 January 2012
Proposed changes to the law by which householders can be fined by local authorities for misuse of rubbish could see councils forced to “jump through onerous hoops”, waste experts have warned.
Lib Dem calls for tougher landfill targets

17 January 2012
Tougher targets are needed to reduce the amount of biodegradable waste sent to landfill, a former Liberal Democrat environment spokeswoman has told a House of Lords debate.
AD loans still available

16 January 2012
Loans from a £10m pot to finance anaerobic digestion (AD) projects launched last year are still available, after administrators revealed it had received seven bids to date.
Council faces EfW fight costs

13 January 2012
A dispute over a £60m waste incinerator near Shrewsbury could cost Shropshire Council about £500,000, according to the authority’s leader.
Study could derail incinerator projects, experts warn

13 January 2012
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.
Market queries value of offer to Valpak members

13 January 2012
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.
Revamped firm may look outside the UK

13 January 2012
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.
Norfolk incinerator row deepens

12 January 2012
Councillors who backed the King’s Lynn incinerator contract are facing calls from opponents for a fresh probe into the decision as the row over the controversial project deepened.
Shrewsbury EfW gets green light

11 January 2012
Veolia has been given the green light to build a controversial £60m energy-from-waste facility in Shropshire.
Norwich calls on Spelman to block burner

10 January 2012
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.
Bins fund details delayed

9 January 2012
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.
Norfolk incinerator decision due

9 January 2012
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

6 January 2012
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

5 January 2012
The Welsh government has targeted recycling at least 50% of its waste in 2012, a minister has announced.
Kent opts for weekly food rounds

5 January 2012
All 15 Kent district councils will collect food waste weekly by the end of next year, research has revealed.
Competence rules fears raised

4 January 2012
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.
Minister slams 'environmental Taliban'

4 January 2012
Energy & climate change minister Greg Barker has rejected criticism by green campaigners of government efforts on the low-carbon agenda.
Tory councils to snub bin cash

3 January 2012
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

16 December 2011
Ministers have unveiled proposals for “tougher” packaging recycling targets in a bid to stop 400,000 tonnes of wrapping going to landfill by 2017.
Pickles: weekly bins a ‘class issue’

16 December 2011
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.
Doubts raised on GIB's appetite for risky sectors

16 December 2011
Recycling chiefs have urged ministers to publish the terms on which the £3bn worth of Green Investment Bank (GIB) loans will be handed out amidst claims its ambitions have been scaled back.
MPs: Change harmful waste planning rules

14 December 2011
Draft rules governing large hazardous waste project applications risk causing flooding and legal rows, MPs have warned.
Valpak gears up for January sale

13 December 2011
Valpak members will vote on its future ownership in January, the company has announced.
Sector to benefit from new loans

12 December 2011
Waste companies will be major beneficiaries of the government’s £3bn Green Investment Bank (GIB), ministers have announced.
Once-monthly bin collections mulled

12 December 2011
Households rubbish bins in a Welsh council could be emptied just once a month, sparking fury from some local politicians.
Weekly residual waste rounds expected for Pickles cash criteria

9 December 2011
Bids by councils for cash from a £250m pot to boost weekly waste collections are unlikely to be successful unless there is a commitment to weekly residual waste rounds.
Judge rules against Norfolk incinerator legal challenge

8 December 2011
Campaigners hoping to halt plans for a new incinerator in Norfolk have been dealt a major blow after a top judge refused their bid to challenge the council’s decision to award the contract.

Materials Recycling WeekJames Illman

Materials Recycling Week
James Illman