Minister launches Environcom circular economy initiative; Planning permission for Bromley AD plant; Death after Watford fire; China reviews paper imports
Minister launches Environcom initiative
Business & Education Minister Nick Boles MP has launched a new £100,000 training initiative between Environcom and Cranfield School of Management.
The first stage of the investment will see Environcom and Cranfield develop a post graduate programme to look at the various drivers and behaviour change needed to grow the circular economy.
The programme will support recycling, usage and sales of second life electrical items and includes design, research and business development.
Boles said: “Environcom is an important employer not only in Grantham but in all of the four areas it operates in. Its collaboration with Cranfield University is an important driver for green manufacturing. In addition, the creation of 100 new jobs across its business will massively help boost these local economies as well as Britain’s wider green economy.”
Press Release
Planning permission for Bromley AD plant
Tamar Energy has been granted planning permission to build a new anaerobic digestion plant in Bromley.
The plant, which will be the company’s sixth, will convert around 45,000 tonnes per annum of food waste into renewable energy. It is expected to becommissioned in late 2015, with power generation commencing in early 2016.
Willie Heller, Tamar Energy’s Chief Executive said “The Bromley AD facility is ideally located to make the best use of the organic waste in the local area. Rather than being sent to landfill or transported long distances, this waste will be used in the most sustainable way – as the feedstock to generate renewable energy”.
Press Release
Death after Watford fire
A man has died after getting trapped under a burning waste truck, the Daily Mirror reports. The truck, used to collect industrial and chemical waste, caught fire after reports from local people of a large bang.
The man, whose name and age have not been released, was flown by air ambulance to Watford General Hospital with “extremely serious injuries” but was pronounced dead later.
His death at the Woodside Leisure Park in Watford, Herts is being investigated by the police, the Health and Safety Executive and the local council.
Daily Mirror
China looks to tighten paper imports
Chinese paper processors are reported to be expecting greater restrictions on imports from next year.
American business information company JOC, has quoted a Chinese language website Chinapaper.net as saying that the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) was becoming increasingly concerned over three grades:
- unbleached craft paper or paperboard, corrugated paper or paperboard
- paper or paperboard made mainly of bleached chemical pulp
- paper or paperboard made mainly of mechanical pulp, for example, newspapers, journals and similar printed matter
The JOC website said a proposal was circulated in August for action in 2015 whereby MEP would cancel automatic import licensing on the three grades.
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