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Wiltshire swimmers recycle at the pool; Skip lorry tips over on Teesside; Newport Recycling turns 30; EfW boosting UK’s energy security says report
Wiltshire swimmers recycle at the pool
Swimmers at four pools in Wiltshere are being encouraged to recycle accessories such as armbands, goggles, swim caps and floats.
The Leisure Loop Recycling Scheme aims to collect around 15kg of waste every two to three months – though this amount was reached in the first week - turning these back into new products, such as flip-flops.
"It is a lot, it shows the interest of recycling these items and for them not to be going to landfill," said Wiltshire Council’s business development manager Alex Muse.
The scheme is in place at Five Rivers Health & Wellbeing Centre in Salisbury, the Olympiad Leisure Centre in Chippenham, Trowbridge Sports Centre and The Vale Community Campus in Pewsey.
BBC
Skip lorry tips over on Teesside
Emergency services were called to a recycling centre in Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees, yesterday (23 March) after a skip lorry tipped over.
The driver was taken to North Tees University Hospital while fire crews assisted efforts to remove spilled waste from Haverton Hill Road.
Newport Recycling turns 30
Shropshire recycling company Newport Recycling today celebrates 30 years of business.
After beginning in 1993 trading office grade paper as Newport Paper, the family business now offers brokering services for all recyclable materials across international markets.
“The Newport team’s hard work and dedication have paid off, and we now offer collection services across the whole of Great Britain and Ireland,” said managing director Matthew Hoare.
“Our long-term relationship with Stora Enso Langerbrugge Mill is still flourishing after 20 years and is a testament to our approach to business and our team’s dedication.”
Press release
EfW boosting UK’s energy security says report
Energy from waste (EfW) operator Enfinium has released a report demonstrating the beneficial impact of its sector.
The research, by CBI Economics, shows that Enfinium – through its supply chain and four EfW plants – transforms 2.3 million tonnes a year of non-recyclable waste into energy, boosting green growth and energy security.
The analysis said that the company contributed £242m in gross value added to the UK economy in 2022, with two thirds of this value created within the Yorkshire and Humber area, where Enfinium has two plants, with a third on the way.
“Our modern energy from waste facilities already generate hundreds of millions of pounds of green growth every year and support high-quality jobs in the communities we operate,” said chief executive Mike Maudsley.
Press release
‘Plastic rocks’ found on remote Atlantic island
Scientists have found what they believe to be the first ‘plastic rock’ on an uninhabited island in the Atlantic Ocean.
The object found on the island of Trindade, a four-day boat trip from the east coast of Brazil, is a mixture of sedimentary granules and other debris, held together by plastic.
“We identified (the pollution) mainly comes from fishing nets, which is very common debris on Trinidade Island’s beaches,” said Fernanda Avelar Santos, a geologist at the Federal University of Parana.
“The (nets) are dragged by the marine currents and accumulate on the beach. When the temperature rises, this plastic melts and becomes embedded with the beach’s natural material.”
Reuters
Sustainable packager secures £107,000 tax relief
Leicester-based DM Flexibles has secured £107,614 in R&D tax relief from the Government for the development of its fully-degradable paper-based food packaging.
The company says its InovaPac Paper is the first that can be completely recycled using existing waste streams, being fully degradable into biomass in water.
“Our mission is to develop a paper-based product that is fit for the food industry and can withstand all sorts of pressures, including moisture, temperature changes and being transported around the world,” said Dilip Mistry, DM Flexibles founder.
“This is an enormous challenge, and involves spending a huge amount of time and investment on research, testing and refining.”
Press release
Families waste one month’s worth of food a year
Research has found that families waste over £400’s worth of food every year, with almost half of UK parents admitting to throwing away edible food.
A survey of 1,800 parents with children under 18, conducted by OnePoll for cracker company Jacob’s found a third of respondents bought too much when shopping.
The main reasons for throwing away good food is that packets are considered to have been open for too long (41%), because food goes bad after too much was purchased (33%) or because people just don’t know what to do with leftovers.
A fifth who took part in the survey said they would never consider looking in the fridge to use up its contents when getting a snack, with the research finding that a fifth of the weekly food shop - £1,225 a year – was spent on snacks.
Plastics start-up hoping to raise £100m
Leeds-based Terrae Novo is hoping to raise £100m to build a plastics recycling plant on the Humber Bank, converting non-recyclables and biowaste into new plastic and low-carbon fuels.
The company has already raised £7m from investment house Traditum Private Equity as well as securing permission for a site at Saltends Chemical Park, where it hopes to create 25 jobs.
“We believe our process has the potential to disrupt the traditional waste to landfill and energy markets, and achieve significant reductions in carbon emissions,” said founder Jason Woods.
Terrae Novo’s process combines a range of existing technologies to turn waste plastic into syngas which can be converted into aviation or road transport fuel. The proposed plant would process 60,000 tonnes of waste a year.
“Thanks to Traditum’s support, we are now ready to start production. Once the first site is up and running, our aim is to roll it out on a global scale,” said aWoods.
North London waste fund to disburse £250,000
The North London Waste Authority’s (NWLA) fund for local groups working on waste prevention has increased its grant to a quarter of a million pounds this year.
The North London Community Fund gives money to not-for-profit groups to develop new initiatives, currently including 12 projects combatting issues such as bulky, food and textiles waste. A further five are focussing on electrical repair.
“Supporting local grassroots organisations is so much more than funding waste prevention initiatives we care about,” said NWLA chair Clyde Noakes, who said he believed this was the largest fund of its kind in the country.
“It’s about enabling whole communities to deliver lasting change on the ground that promotes resource efficiency, reduces waste generation and ultimately minimises climate impacts.”
Press release
Recycling centre worker crushed by cherry picker, inquest hears
A recycling centre worker in St Helens died after being trapped for more than two hours between steel beams and a cherry picker with ‘severe’ faults, a coroner’s investigation has heard.
Uldis Senkans, aged 30, was killed after suffering chest injuries while working at CEW Recycling on 8 November, 2019. He was found unresponsive by colleagues and was pronounced dead soon after.
A health and safety inspector told the ongoing inquiry that the cherry picker should not have been in use. There were no witnesses to the accident.
The investigation was unable to reach a short-form verdict, with a narrative conclusion handed down by a jury after several hours’ deliberation.
Liverpool Echo
Refugee shelter made from recyclable materials
The University of Birmingham has developed an emergency relief shelter made from 100% recyclable materials.
The university’s school of engineering and Birmingham-based company Suscons have spent 18 months on the four-person shelter which has a minimum lifespan of ten years.
“This is high-quality emergency shelter for immediate relief which can become a transitional shelter with the addition of a sanitary/kitchen module,” said Peter Braithwaite, director of engineering sustainability at the Birmingham Centre for Resilience Research and Education.
“After use, the shelters can be shredded and turned into new products, with no waste generated,” he added.
The shelter – which meets all UNHCR requirements - can be delivered as flat-pack and assembled by unskilled labour.
Each is made from 460kg of waste plastic and, if they replaced 1% of the shelter market – which is estimated to be 6 million a year – would save 19,000 tonnes of waste plastic.
Press release
Hertfordshire council confirms residents-only access to HWRCs
Following reports last week that Hertfordshire County Council would bar non-residents from using its 16 recycling facilities, its cabinet has agreed to the restrictions.
During a meeting, the cabinet were told that 20% of the facilities’ users were from outside of the county, and that this number was rising.
“Like many other council-run services, our recycling centres are experiencing additional costs and it is only prudent that we look at all possible forms of mitigation for Hertfordshire taxpayers who are currently paying for waste arising outside of Hertfordshire,” said Simon Aries, director of transport, waste and environment.
He said that a residents-only policy was commonplace in the region. The cabinet has said there will be a grace period of several weeks so that users are made aware of the incoming changes.
Press release
Materials Focus 'feline fine' about WEEE campaign
HypnoCat, Material Focus’s ‘purrveyor’ of electrical recycling, is taking the Recycle Your Electricals campaign onto nationwide TV advertising following successful regional pilots.
Recycling Your Electricals is a behaviour change campaign aimed at reducing the 155,000 tonnes of WEEE discarded each year.
The campaign will be seen on ITV and various Sky channels, and will be heard on the Absolute and Heart radio stations and appear on social media.
Material Focus executive director Scott Butler said: “Love or loathe him, HypnoCat is broadcasting on UK radio and TV screens with a mission to stop people in their tracks and to compel them to start recycling. He is bright pink, proud, loud and mesmerising.”
Press release
Researchers start zinc quest
The Materials Processing Institute is leading a £250,000 project designed to find a practical method of removing zinc from by-products of the iron and steelmaking processes to improve re-use. It will work with British Steel, Tata Steel, CELSA Group and Marcegaglia Stainless.
Research will investigate potential solutions, including pyrometallurgy, a conventional process that recovers non-ferrous and precious metals from electronic waste, ultra-sonic separation, which uses high-frequency ultrasound to separate materials, and a hydrometallurgical process that oxidises metallic zinc in ionic liquids.
Chris McDonald, chief executive of the institute, said: “This is very much a collaborative effort involving the UK’s leading iron and steel makers and innovators in order to deliver the most effective technological, economic and environmental method of recovering and re-using this high valued material.”
Press release
Councils look to recycled road surfaces
The Asphalt Industry Alliance’s annual survey of the state of roads has found local authorities are seeking to reduce their carbon footprint in their choice of road surfacing materials.
It said 33% of newly-laid asphalt materials over the last year were specified to include recycled materials such as recycled aggregates and reclaimed asphalt.
Press release
Biffa takes Hinkley point award
Biffa has won silver in the 'supplier of the year’ category at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station construction site, where it has since 2016 operated a team 14 people and seven waste collection vehicles.
It said a typical day saw the company collect 120 tonnes of construction waste, general waste, recycling, food and glass. Biffa also manages the onsite waste consolidation centre.
Press release
Sainsbury's cartons switch from plastic to cardboard
Sainsbury’s has launched cardboard laundry liquid detergent packaging in all stores and online, which it said would help to save around 22 tonnes of plastic annually.
The change applies to own-brand 750ml laundry detergents, replacing sleeved plastic bottle packaging with the cardboard cartons.
The new cartons are 35% lighter than the original packaging and so will take 13 lorries off the road annually, the retailer said.
Press release
Repair Week spreads to Manchester
Repair Week has expanded beyond its London base to Greater Manchester with activities planned for 20-26 March, supported by Suez Recycling and Recovery UK.
Polling for the project found that Londoners threw away £1.8bn worth of items last year that could have been repaired.
Repair week will offer workshops, films, expert advice and a directory of repair services.
Recycle for Greater Manchester will be leading activities there, with its Renew Hub, where hundreds of tonnes of used items are recovered for repair and resale.
Details of Repair Week: https://londonrecycles.co.uk/repair-week
Press release
Global recycling winners named
The Global Recycling Foundation has named the winners of their Recycling Heroes 2023 award marking Global Recycling Day on 18 March .
There were 10 winners of $1,000 (£816) each and 10 winners for Creative Innovation awards of $250 (£204) each for projects focused on recognising creativity in reuse, reduction and recycling.
The UK winner of a Recycling Heroes award was Finnsøn baby changing bags. Creative innovation awards when to Eric Logan of Manchester-based Future Directions, and Woodfarm High School, Glasgow.
Press release
Old school honours Dsposal founder
Hartland Primary School, in Devon, has honours Dsposal founder Sophie Walker, a former pupil, who has won a Women in Innovation Award from Innovate UK, with a plaque at her old school.
Her winning project helps complex waste producers, such as the NHS, to better understand their waste supply chains and meet environmental targets. She is also the project lead on another Innovate UK funded project to improve data and sustainability across the packaging supply chain.
Dunelm and Hubbub launch ‘Home To Home’
Retailer Dunelm and environmental charity Hubbub have partnered to launch a new initiative aimed at boosting the recycling of homewares.
The ‘Home To Home’ scheme is being trialled in 18 stores in the North West, which will accept used homeware items from any retailer and pass them on to local charities. If successful, it will be extended to 178 stores nationwide.
“At Dunelm we believe in the joy of being at home and by building this into our commitment to product circularity, we hope to help create more homely environments for people that may be struggling to afford essential items, while also reducing unnecessary waste and landfill,” said Dunelm chief executive Nick Wilkinson.
Dunelm cited studies suggesting 69.9 million homeware items are thrown away in the UK every year, while Hubbub polling has found 85% of people saying they could be motivated to pass on homeware and furniture no longer in use.
Press Release
O2 saved more than 250,000 devices from landfill
Virgin Media 02 says it rescued over a quarter of a million devices from landfill last year, with more than 92% of the handsets refurbished and resold.
It says its ‘O2 Recycle’ scheme – in which customers can trade in unwanted smartphones, tablets and accessories for cash-back – paid out more than £36m in 2022.
Those that weren’t refurbished were broken down for raw materials, with the company saying that none of the products returned to the scheme go to landfill.
Virgin Media says the scheme has paid out more than £320m since it launched in 2009 and recycled 3.8 million devices.
Press release
CPI Enterprises invests in Descycle
Venture capital investor CPI has added deep tech start-up Descycle to its portfolio.
Descycle aims to commercialise waste recycling processes to remove valuable metals from e-waste.
“We began working with Descycle to improve their e-waste recycling process and with the success of that initial project,” said Kris Wadrop, CPI’s general manager of commercial operations.
“We’re continuing our journey together by supporting them with a feasibility study and scale-up of the DES process into a pilot plant.”
Descycle has specialised in Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES) – mixtures of salts without water –which can dissolve up to 99% of metals from e-waste. #
Press release
Arco reduces plastic use by 35%
Safety services and products specialist Arco says it has reduced plastic use across its operations by more than a third, and carbon emission reductions by an estimated 38%.
Emissions reductions have resulted from relocating production from China to Europe, while new mailing bags – of which the company uses 400,000 a year – are now made from 80% recycled polythene.
"The introduction of these changes is a small, but important step that we have taken in support of our sustainability aims and is part of a planned approach to ensure we are carbon net-zero by 2045,” said head of sustainability Jim Harbidge.
The company has also adopted a 'void fill solution', to improve the sustainability of packaging protecting products in transit. The new alternative provides a further 13% reduction in plastic usage and carbon emissions, resulting in 17% less waste.
Press release
Hertfordshire council may bar non-residents from recycling centres
Non-residents may be banned from using Household Waste Recycling Centres within Hertfordshire county, with the council saying a ban could save £433,000 a year.
The county council says that more than a fifth of users at its five recycling centres come from outside the county, and may require proof of address from users in the future.
Figures suggest that facilities at Royston and Bishop’s Stortford, which lie on the borders of Cambridgeshire and Essex, are mainly used by people from outside Hertfordshire.
A council report noted that nearby authorities already restricted use of their recycling centres to locals.
BBC
'Shark' eats plastic in Canary Wharf waters
Drinks firm Aqua Libra has created a ‘waste shark’ which is ‘eating’ plastic in surrounding waterways at London’s Canary Wharf.
The shark is a marine robot that can travel up to 5km through water and collect up to 500 kg of plastic waste a day, and also collects information on water quality while it roams.
Sophie Goddard, director of sustainability at Canary Wharf Group said: "We aim to transform urban spaces into extraordinary environments which work for nature as well as people.
"As part of this we are so pleased to be launching the WasteShark in partnership with Aqua Libra. This innovative marine technology will help us to tackle waste and maintain the environment.”
Press release
Plastic-free paper bottles made for cleaning products
Biovate Hygienics has launched what it says is one of the world’s first plastic-free paper bottles for commercial cleaning products.
Its Zero Compromise range features 500ml concentrates of floor and wall degreasers, and washroom and multi-purpose cleaners. The bottle’s interior has a bio liner made from natural plant sap latex.
Founder Nick Winstone said: “Our plastic-free bottle is made in the UK using sustainably sourced vegetable waste fibre paper pulp. This makes the bottle not only plastic free but it’s also created using materials that would otherwise be discarded.”
Press release
CIWM to launch series on sector's circular role
The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) has partnered with Content With Purpose to produce a digital series exploring the resources and waste sector’s role in the transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient circular economy.
Leading the Way to a World Beyond Waste uses interviews, podcasts, films, articles and a documentary to show how the waste management community is powering the sector’s transition. It will be launched in September.
Press release
Trial continues over '£1m' waste dump
Jurors in the trial of two men linked to the discovery of illegally-dumped waste have been told it would have cost in excess of £1m to properly dispose of the materials.
The Belfast Telegraph has reported Coleraine Crown Court as hearing that Northern Ireland Environment Agency officials had estimated almost 10,000 cubic metres of waste was found at the Campsie site 10 years ago.
Defendants Thomas McGlinchey, aged 62, from Belfield Park, and John Ferguson, age 68, from Princes Terrace, both deny committing the offences. The trial continues.
Transwaste to get enhanced biogas plant
Technology group Wärtsilä is to supply a biogas upgrading plant to Transwaste at its site near Hull.
This is designed to produce biogas from municipal waste and supply up to 6 million cubic metres of biomethane into the gas grid each year. Delivery of the plant is scheduled for December 2023.
Wärtsilä said its Puregas amine-based technology can handle biogas with high concentrations of volatile organic compounds without the need for costly pre-treatment.
Steven Scott, sales manager, biogas solutions at Wärtsilä Gas Solutions, said: “The operational cost advantages of Wärtsilä’s biogas upgrading solution are especially relevant now that energy costs are so high.”
Press release
Primark looks to extend clothes' lifetimes
Fashion retailer Primark is launching durability and repair initiatives designed to keep clothes in use for longer.
It is working with WRAP, through its Textile 2030 agreement, to establish an industry-wide durability standard, and has commissioned independent research into the relationship between price and consumer behaviour on durability.
Primark said it had commissioned the University of Leeds School of Design to research the physical durability of a range of clothing at different price points.
The retailer last year piloted 43 repair workshops and will now offer these across the UK and Republic of Ireland and has created an online service with repair videos.
Press release
RWE order 132 recyclable wind blades
Siemens Gamesa has been appointed by power firm RWE to provide 132 recyclable blades for the Sofia wind turbine project off the east coast of the UK.
In 2022, RWE became the first large-scale offshore developer to install Siemens Gamesa’s RecyclableBlade at a German site. The Sofia project will use 108-meter-long blades manufactured at Siemens Gamesa’s Hull factory.
Marc Becker, chief executive of Siemens Gamesa’s offshore business, said using the RecyclableBlade technology enabled full reclamation of the blade’s components at the end of the product’s lifespan when the resin, fibreglass, wood and other materials are separated using a mild acid solution.
Press release
Suez backs Repair Week expansion
Suez is to sponsor Repair Week 2023 (20-26 March) during which more than 50 repair workshops in London and Manchester will help the public to gain skills in carrying out repairs.
This will mark the event’s debut in Greater Manchester, where Renew Hub will see hundreds of tonnes of items which would otherwise have gone to waste brought in for repair and resale.
Adam Read, chief external affairs and sustainability officer at Suez Recycling and Recovery UK, said: “Repair is a fundamental element of the circular economy and a key component in our fight against climate change. Repair Week brings together businesses, boroughs and communities to inspire and enable people to repair more items that would usually be thrown away.”
Press release
'Smart jar' to cut food waste in fridges
Hellmann’s, part of Unilever, is acting against food by waste testing a ‘smart jar’ designed by illustrator Ellen Porteus that will tell buyers when their fridge is at the right temperature.
It uses temperature-sensitive ink to reveal a hidden layer when a fridge is set below 5℃.
Certain foods can last up to three days longer in a fridge set below 5℃ against one at 7℃ including milk, which Hellman’s said was among the most wasted of food products with the equivalent of 3.1m glasses of milk are poured down the sink each day.
Hellman’s is working with WRAP on the project, whose director of collaboration and change Catherine David said: “We need innovations like this pilot jar to help us make simple changes in our lives that will pay dividends.”
Press release
Council seeks fly-tipper after 20-tonne tip found
Charnwood Borough Council is trying to track down those responsible for a 20-tonne fly-tip at East Goscote.
The BBC has reported that a London-based waste disposal company had subcontracted another firm to dispose of the rubbish and found it dumped.
Charnwood has imposed a £400 fine and required the site to be cleared. Neither company has been named.
A spokesperson said: "The council is continuing to investigate this incident to trace other parties who may have been involved and further fines could be issued."
Oceans face multi-trillion plastic 'smog'
Experts have warned of a growing plastic ‘smog’, now estimated at more than 170tn plastic particles afloat in the world’s oceans.
In a paper on online scientific publisher Plos One, they said the acceleration of plastic densities in the world’s oceans and beaches demands urgent international policy interventions.
Press release
Councils buys pickers made with recycled PPE
Forest of Dean Council street wardens are to use litter pickers made from recycled NHS facemarks and ocean plastic when carrying out litter patrols with school pupils.
Cabinet member for communities and climate emergency Paul Hiett said: “Our environment is in crisis and as a society we need to step up our efforts to protect our planet and find ways that support a cleaner, greener future where people and wildlife can co-exist safely.”
The Forester has reported that the investment came after the council was criticised for its continued investment in fossil fuels.
Enfinium applies to extend capacity at Flintshire EfW plant
Energy from waste operator Enfinium has applied for a permit extension at its Parc Adfer facility at the Deeside Industrial Park in Wales.
The application with Natural Resources Wales, published late last month, proposes to increase the plant’s capacity from 200,000 to 232,000 tonnes. This would represent an increase from three tonnes an hour to four tonnes.
Parc Adfer is a combined heat and power facility serving the North Wales Residual Waste Treatment Partnership, producing enough energy to power over 45,000 homes and businesses.
NRW says that the plant currently has the capacity to handle this increase in waste throughput without the need for additional infrastructure or equipment. It has asked for public comments on the application by 28 March.
Natural Resources Wales
Telford resident sets up recycling point in front garden
Liz Pinfield-Walls, of Dawley, Shropshire, has set up a recycling drop-off point in her garden to collect items missed by kerbside collection.
Once the items are collected, they are sent to recycling company TerraCycle, earning the sender points which are then redeemed as donations for charities.
"Hopefully I'm doing a good thing," Mrs Pinfield-Wells told the BBC, saying that TerraCycle was working to give the items a longer life.
She said she was currently raising money for her daughter’s gymnastics group.
BBC
DS Smith reports strong trading in Q3
Packaging company DS Smith has reported positive trends in profitability from the first half of the financial year continuing into quarter three.
“We have continued to perform well in the second half of the year despite the volatile macro-economic conditions. As expected, profitability and returns have grown strongly and cash generation remains good,” said chief executive Miles Roberts.
“We continue to stay very close to our customers and their evolving needs, which, together with a relentless cost focus and robust supply chain, positions us well for the remainder of the year and into our next financial year.”
DS Smith said it had continued to take market share, driven by its focus on resilient sectors like food and drinks.
Press release
Cambridge firm failed to recycle waste for 15 years
Manufacturing company Hexcel Reinforcements UK Limited has paid out £30,000 after admitting that it failed to recycle its packaging waste for 15 years.
The company admitted to offences that took place between 2005 and 2020. It failed to register as a packaging waste producer.
The Environment Agency accepted an enforced undertaking offer from the company, which will see the money paid to The Woodland Trust’s Mead Appeal in Derbyshire.
Press Release
Warhammer begins recycling programme
Table-top gaming giant Games Workshop is to introduce its ‘Warhammer Recycling Programme’ later this month at selected stores around the UK.
Hobbyists will be able to recycle old sprues, paint pots and unwanted miniatures in a scheme being trialled with recycling partner TerraCycle.
The deposited items will be recycled into new materials and products, including garden planters, playground equipment or table tennis tables, said Games Workshop.
It can, however, only accept its own miniatures as it cannot be certain of the chemical composition of others’ products.
Press release
Bicycle Association launches e-bike battery recycling
The UK Bicycle Association has announced plans to start a UK-wide battery and collection service as sales of electric bikes grow.
“With millions of electric bike sales ahead of us, this is an exciting initiative that will make it easy for retailers to safely store faulty and expired batteries in one fireproof rated drum – with one phone call when full to get it swapped out,” said retail trade manager Stephen Holt.
The association will partner in the scheme with the European Recycling Platform, whose managing director John Redmayne said there was a growing need to deal with end-of-life batteries.
A trial will begin soon, with a full rollout to follow later this year.
Press release
Battery fire causes bin lorry to dump seven tonnes of rubbish
South Kestevan’s District Council has urged all householders to dispose of batteries properly after a refuse collection vehicle was forced to “dump its blazing load” on a public road.
Collection teams were forced to eject seven tonnes of rubbish onto Grantham Road, in Ingoldsby, Lincolnshire, on Monday afternoon. Three fire engines attended the scene and the road temporarily closed, though no-one was hurt.
"Anything with a battery inside can cause a fire if you put it in the bin,” said the council’s cabinet member for waste and climate change, Mark Whittington. “Please help keep bin crews and other refuse workers safe by disposing of them properly”.
The council reported a number of similar incidents in the county in recent months.
Press release
NHS issues new guidance on healthcare waste
NHS England has launched an updated memorandum on the safe and sustainable management of healthcare waste.
The document, authored in collaboration with management consultant Mott MacDonald, offers best practice guidance, reflecting the latest environmental legislation and regulation in alliance with the NHS’s commitment to net zero.
“Since the last revision in 2013, we have seen a real shift in thinking in terms of net-zero and sustainability,” said Mott MacDonald’s waste and resource management team leaderDan Jacobs.
“The healthcare sector has a huge role to play in creating a more sustainable and greener society by minimising waste and reducing consumption.”
Press release
Lidl to halve impact of average shopping basket
Lidl GB has agreed to halve the environmental impact of its average shopping basket by 2030.
By signing up to the WWF’s ‘Retailers' Commitment for Nature’, Lidl GB says it has become the first discount retailer to do so.
Joining the Co-op, M&S, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose, it says the decision means 60% of the UK retail grocery market is now committed to the target.
“By signing up to the WWF’s Retailers’ Commitment for Nature, we are joining an important movement to make the UK food system more sustainable and build on the momentum of existing initiatives we have in place,” said CEO of Lidl GB, Ryan McDonnell.
Press release
RECOUP introduces lifecycle assessment service
Plastic recycling charity RECOUP has expanded its services to include new life cycle assessments (LCAs) at its own laboratory.
“RECOUP has been working on building LCA capability to assist members and the wider industry to better inform decision making related to product design in order that decisions are based on environmentally sound evidence rather than emotion,” said Katherine Fleet, head of sustainability and circularity.
RECOUP currently tests its members plastic packaging samples for free at a materials recovery facility. The new in-house facility will use near-infrared and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to help determine recyclability.
Richard Cham, packaging projects officer explained that the introduction of FTIR will enable the investigation of smaller, hard to see imperfections and contaminants.
Press release
CIWM launches technical membership
The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) has added a new grade of technical membership to support professionalisation within the sector.
‘TechMCIWM’ is now available for applicants with level four or higher technical qualifications or apprenticeships with 2 years’ experience.
“We recognise that a one-size membership does not fit all,” said CIWM’s professional services director, Katie Cockburn.
“Our new technical membership will add real value for those in operational roles who feel that their significant skill set is not easily assimilated into one of CIWM’s existing membership grades.”
Existing associate members will be able to transfer to the new technical membership if they are able to demonstrate the appropriate expertise and experience.
Press release
Dead-end fly-tippers sentenced in Glasgow
Two men who advertised waste removal services before dumping the collected rubbish on dead-end streets around Glasgow have been sentenced.
Stuart Allison, 53, and his cousin Steven Hutton, 44, were both charged £750, with the former ordered to pay £1,900 in compensation.
The court heard that large amounts of fly-tipped waste was discovered in 2020, with police tracing it back to households who had utilised the ‘man with a van’ services of Allison after finding his company on Facebook.
Hutton is reported as having told police he had ‘dumped waste on nearly every street with a dead-end in Glasgow’.
Glasgow City Council said the household waste on Dalsetter Crescent amounted to 17 tonnes, costing £1,900 to remove.
Metro
Food waste collection trial launched in Nottingham
Nottingham council is to launch a year-long food waste collection trial for 3,426 homes in the Berridge area of the city.
The pilot comes ahead of mandatory household food waste collections for local authorities, scheduled to begin in April 2025.
"Things are changing, the legislation has changed, and we have to respond to that including, for example, we have to introduce food waste collection in the near future,” councillor Sally Longford told the BBC.
The food waste will be collected weekly alongside household waste and recycling.
BBC
Over 2,000 homes added to Exeter food waste collections
Exeter City Council have announced that 2,100 homes will have kerbside food waste collections from 13 March.
Parts of the Pinhoe, St Loyes and Whipton Barton areas of the city will join the 13,000 homes already included in the scheme which launched in 2021. Twelve thousand more will be added over the next three months, receiving 23-litre kerbside caddies and 5-litre kitchen caddies.
Councillor Ruth Williams said: “I’m delighted that we can keep adding properties to the roll-out and get more and more people in the city recycling their food waste.”
After the full rollout, the city’s recycling rate is expected to rise dramatically, say the council, with food waste typically makes up 38% of black bag waste.
Press release
Hydrothermal plastic recycling far better than incineration
An independent lice cycle assessment of Mura Technology’s HydroPRS - Hydrothermal Plastic Recycling Technology – shows its carbon impact is 80% less than incineration.
Mura said that the method uses supercritical water to convert flexible, multi-layered and rigid plastics into stable petrochemical feedstocks.
“This study adds to the growing body of evidence that HydroPRS is uniquely placed to help achieve a low-carbon and global circular plastics economy by replacing incineration and substituting fossil-based naphtha feedstocks,” said Mura CEO Dr Steve Mahon.
The peer-reviewed study by Warwick university’s Warwick Manufacturing Group.
Press release
Defra launches POPs consultation
Defra is requesting stakeholders’ views on a number of changes to proposed regulations concerning persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
The consultation, which closes on April 27, is related to retained EU regulation on POPs as well as recent amendments to the UN’s Stockholm Convention on POPs.
“Generation of this evidence will help reduce the risk of unintentionally introducing unforeseen future costs to UK business or government, and/or disruption to waste management,” explained Defra, assuring that the proposals were not intended to lower existing POP management standards
They include amending POPs waste concentration limits, removing specific exemptions and the addition of additional unintended trace contaminant for POPs.
Press release
Cornwall to start new recycling services two years late
Fortnightly recycling and weekly food waste collections are set to begin in Cornwall this year, more than two years after a £30m a year contract for the service began.
Biffa was contracted to deliver the new service in 2020, with collections scheduled to change in 2021, but has continued with weekly black bag and fortnightly recycling collections.
“Before we can introduce the new services, upgrades are being made to Cornwall’s waste management facilities,” explained the council. “The new collections will be rolled out in stages area by area. We plan to start the roll out later this year.”
The council said it had needed more time to get vehicles and processing facilities in place, with the reformed service promising thousands of new wheelie bins to residents.
Cornwall Live
Nottingham Trent University in £4.5million battery recycling project
A £582,000 grant has been awarded to Nottingham Trent University (NTU) as part of a Europe-wide plan to prevent nine million tonnes of battery waste going to landfill each year.
The 4.5million research project – supported by the EU’s Horizon programme - seeks to give a second life to lithium-ion batteries, with NTU says can last another ten years after their capacity falls below 75%.
“With the increased volume of electric vehicle batteries coming towards their end of life, it’s imperative that there’s a quick and accurate way to predict a battery’s future life in order to maximise second-life applications,” said professor Daizhong Su, head of NTU’s Advanced Design and Manufacturing Engineering Centre (ADMEC).
He described recycled batteries as potentially “a major economic resource for Europe”, with a value of up to £23 billion per year.
Press release
Coventry collections missed for funeral
Many bins went uncollected in Coventry on Tuesday (28 February) as refuse collectors attended the funeral of a colleague who was killed at work in January.
Coventry City Council offered staff compassionate leave to pay their respects to the man, who has not been named, after he was killed in an accident involving a refuse collection vehicle on 19 January.
"The catch-up might impact on the rest of the week, said the council. “If we don't get to you on your scheduled day, please leave bins out, and we will get to you as soon as we can."
BBC
Composting company plans solar farm in Lancashire
Green waste company John Cooper Recycling Limited is seeking approval to build a solar farm to power its facility in Leyland.
It plans to develop a 90-panel solar farm on its three-acre former landfill site to replace the two diesel generators currently used to power its operations.
John Cooper Recycling is currently contracted to handle up to 25,000 tonnes of green waste a year from Lancashire County Council and Blackburn with Darwen Council.
Lancashire Post
Carbon8 receives ISO certification for CCUS
UK cleantech company Carbon8 has been awarded ISO certification for the quality, environmental and safety management of its integrated management system.
The firm specialises in carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) for the energy-from-waste sector. Its patented technology combines industrial residues with captured CO2 to produce high-value minerals.
“The Energy from Waste sector and industries, like cement, steel, paper and pulp are all seeking cost-effective and sustainable solutions to reduce and best manage their carbon emissions and residual wastes,” said chief executive John Pilkington.
“Our ISO accreditation underpins the quality of our operations that we can offer companies in these areas.”
The international cement group Vicat and the EDF Group co-invested £4m in Carbon8 last year, which has developed scalable and modular CCUS solutions.
Press release
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