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Peterborough Council unveil new £1 million Material Recycling Facility

admin — Thu, 15 May 2008 20:29:34 +0000

A £1 million modernisation at Peterborough City Council’s materials recycling facility (MRF) will be unveiled by Councillor Graham Murphy, Cabinet member for the environment, on Friday (16 May) at 2 pm.

The investment includes the region’s first installation of state-of-the-art technology, which has made it possible for Peterborough residents to recycle glass bottles and jars through their household green bins since the beginning of March.

The new equipment includes rotating cylinders called ‘trommels’, powerful magnets and photo-spectrum scanners that automatically sort materials. These machines and a strict quality control procedure, which includes hand-picking to remove unsuitable items, ensure that the materials sent for re-processing meet industry standards.

“The materials recycling facility is at the core of the city council’s success in being the top recycler among the UK’s unitary authorities,” said Councillor Murphy. “The support of local residents means we set a new record by recycling and composting more than 46 per cent of household materials in 2007/08. (more…)

Defence firm expands into waste management

admin — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 20:50:23 +0000

Wakefield Metropolitan District Council has chosen the defence specialist company, VT Group, as its preferred bidder to design, build, finance and operate waste management and recycling facilities in the areas under its jurisdiction as part of a programme valued at more than £700m.

VT Group will begin construction of new facilities and infrastructure in 2009, and in the meantime will take over the existing facilities, where it is expected to benefit from initial revenues following financial close some time in 2008. The company will subsequently manage the waste recycling sites for a 25 year period.

Wakefield has already secured government Private Finance Initiative (PFI) funding of £33 million for the project, which is valued at £700 million. (more…)

Northamptonshire company fined for breaking recycling laws

admin — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:44:19 +0000

A Northamptonshire company has been prosecuted by the Environment Agency for breaking recycling laws. Eden Industries (UK) of Wellingborough has been fined £8,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,250 for failing to comply with packaging regulations for two years.

The Wellingborough magistrates were told that the failure to recycle had been revealed during a routine enquiry in November 2006. The company said that it had been unaware of the rules regarding recycling and had probably made the person responsible redundant during restructuring of the company.

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Workers lose fight for asbestos compensation

admin — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 10:50:10 +0000

A long-running battle by sufferers of an asbestos-related disease reached a climax yesterday, with the House of Lords ruling that sufferers of pleural plaques are not entitled to compensation. The decision removes an established right to compensation which had existed for 20 years, and could save insurers up to £1.4 billion.

Pleural plaques is a symptomless condition, but one which often leads to diseases such as asbestosis or mesothelioma. The decision has been attacked by trades union leaders, but Lord Justice Hoffmann said that in any claim of negligence proof of damage was an essential element. (more…)

New(s) Paper Carrier Bag

admin — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 20:11:40 +0000

UK consumers are increasingly demanding environmental and ethical awareness from the companies that they use. Due to this more and more businesses are now showing off their green credentials as a way of attracting customers. With Christmas lurking around the corner, eco-conscious retailers could stand out from the crowd by using these paper carrier bags made from used newspapers. The bags are made from several layers of recycled newspaper with a cardboard base for strength and sturdiness. The example above is made from a US company, Handmade Expressions, but there are many companies in the UK that supply recycled carrier bags.

Tips for Reducing Office Paper Waste

admin — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 16:30:12 +0000

Within most offices paper is likely to be the largest waste stream. Although many businesses may operate an office recycling scheme to recycle this paper, there are many simple steps that that can be taken to reduce the volume of paper waste in the first place.

Do you really need a print out?

One of the main causes of paper waste is often the simple fact that many people print out documents that don’t really need to be printed. (more…)

Office Recycling Scheme - Top 5 Tips

admin — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 17:32:56 +0000

Setting up an office recycling scheme is something that all businesses can do to help the environment. Even if you work in a small office with 2 or 3 people, there are still steps you can take to recycle some of your waste. This article explores five tips for setting up a successful recycling scheme at work.

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Waste Management Contracts: Have You Read Yours?

admin — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 09:54:34 +0000

If your business has a regular waste management service, such as a wheelie bin collection, an REL or a skip, there is a good chance you will have entered into a contract. But are you aware of all the terms and conditions?

Most people are guilty of failing to read the small print of a contract at some point, myself included, but your waste management contract is one contract that you really should read before you sign.

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Pre-Treatment of Waste: New Requirements

admin — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 16:01:48 +0000

As of 30th October 2007, no waste will be accepted at landfill sites unless it has been pre-treated. This is a new requirement that has been introduced by the Landfill Regulations and will apply to all businesses.

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Duty Of Care - Your Waste, Your Responsibility

admin — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 19:37:32 +0000

All waste that is generated during the activities of your business is regulated by law. This is known as your Duty of Care. This article explains your responsibilities with regards to waste, and the potential consequences for not adhering to these responsibilities.

Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 imposes a duty of care on anyone who is a holder of ”controlled waste”. Controlled waste is a very broad term which includes commercial, industrial and also household wastes. The duty of care applies to any person who produces, imports, carries, keeps treats or disposes of controlled waste.

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