With news on: More chance for public say on Scotland DRS; Worker safety app launched; Axion Polymers hosts MEP’s fact-finding visit; Norfolk praises public as it hits MRF milestone; Cory recycles 4,000+ plastic bottles from the Thames; and, Amey awarded gold for supporting the armed forces.
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More chance for public say on Scottish DRS
Zero Waste Scotland has announced further dates and venues for public engagements on a potential deposit return scheme (DRS) for bottles and cans.
Zero Waste Scotland has added a further 15 public liaison dates
In June, the Scottish Government launched a consultation which was open to councils, businesses and members of the public.
Over the summer months, Zero Waste Scotland began liasing with the public and letting them know the impact a DRS will have.
The group had previously announced 12 dates, and have now added a further 15.
There will be also be a webinar available for those who can’t attend to learn more about what a DRS could mean for Scotland.
Cabinet secretary for the environment, climate change and land reform, Roseanna Cunningham, said: “A DRS will provide a new secure source of high quality material which will create opportunities to develop our recycling infrastructure in Scotland and create jobs. This will also improve the availability of recycled material for use in the production of bottles and cans in future.
“I would encourage everyone with an interest to provide their views on how this scheme can meet Scotland’s needs and help us tackle our throwaway culture.”
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Worker safety app launched
The app uses GPS in order to “monitor a lone worker’s safety and location”
Infinis – a company which generates renewable power from landfill sites across the country – has launched StaySafe as a safety solution to enhance the protection and safety of its staff when working on unmanned sites and out of hours.
StaySafe is an app and cloud-based hub which monitors a lone worker’s safety and location on a real-time map, and alerts Infinis’ Logistics Centre front desk operators if they do not check-in within a specified time.
Infinis say it required a more streamlined and secure solution to help enhance the safety of employees whilst working alone on remote sites.
In light of this, Infinis replaced its system which relied on workers to update their location every hour via text, with the StaySafe app which, the company says, provides “clear and consistent” GPS reporting to determine a user’s last known location and their safety status.
Infinis’ HSQE Manager, Mark Skidmore comments: “Over the last 12 months, we have rolled out smartphones within the company and launched StaySafe as a practical and improved safety solution. We understand the risk to our workers who may be vulnerable when working on sites alone and are able to mitigate risk through the app’s hourly timed check-in sessions.”
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Axion Polymers hosts MEP’s fact-finding visit
Julie Girling, MEP for South West England and Gibraltar, visited two Manchester sites owned by Axion Recycling earlier this month on a “fact-finding” visit.
Julie Girling (pictued) described the tour as “very interesting”
Ms Girling, who has been dealing with recycling legislation for 10 years as an MEP, viewed the complex processes used to extract plastics from end-of-life vehicles at Axion’s Trafford Park and Salford sites during her tour.
Plastic extracted from end-of-life vehicles at the Trafford Park facility is further refined at the Salford advanced processing plant. Both sites have undergone substantial investment in recent years, including new plant and laboratory facilities.
Commenting on the visit, Ms Girling said: “The tour was really interesting; it’s important that these companies are supported.”
The MEP was invited by Keith Freegard, Axion Polymers Associate Consultant, who explained that concern is growing among plastics recyclers over a European Parliament proposal to set a concentration limit of 10ppm for the flame retardant decaBDE in substances and products.
He added: “Stricter controls on the export of low-grade waste plastics to unregulated countries should enable more investment in UK recycling, like we’ve already done.
“But I think that’s only going to happen by ‘demand-creating’ legislation which rewards manufacturers who demonstrate much higher levels of recycled plastics in their products; then we will see duplication of the type of plants that Axion has developed.”
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Norfolk praises public as it hits MRF milestone
Residents and businesses in Norfolk are being thanked for their work in reaching an important milestone, as the one millionth tonne of the county’s recycling is processed.
One million tonnes of Norfolk’s recycling has been processed. Photo credit Simon Finlay Photography.
Recycling collections from across the county are taken to the MRF at Costessey, where they are checked for quality, sorted into different materials using machinery, baled up and sent on to be recycled.
Cllr John Fisher, chairman of the Norfolk Waste Partnership, said: “This is a fantastic achievement by everyone who recycles in Norfolk.
“As a county, we already have a recycling rate which is above the national average and with your help, we can continue to improve on this.”
The recycling rate for the borough’s covered by the Norfolk Waste Partnership in 2016/17 ranged from 45.7% to 41.9%.
Cory recycles 4,000+ plastic bottles from the Thames
Cory Riverside Energy has helped to recycle over 4,000 plastic bottles collected from the banks of the River Thames.
The plastic was taken to Cory’s Smugglers Way MRF (Pictured)
The discarded plastic bottles were gathered by volunteers for Thames 21, the voice for London’s waterways, and the Zoological Society London, working in conjunction with Tideway, the company responsible for delivering London’s new super sewer.
Around 150 volunteers collected over 320kg of plastic bottles from the Thames as part of two large litter picks in the middle of July.
The material was then taken to Cory and the Western Riverside Waste Authority’s Materials Recycling Facility at Smugglers Way, Wandsworth.
They were then weighed, sampled to establish their plastic content, and separated ahead of being compressed into bales in preparation for recycling. Cory say its facility was chosen because of its “best-in-class” sorting technology, as well as its proximity to the Thames.
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Amey awarded gold for supporting the armed forces
Amey has been awarded the MOD ‘Gold Award’ for showing outstanding support for the armed forces community.
Amey employs a number of former army personnel
Amey won for employing veterans, supporting individuals transitioning out of the armed forces into a new career and providing flexibility for Reservists.
Now in its fifth year, the MOD’s Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Awards represent the highest badge of honour available to those that employ and support those who serve, veterans, and their families.
Amey is among 50 winners to have been recognised for their long-term commitment to the armed forces, with companies from the public and private sector achieving the top grade.
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Source: letsrecycle.com General
