With news on: Unite strike called off in Wales; Andusia’s chemical waste arm bags clinical waste contact; South Ayrshire completes collection roll out; DS Smith trials recycled cardboard bird box.
Unite strike called off in Wales
Refuse workers on the Isle of Anglesey have voted to accept a pay increase offered by Biffa, which means the strike action scheduled for next week has been called off.
Members of the Unite Union had voted in favour of strike action next week over pay rates for collection crews employed by Biffa with the trade union seeking higher pay for loaders and drivers.
Strike action was due to take place this week
Talks took place throughout last week, and the Unite Union said Biffa tabled an offer on Wednesday April 17), which the Union voted to accept the following day.
The strike action had been due to take place for seven days from yesterday (April 22).
A spokesperson from the Isle of Anglesey council said: “We are pleased that negotiations between Biffa and union representatives have reached an agreement and grateful to them for resolving this matter without impact on Anglesey residents. The strike has now been called off and our waste collection and cleansing services will continue.”
Andusia’s chemical waste arm bags clinical waste contact
Andusia has been awarded a contract to supply a new clinical waste treatment plant in Worcestershire.
Andusia Hazchem Treatment Ltd – which was formed at the end of 2018 by the RDF specialist Andusia – will provide 40,000 tonnes of hazardous and clinical waste for the high temperature treatment facility over the course of the five-year deal.
An artist’s impression of the facility
The 8,000 tonnes-per-year plant is being developed by Clinitek (Malvern ltd), formerly ‘Modern Waste Solutions’. The land current at Hangman’s Lane, Worcester currently houses a disused power station.
Andusia said it is in ‘advanced talks’ with companies in the healthcare waste industry over feedstock for the facility.
Commenting on the contract Mark Terrell, director of Andusia, said: “There is a real lack of UK facilities to deal with hazardous waste. Developing this plant is fulfilling a much-needed demand and we are proud to part of such an important project that will ensure such waste is disposed of safely and in an environmentally friendly manner”.
South Ayrshire completes collection roll-out
The roll-out of a new recycling service in South Ayrshire has now been completed following a 10-month council campaign.
Under the new system, two new smaller bins have been introduced for ‘Paper, Card and Cardboard’, and ‘Glass Bottles and Jars’, while the existing blue bins are being used for ‘Metals, Plastics and Cartons’.
The roll-out of the system was completed across South Ayrshire earlier this month
Collection of the ‘Non-recyclable’ green bin has changed will take place every three weeks instead of two. The system was rolled out in the council’s rural areas earlier this month, meaning every property under the council control now has the new system.
South Ayrshire recorded a 52.5% recycling rate in 2017/18.
Councillor Ian Cochrane, South Ayrshire council’s portfolio holder for environment, said: “With the final pieces of the jigsaw now in place, the whole of South Ayrshire is now using the new service, helping us to meet ambitious national recycling targets.”
DS Smith trials recycled cardboard bird box
DS Smith has announced it is trialling the world’s very first water-resistant, compostable bird box made from recycled cardboard.
The birdhouses are covered in a 100% recyclable, water-resistant coating, so they can survive the outside elements and serve a similar role to conventional bird houses made from timber.
DS Smith is currently trialling the box (Picture: David Parry/PA Wire)
By using cardboard, it means that large quantities of birdboxes can be flat-packed and transported for easy installation on site, the company says.
Greg Dawson, director of corporate affairs at DS Smith said: “DS Smith is always looking for opportunities to work with customers, consumers and charities to create something new and exciting that has a positive impact on the world around us.”
The post News in brief (23/04/2019) appeared first on letsrecycle.com.
Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
