With news on: Marston’s contract, J&B Recycling turnover; Welsh Government landfill visit; Warwickshire’s Christmas reuse appeal, and; MRWA health and wellbeing recognition
UKWSL wins three-year Marston’s contract
Waste brokerage firm UKWSL has been awarded a multi-million pound contract to manage waste from Marston’s chain of pubs for three years.
UKWSL will collect from over 1,000 Marston’s pubs
The arrangement, which began this month, makes UKWSL responsible for collecting dry mixed recycling, glass and food waste as well the remainder of general waste at over 1,000 pubs.
Bottle banks are to be installed with an aim of recycling at least 50% of waste at every site.
Andy Kershaw, group facilities manager at Marston’s, said: “UKSWL will enable our waste to reduce significantly and ensure as a company we have the best practices in place. I look forward to seeing the positive results and ensuring we continue to be as efficient at recycling our waste as possible.”
Max Kanda, director of corporate affairs at UKWSL, added: “At UKWSL we are thrilled to be working with the team at Marston’s. I am positive we will provide Marston’s with a service that deliver both excellent value and a highly sustainable waste solution.”
J&B Recycling boosts turnover
North East-based waste business J&B Recycling has posted a £13.9 million turnover for the year ended 31 March 2016 – a 41% increase on the previous 12 months.
The firm, which runs two recycling facilities in Hartlepool and Middlesbrough, had previously recorded a turnover of £9.56 million in 2015.
The business has put the turnover boost down to increased investment in new machinery and staff, with the workforce rising from 175 to 210 members.
The company recycles an estimated 120,000 tonnes of waste each year from household, commercial, industrial and construction sources, local authorities and thousands of community buildings, pubs and restaurants.
Vikki Jackson-Smith, managing director at J&B Recycling, said: “Our increase in turnover has resulted from our significant investment programme over the past 18 months which has almost doubled the capacity of our operations.
“This has resulted in a step change in profitability which was largely driven by the performance of the business over the last five months of our financial year. We have invested heavily in process optimisation across all our sites to deliver efficient operations producing high quality recyclable products.”
Biffa hosts Welsh Government landfill visit
Waste management firm Biffa has hosted a Welsh Government visit at its Trecatti site in Merthyr Tydfil as part of the launch of the Landfill Disposals Tax Bill on Monday (28 November).
Welsh Government Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford attended the Trecatti site
The Bill will introduce separate landfill tax powers for Wales from April 2018. Once devolved, the Welsh Government will be able to set the rates which are currently administered by HMRC in England.
Biffa has been ‘actively involved’ in consultations over the Bill since 2014 and has hosted regular meetings with landfill operators, the Landfill Disposals Tax team and other stakeholders.
Attendees at Monday’s visit included Welsh Government Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford and Biffa’s own experts in environmental regulation.
Keith Bennett, general manager at Biffa, said: “We have worked in close partnership with the Welsh Government over the past two years to help shape the Landfill Disposal Tax Bill and ensure the voice of the waste management industry is heard.
“The collaborative nature of these discussions has been very productive and developed a tax which Biffa, as a compliant taxpayer, can administer in an efficient and effective manner.”
Cabinet Secretary Mark Drakeford added the Bill was “an important step” in establishing tax devolution in Wales.
Warwickshire council in Christmas shopping appeal
Christmas shoppers in Stratford-on-Avon are being encouraged to bag a gift at Warwickshire county council’s network of reuse shops.
Among them are three run by charity run by Age UK Warwickshire which are located in the district, at Burton Farm in Bishopston, Wellesbourne and Shipston-on-Stour.
Age UK asks shoppers to forgo the high street and be ‘sustainably minded’ this Christmas, with all proceeds from the shops going to support older people in Stratford and Warwickshire.
Councillor Jeff Clarke, cabinet portfolio holder for the environment and chair of the Warwickshire Waste Partnership said: “Warwickshire re-use shops are brilliant social enterprises – saving the public purse thousands of pounds in disposal costs as well as generating much-needed income for local good causes such as Age UK Warwickshire.”
MRWA recognised for health and wellbeing programme
Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority (MRWA) has been re-accredited for its work in delivering positive health initiatives to its Liverpool city centre staff.
(l-r): Jane Nolan, MRWA Business Services Officer, Sean Corcoran of Health@Work and Carl Beer, MRWA Chief Executive
The team were assessed by Health@Work, an independent charity that looks to work with organisations to create ‘healthier and happier’ employees.
MRWA achieved the five-star ‘Excellence’ rating in five of eight standards of health and wellbeing, including: Leadership, Absence Management, Health and Safety, Smoking and Physical Activity.
An official Certificate of Accreditation was this week presented to MWRA chief executive Carl Beer by Health@Work’s Sean Corcoran.
Mr Beer said: “Working with Health@Work we’ve developed our Health & Wellbeing programme which has included staff training, regular updates and briefings about health news, healthy eating initiatives and fitness challenges. This achievement demonstrates the continued hard work and commitment of the Authority in ensuring the health & wellbeing of its employees.”
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Source: letsrecycle.com Waste Managment
