1. Work starts at Cumbrian recycling facility

Work has begun on Cumbria County Council’s new £1 million materials recycling facility (MRF) in Cumbria.

To mark the start of building work on the council-run MRF at the Hespin Wood site, near Carlisle, Chairman of Cumbria County Council, Alan Barry, took part in a ground-breaking ceremony alongside staff from Cumbria Waste Management Group, which will operate the facility.

Waste recycled at the MRF will be predominantly commercial waste but the plant can also process co-mingled recyclate such as cans, glass and plastics collected from households. Waste of this sort is currently processed in Lancashire.

It is hoped that the MRF will help divert 40,000 tonnes of waste away from landfill.

Councillor Alan Barry, Chairman of Cumbria County Council, said: “Developments such as these are great news for Cumbria in terms of providing the most environmentally friendly options possible for dealing with the region’s waste and for helping secure employment in the area.”

(L-R): Cumbria Waste Management Managing Director Mike Bareham with Councillor Alan Barry and Cumbria Waste Management Finance Director Andy Chant.

1.Work starts at Cumbrian recycling facilityWork has begun on Cumbria County Council's new £1 million materials recycling facility (MRF) in Cumbria.To mark the start of building work on the council-run MRF at the Hespin Wood site, near Carlisle, Chairman of Cumbria County Council, Alan Barry, took part in a ceremony alongside staff from Cumbria Waste Management Group, which will operate the facility.Waste recycled at the MRF will be predominantly commercial waste but the plant can also process co-mingled recyclate such as cans, glass and plastics collected from households. Waste of this sort is currently processed in Lancashire.It is hoped that the MRF will help divert 40,000 tonnes of waste away from landfill.Councillor Alan Barry, Chairman of Cumbria County Council, said: “Developments such as these are great news for Cumbria in terms of providing the most environmentally friendly options possible for dealing with the region's waste and for helping secure employment in the area.”Read more about Cumbria County Council's recycling policy.2.BHS partners with new MRF in New MexicoFriedman Recycling has opened a new 30 tonne-per-hour single stream materials recovery facility (MRF) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Designed, manufactured and installed by Oregon-based Bulk Handling Systems (BHS), the $21 million (£12.8 million) facility houses 'the latest' in screening, air and optical sorting technology, and will process an estimated 120,000 tonnes annually from approximately 177,000 residential customers.According to Mayor Berry, the new facility is “a symbol of our commitment to recycling and forever changes the way Albuquerque recycles”. He added that the facility will create 35 new jobs that “will grow to 75 employees over time.” BHS President John Warne said: “Friedman Recycling has shown a commitment to bringing innovative recycling solutions to the Southwest. “This beautiful facility is the latest example and significantly enhances the way Albuquerque recycles - a testament to the Friedman family and all that make up their company.”Read more about Bulk Handling Systems.3.Campaign against use of balloons and sky lanternsThe British Plastics Federation's Recycling Group (BPFRG) has announced its support of the Marine Conservation Society campaign, 'Don't Let go!', which discourages the use of balloons and sky lanterns. The group says the campaign to reduce the aerial objects will not only help protect wildlife, but 'significantly' reduce the fire risk carried by floating lanterns. Indeed, it is thought that the prime cause of a recent major fire at a plastics recycling plant in Birmingham was the ignition of material by one or more Chinese lanterns. The BPFRG has written to its members urging companies to ensure that they have carried out up-to-date fire risk assessments for their premises. Read more about the 'Don't let go' campaign.4.New Maidstone recycling service Municipal services contractor Biffa has started rolling out an upgraded recycling collection service for Maidstone Borough Council, just weeks after launching major changes to the refuse and recycling service in neighbouring Ashford. Along with Swale Borough Council and Ashford Borough Council, Maidstone is part of the Mid Kent Waste Partnership that awarded Biffa a ten year, £86 million contract last October. Under the new service, residents will be able to recycle a wider range of dry recyclables, including glass, plastic containers, and drinks cartons. Biffa's service also comprises a weekly collection of food waste and an optional subscription-based garden waste collection service. Small electrical and electronic waste equipment (WEEE) will now also be collected alongside refuse, while textiles are collected with recycling.According to Biffa, the recycling expansion will help the borough to recycle over 50 per cent of its household rubbish by 2015. Biffa's municipal development director, Pete Dickson, said Maidstone's new service “represents another major step on the road to making a real difference to the area's waste reduction performance”. Read more about the Mid Kent Waste Partnership contract. 5.Regional waste website launchedA new regional waste website has been launched to raise awareness of the need for alternative food and residual waste treatment facilities in the South West Wales region.Local authorities that comprise the South West Waste Partnership: Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Bridgend, have recycling targets and landfill allowances to meet and are subject to large financial penalties if they fail to achieve them. As a result, all five local authorities have said they are keen to find the most sustainable, cost effective, and practical solution for the treatment of food and non-recyclable waste.The website has also been developed to provide as much information as possible to residents.Councillor Ted Latham, Chair of the Joint Committee governing the project, said: “One of the most important environmental challenges facing us today is what we do with our rubbish. “Once we have reduced and recycled as much as we can, we then need to find new ways of treating the waste that is left over.“It is important that residents living in the South West Wales region are aware of what the partnership is doing and why. I hope people will visit the new website which has lots of information, including the various waste treatment technologies that we are looking at.”Read more about the South West Waste Partnership waste website.6. Call for residents to recycle their spectaclesNorth Lincolnshire residents are being asked to recycle their spectacles for charity.The council has reportedly collected over 1,000 spectacles from residents for international charity Vision Aid which provides access to eye care to those in developing countries. The charity works to provide glasses to the '670 million people - 10 per cent of the world's population - [who] are visually impaired because they cannot get the glasses they need'.Thanking residents for their efforts so far, Councillor Nigel Sherwood, cabinet member for Highways and Neighbourhoods, urged residents to keep recycling their old spectacles: “Thank you to everyone that has recycled their spectacles, this will help support the wonderful work that Vision Aid does. Remember the next time you get a new pair of spectacles; your old ones could make a difference to someone's life. Let's keep recycling and help the world around us as much as possible.”Residents can recycled their spectacles at the council's eight Household Recycling Centres

Read more about Cumbria County Council’s recycling policy.

2. BHS partners with new MRF in New Mexico

Friedman Recycling has opened a new 30 tonne-per-hour, single stream materials recovery facility (MRF) in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Designed, manufactured and installed by Oregon-based Bulk Handling Systems (BHS), the $21 million (£12.8 million) facility houses ‘the latest’ in screening, air and optical sorting technology, and will process an estimated 120,000 tonnes annually from approximately 177,000 residential customers.

According to Mayor Berry, the new facility is “a symbol of our commitment to recycling and forever changes the way Albuquerque recycles”. He added that the facility will create 35 new jobs that “will grow to 75 employees over time.”

BHS President John Warne said: “Friedman Recycling has shown a commitment to bringing innovative recycling solutions to the Southwest.

“This beautiful facility is the latest example and significantly enhances the way Albuquerque recycles – a testament to the Friedman family and all that make up their company.”

Read more about Bulk Handling Systems.

3. Campaign against use of balloons and sky lanterns

The British Plastics Federation’s Recycling Group (BPFRG) has announced its support of the Marine Conservation Society campaign, ‘Don’t Let go!’, which discourages the use of balloons and sky lanterns.

The group says the campaign to reduce the aerial objects will not only help protect wildlife, but ‘significantly’ reduce the fire risk carried by floating lanterns. Indeed, it is thought that the prime cause of a recent major fire at a plastics recycling plant in Birmingham was the ignition of material by one or more Chinese lanterns.

The BPFRG has written to its members urging companies to ensure that they have carried out up-to-date fire risk assessments for their premises.

Read more about the ‘Don’t let go’ campaign.

4. New Maidstone recycling service

Municipal services contractor Biffa has started rolling out an upgraded recycling collection service for Maidstone Borough Council, just weeks after launching major changes to the refuse and recycling service in neighbouring Ashford.

Along with Swale Borough Council and Ashford Borough Council, Maidstone is part of the Mid Kent Waste Partnership that awarded Biffa a ten year, £86 million contract last October.

Under the new service, residents will be able to recycle a wider range of dry recyclables, including glass, plastic containers, and drinks cartons. Biffa’s service also comprises a weekly collection of food waste and an optional subscription-based garden waste collection service. Small electrical and electronic waste equipment (WEEE) will now also be collected alongside refuse, while textiles are collected with recycling.

According to Biffa, the recycling expansion will help the borough to recycle over 50 per cent of its household rubbish by 2015.

Biffa’s municipal development director, Pete Dickson, said Maidstone’s new service “represents another major step on the road to making a real difference to the area’s waste reduction performance”.

Read more about the Mid Kent Waste Partnership contract.

5. Regional waste website launched

A new regional waste website has been launched to raise awareness of the need for alternative food and residual waste treatment facilities in the South West Wales region.

Local authorities that comprise the South West Waste Partnership: Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Bridgend, have recycling targets and landfill allowances to meet and are subject to large financial penalties if they fail to achieve them. As a result, all five local authorities have said they are keen to find the most sustainable, cost effective, and practical solution for the treatment of food and non-recyclable waste.

The website has also been developed to provide as much information as possible to residents.

Councillor Ted Latham, Chair of the Joint Committee governing the project, said: “One of the most important environmental challenges facing us today is what we do with our rubbish.

“Once we have reduced and recycled as much as we can, we then need to find new ways of treating the waste that is left over.

“It is important that residents living in the South West Wales region are aware of what the partnership is doing and why. I hope people will visit the new website which has lots of information, including the various waste treatment technologies that we are looking at.”

Read more about the South West Waste Partnership waste website.

6. Call for residents to recycle their spectacles

North Lincolnshire residents are being asked to recycle their spectacles for charity.

The council has reportedly collected over 1,000 spectacles from residents for international charity Vision Aid which provides access to eye care to those in developing countries. The charity works to provide glasses to the ‘670 million people – 10 per cent of the world’s population – [who] are visually impaired because they cannot get the glasses they need’.

Thanking residents for their efforts so far, Councillor Nigel Sherwood, cabinet member for Highways and Neighbourhoods, urged residents to keep recycling their old spectacles: “Thank you to everyone that has recycled their spectacles, this will help support the wonderful work that Vision Aid does. Remember the next time you get a new pair of spectacles; your old ones could make a difference to someone’s life. Let’s keep recycling and help the world around us as much as possible.”

Residents can recycled their spectacles at the council’s eight Household Recycling Centres