1. South London refuse workers dispute settled

Workers’ union Unite has announced that refuse collection workers in Bromley and Croydon have accepted an improved pay offer from Veolia and, as such, have called off their planned strike action (scheduled for 22-24 July).

Following talks under the auspices of the conciliation service, Acas, Veolia has agreed to pay Unite workers a settlement of 2.25 per cent for this year (backdated to November in Bromley and January in Croydon) and a total of 2.25 per cent for 2014. In addition, there will be an increase in paid sick leave and an additional day’s annual leave. However, this rate is still lower than the three per cent retail price index.

Unite Regional Officer Onay Kasab said: "It is disappointing that the employers did not feel that their hard working employees were worth a pay rise that met the cost of living. However, I congratulate workers at Veolia in Croydon and Bromley who have stood together and won an improved pay award.”

A Veolia Environmental Services’ spokesperson said: “We are pleased to confirm that our refuse and recycling services to residents in Bromley and Croydon will continue operating normally as Unite have accepted our revised offer which includes a 2.25 per cent pay increase both this year and next and some enhanced benefits.”

2. Circular Economy competition winner

Circular economy group The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has announced the winners of their ‘Meet Dame Ellen MacArthur’ competition to design a poster or video that helps explain the circular economy framework to others.

Launched in the spring, the national competition challenged school students and teachers to illustrate the concepts behind a circular economy in a way that would help explain it to fellow teachers and students.

The winning entry came from Archbishop Holgate School in York. The judges commended the entry for good understanding of the whole system change and a more complex understanding of the model and infrastructure of a circular economy. The judges also applauded the ‘good uses of animation and clear script’, as well as ‘excellent content, production and terminology’.

Ellen MacArthur will now provide a talk at Archbishop Holgate School on how she came to learn about the circular economy framework, how the economy is changing, and how this is relevant to education and future skills.

Watch Archbishop Holgate School’s video on the circular economy.

3. Building a house from waste

On Wednesday (17 July) pupils from St Andrew’s CE Primary School in Hove helped build Britain’s first house made almost entirely from thrown-away waste in Brighton.

Joined by Brighton MP Caroline Lucas, the pupils slotted used toothbrushes into wall cavities to insulate in the house, currently under construction at the University of Brighton’s Faculty of Arts campus in Grand Parade.

The project is backed by TV designer and presenter Kevin McCloud who, with University of Brighton lecturer and architect Duncan Baker-Brown, worked on a similar build in London for a TV programme in 2008.

With support from Brighton and Hove City Council, City College, the Mears Group, and the internet-based reuse organisation Freegle amongst others, Baker-Brown is using thrown-away bricks, ply sheets, wood and “rubbish” including old plastic razors, denim jeans, DVD’s and video cassettes to show how low-carbon homes can be built cheaply and quickly.

Students, apprentices, local builders and school children have been involved with the making of the structure, with the ambition to train students and apprentices around emerging green industries.

Baker-Brown said: “The research will inform developments in the construction industry and will help in the design of houses of the future. The building will have its own street entrance – putting the house at the heart of the community.”

Read more about Brighton’s ‘Waste House’.

4. ELLA’s Kitchen diverts half a million food pouches

The ELLA’S KITCHEN Brigade®, a recycling fundraising scheme designed to save used baby food pouches from UK landfill and recycle them into new products, has announced that it has diverted half a million pouches from landfill.

Although baby food pouch material is recyclable, UK councils often don’t have the infrastructure to recycle this type of waste packaging. As a result, ELLA’S KITCHEN Brigade®, was launched in the UK in March 2010 with recycling specialists, TerraCycle.

Sarah Bright, Head of Giving Stuff Back at ELLA’S KITCHEN, said: “[We] are delighted that ELLA’S KITCHEN Brigade® participants across the UK have all done their bit to help reach this significant ’half a million’ collection milestone figure.

“At the same time £13,425 has been raised for schools, charities and non-profit organisations.”

Read more about ELLA’S KITCHEN Brigade®.

5. PDM to invest £90 million to tackle organic waste

Food waste recycler Prosper de Mulder Ltd (PDM), has announced plans to spend more than £90 million on its operations in the UK before the end of 2014.

In addition to the £44 million being invested in new anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities in Widnes and Dagenham for its ReFood food waste business, the company is also spending £29 million to upgrade its animal by-product rendering operations in Nuneaton and Widnes, and a further £18 million on its pet food processing facilities in Widnes, Doncaster and Nottingham.

Speaking of the investment, Andy Smith, Chief Executive Officer at PDM, said: “This investment will future-proof our business and give customers the reassurance that they are dealing with the best in the industry, while allowing us to expand significantly our operations in the UK.”

Read more about the PDM Group.