1. FCC Environment launches online service

FCC Environment (FCC) has launched a new online waste collection booking service.

The service enables organisations to research, book and pay for their recycling and waste collections online.

Speaking of the website, Head of Marketing and Communications at FCC Environment Kristian Dales, said: “We want to make it as easy as possible for customers, particularly small businesses, to access recycling services.

“We know that businesses and SMEs in particular are very keen to make their operations more environmentally sustainable but can find it difficult to locate convenient and cost-effective recycling services.

“This investment in the front end of our operation is matched with investment in new infrastructure which combine to demonstrate our commitment to providing high quality recycling facilities to our customers.”

Find out more about FCC’s new online service.

2. Welsh food waste roadshow

Starting on Monday (2 August), TV Chef Richard Fox will be travelling around Wales to show members of the public how they can make meals out of their leftovers.

Visiting 21 locations across Wales, the Love Food Hate Waste roadshow, organised by Waste Awareness Wales, will include live cookery demonstrations, advice on how to plan meals and work out portion sizes, as well as understanding food date labels and storage tips. The events aim to reduce the large amounts of food waste being produced in Wales each year.

Starting at Morrison’s in Anglesey on 2 September at 10am, the month-long roadshow will finish at Newport Food Festival on 5 October.

Speaking of the events, Lyndsey Stewart from Waste Awareness Wales said: “In Wales we throw away around 400,000 tonnes of good food and drink each year, just from our homes – that’s about £12 billion, costing the average family £50 a month…The road shows have been organised to help residents across Wales learn about the many simple things they can do at home to make the most of the food they have bought in order to save money and waste less.”

Find out more about the Love Food Hate Waste roadshow.

3. CIWM invests in Revise

The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) has announced that it is investing a ‘significant stake’ in sustainability consultants Revise Ltd.

CIWM’s investment will help Revise deliver its ‘Cloud Sustainability’ platform, which aims to help organisations learn about sustainability, comply with waste and environmental legislation, and improve performance.

Waste sector companies already using the platform include AmeyCespa and Tradebe.

In a separate deal, CIWM will also be working alongside the Revise team to develop a ‘comprehensive waste and resource management e-learning offering for both the CIWM membership and a wider industry audience’.

CIWM Chief Executive Steve Lee said: “As well as strengthening CIWM’s investment portfolio, this strategic alliance positions the Institution at the cutting edge of ‘smart’ learning, and will enable us to offer the sector the very latest in online training and support.”

Revise CEO Daniel Botterill added: “CIWM’s expertise in waste and resource management will be invaluable in developing this aspect of the platform and our waste expert products more specifically.”

Find out more about the Cloud Sustainability software platform.

4. Every Can Counts NHS

Emma Bridge from the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital (which has reduced its waste sent to landfill by 23 per cent since launching Every Can Counts in 2009), with members of the Every Can Counts team.

Drinks can recycling programme, Every Can Counts, is launching a campaign to help support the NHS in meeting its commitment to reduce its carbon footprint by 50 per cent by 2025.

As part of the new campaign, Every Can Counts will be supporting a number of NHS Trusts to develop and run communications campaigns for staff to raise awareness of, and encourage participation in, recycling. Further, the NHS campaign will help hospitals raise awareness of existing recycling facilities and provide the institutions with collection boxes and promotional material.

Rick Hindley at Every Can Counts, said: “Drinks can recycling really does make a difference. The recycling process saves 95 per cent of the energy and CO2 emissions compared to making a metal from raw materials, so every can recycled cuts the carbon footprint of the next can made, and we can help promote this message to NHS workers.

Read more about Every Can Counts's NHS campaign.

5. People’s Design Lab workshop

Zero waste specialist and campaigner Professor Paul Connett will be the main speaker at the People Design’s Lab next workshop aimed at designing out waste from everyday products.

The free event, set to be held in the Lord Mayor’s Hospitality Suite in the Council House in Coventry from 10.30-4pm on 12 September, will bring together designers, manufacturers and consumers looking to design out obsolescence.

Specifically, the event will try and redesign three products, as voted for by the public: an inkjet printer; black plastic packaging on food; and excess hard plastic packaging. Solutions suggested so far include: minimising ink use through new manufacturer’s defaults; creating new reusable zero waste packaging for food products; and creating a FAIR WASTE mark that provides independent validation that a manufacturer has minimised waste. 

The People’s Design Lab a partnership facilitated by welsh social enterprise Cwm Harry with Loughborough and Cranfield Universities, it is funded by social innovation charity NESTA.

Book a place at the People Design Lab’s workshop or read more about the People Design Lab’s work.

6. New Luxus operations manager

Louth-based technical plastics recycler and compounder Luxus has appointed Alex Clarke (pictured right) as its new Operations Manager.

In his new role, Clarke will be responsible for the day-to-day running of the business and strategic planning. Clarke had previously held positions as Project Manager and Business Improvement Manager at Luxus has an MBA in Business Management.

Speaking of the appointment, Peter Atterby, Luxus’s Managing Director said: “We are delighted to promote Alex to this senior position as we believe that he has the necessary skill set to enable us to not only deliver excellence for our customers, but to further our reach into new markets abroad.

“Since joining Luxus Alex has worked right across the business gaining a thorough understanding of our key operations. He was responsible earlier this year for establishing our partnership with global polymer sourcing company KPL International Ltd accelerating our growth into the Indian auto market for example. We wish him every success in his new role.”

Read more about Luxus.