- 1. ERPC appoints new chairperson
The European Recovered Paper Council (ERPC) announced on Monday (21 January) that it has appointed Secretary General of Intergraf, Beatrice Klose, as its new Chairperson.
Klose’s chairmanship commenced on 1 January and will run until the end of next year.
Klose said of her appointment: “The ERPC has been very successful in boosting paper recovery and recycling rates and in improving the quality of paper for recycling in Europe.
“I intend to continue this line of work and to preserve the valuable contribution of the value chain to green growth and job creation in Europe.”
2. AD and composting contracts in Wakefield
Shanks Waste Management Ltd has awarded contracts for the construction of an anaerobic digestion (AD) plant and composting facility at South Kirkby near Wakefield.
The Ros Roca Imtech Joint Venture (RRIJV) is to construct the AD plant, while design specialists BioWatt Engineering are to develop the composting facility. Both will form part of Shanks’ new 230,000 tonne waste treatment facility.
Business Sector Manager for Waste and Energy at Imtech, Nick Small, said: “We are delighted with this contract win and the partnership opportunity it provides for RRIJV and Shanks Waste Management. This is a prestigious project and we are all excited to begin work on it.”
CEO of BioWatt, James Lloyd, added: “We are immensely proud to be working alongside Shanks Group and their selected contractors to deliver this landmark project. This gives BioWatt the opportunity to demonstrate our environmental engineering capabilities with what is a uniquely designed plant and process.”
3. Palm recycling becomes sole purchaser and supplier to Palm Paper
Palm Recycling has announced that it has become the ‘sole purchaser and supplier’ of recovered paper fibre for parent company Palm Paper.
This development will see Palm Recycling ‘control over 550,000 tonnes of fibre material’ each year in an attempt to ensure a constant stream of ‘high-quality recovered fibre’ for the company’s paper mill in Kings Lynn, Norfolk.
Commercial Director of Palm Recycling, Rick Waterson, said: “This has always been a goal for us – to supply the entire needs of our parent company’s fibre demands –and we have worked tremendously hard to achieve this position.
“Apart from the continuity of supply it brings it also has the added benefit of all areas controlled by one central purchasing hub here in Cheshire.”
4. Valpak to continue to administer DTS
Valpak Retail WEEE Services has once again been engaged to administer the Distributor Take back Scheme (DTS), in a deal set to run from January 2013 to December 2016.
Under UK WEEE Regulations, the DTS will allow retailers to decide whether to offer in-store take back of WEEE, or contribute to a fund aimed at reducing the amount of WEEE in landfill.
CEO of Valpak, Steve Gough, said: "We are delighted that Valpak has been asked to continue to operate the scheme on behalf of retailers and the government.
It provides an important core task within the UK WEEE system and will allow us to continue to support an effective national collection network which has been established during Phases I and II."
5. CPI attempts to dispel myths about paper
In an attempt to dispel some of the myths surrounding the paper industry, the Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) has announced the launch of a new booklet entitled ‘Paper Myths and Facts: A Balanced View’.
The principal falsehoods the booklet seeks to dismiss include:
- The paper industry destroys forests
- The production of paper is environmentally damaging
- It uses too much packaging
- Paper will be replaced by modern technology
- It is an old fashioned industry.
Director General of CPI, David Workman, said: “Paper is a very versatile material – and uniquely renewable. However, it is surrounded by myths which this booklet is designed to explore.
“Hopefully those that read it will be better informed about a material which not only has a proud and lengthy pedigree but is one of those materials which will play an important part in society for many years to come”.
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.