Andrew Bird (pictured) has been appointed as the new Chair of the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC), it was announced today (10 January).
Bird is Recycling Strategy and Commissioning Manager at Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and previously held the roles of LARAC Vice Chair, Policy Support Officer andRepresentative for the West Midlands.
As Chair, he replaces Joy Blizzard, who stood down from the organisation last week.
Speaking of his appointment, Bird said: “I am thrilled to have been appointed Chair of LARAC.
“We continue to live in challenging times, as seen in the last week by the controversy from DCLG's so-called 'Bin Bible'. As chair, I will do my upmost to represent our members’ best interests at a national level, as well as giving advice where necessary.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the past chair, Joy Blizzard who has worked tirelessly for LARAC over the last 10 years, helping shape the organisation to be the success it is today, and also Mark Foxall as Vice-Chair for all his work and support especially around the need nationally to improve health and safety in our industry, an area I am passionate to support.”
LARAC Executive members Sally Talbot, Team Manager of Waste and Operations at Staffordshire County Council, and Durk Reyner, Head of Client Environment Services at Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council, will support Bird as Vice-Chairs.
The news comes during a time of change for LARAC, as the organisation’s Executive Officer, Colin Kirkby, is retiring in April, at which point Lee Marshall will be taking over as CEO.
Read more about LARAC.
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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.