New biofertiliser launches

Food waste recycler ReFood has launched a new biofertiliser produced from its anaerobic digestion plants.

ReGrow has high levels of key growth nutrients including nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous that can reportedly double crop yields when used in a ‘comprehensive crop strategy’.

The AD digestate is PAS 110 certified and ReFood has said it will be ‘working closely with leading agronomists to help develop advice for farmers to gain the best results from using the fertiliser’.

Philip Simpson, Commercial Director at ReFood, commented: “The trials that we’ve conducted over the last two years have demonstrated that the product can produce real benefits. The fact that ReGrow ensures that the good nutrients found in the food we waste end up back in the land, rather than rotting in a landfill site, makes using ReGrow a win-win.”

Find out more about ReGrow.

Leeds Recycling Ltd and Waste Recycling and Diversion Ltd go into administration

Waste management firms Leeds Recycling Limited and Waste Recycling and Diversion Limited have gone into administration following ‘cash flow difficulties’, it has been announced.

Howard Smith and Jonny Marston of KPMG were appointed Joint Administrators of the two companies, which operate from the same site in Rotherham, after Leeds Recycling sold its customer list to Biffa Waste Services Limited (who will overtake responsiblity for Leeds Recycling’s waste collections going forwards).

The majority of the 112 staff (48 from Leeds Recycling and 64 from Waste Recycling and Diversion) have been made redundant.

However, a small number of staff from both companies have been retained temporarily to assist the administrators with the managed wind down of the businesses.

Howard Smith, Associate Restructuring Partner at KPMG, said: “The companies experienced significant cash flow difficulties in recent months and were unable to meet their financial commitments. We have staff on site to assist employees with submitting their claims to the Redundancy Payments Office and to help with any queries.”

Find out more about Leeds Recycling Limited and Waste Recycling and Diversion Limited.

Resource Association board changes

At the Resource Association’s board meeting on 23 September, Gemma Stapeley of Aylesford Newsprint was appointed as a full member, replacing Ian Broxup, and Sam Reeve of Resource Futures was appointed as an affiliate member, replacing Paul Vanston.

A call for nominations for a vacancy in the affiliate member category (following the resignation of Nick Brown of Coca-Cola Enterprises) was also approved.

The Board recorded its ‘grateful thanks’ to Ian Broxup, Paul Vanston and Nick Brown for their service to the board, acknowledging the ‘changed individual circumstances for each of them necessitating their resignations’.

Member organisations Aylesford Newsprint, Kent Resource Partnership and Coca-Cola Enterprises were thanked for their continued support to the Resource Association.

Find out more about the Resource Association.

Helistrat wins Poundland contract

Waste management company Helistrat has been awarded a five-year contract to manage Poundland’s waste and recycling services.

The contract, worth an estimated £4 million, began this summer and involves Helistrat managing the back-of-store recycling services for Poundland’s 500 retail stores in the UK and Ireland, as well as at the company’s new distribution centre in Harlow, Essex. A dedicated Account Manager has been embedded within Poundland’s Operations Team.

Craig Bales, Property Director at Poundland, said: ““After a competitive process Poundland is pleased to announce the appointment of Helistrat; helping us to be best in class in waste management and achieve our recycling targets and goals. Helistrat presented a strong proposal and already have extensive experience in the retail sector so we know we are in safe hands and we very much look forward to working together going forward.”

Helistrat’s Business Development Director Harvey Laud said the company was “delighted” to have the opportunity to improve the company’s environmental performance.

Find out more about Helistrat.

Circular Economy Task Force launches new work phase

The Circular Economy Task Force, a government-endorsed, business-led group convened by Green Alliance to identify how business can become more resource efficient, has launched a new phase of work today in which it will analyse the barriers presented by government machinery to a resource efficient circular economy in the UK.

Developing on its work outlining the economic opportunities of moving to a more circular economy, the task force will now shift its

focus to look specifically at government institutions and the reforms needed to ‘bring about a step change in the UK’s resource efficiency’.

The Resource Association and Sinvestec have joined the Circular Economy Task Force for this next phase of work.

Read more about the Circular Economy Task Force.