Recolight launches new Lucy LED mascot

Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) compliance scheme Recolight has launched a new mascot, Lucy LED.

Joining Recolight’s current mascot Bertie Bulb, Lucy LED has been launched to represent the more modern and ‘greener’ technology of light-emitting diode (LED) lamps.

It is hoped that both mascots will help spread Recolight’s message about the importance of recycling LEDs, lamps and luminaires.

Suzanne Castine, Marketing Manager for Recolight, commented: “It is vital that as many people as possible learn about the need to ‘recycle your light with Recolight’, and it has been proven that the use of mascots can help to spread the word.

“Whilst having industry mascots is fun for all, Lucy LED signifies an important change in the lighting industry. Mascots tend to reach a wide audience with many people able to identify with loveable big characters. Bertie Bulb has always attracted young and old alike, and together, Bertie Bulb and Lucy LED were even popular with the [London] crowd when they embarked upon a tour this week.”

Find out more about Lucy LED by following her on Twitter @LucyLED1

FCC Environment opens reuse shop in Cannock

Recycling and waste management company FCC Environment has launched a charity reuse shop at the Cannock Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC), as part of its long-term waste contract with Staffordshire County Council.

Run in partnership with Katharine House, a charity that provides free hospice care for people in Staffordshire with incurable illnesses, the shop enables members of the public to visit the HWRC to purchase unwanted household goods.

Richard Belfield, FCC Environment’s Group Development Director, commented: “Improving the services offered at our HWRCs and opening a charity shop will boost local recycling and reuse rates, make savings for the council and give much needed help to a local charity.”

Councillor Mark Winnington, cabinet member for economy, environment and transport at Staffordshire County Council, added: “We want to make it as easy as possible for people to recycle used goods and the new arrangements through the Katharine House charity shops on site are helping us do this.

“This is good news for local people who want to donate their goods and better news for those people wanting to buy them.”

Residents wishing to donate items to the reuse shop can do so at any of the council’s HWRCs.

Find out more about the Cannock reuse shop.

Remondis appoints new Account Manager for Chemical and Hazardous Waste

Waste processing business Remondis UK has appointed Mike Mulligan (pictured, right) to the new role of Account Manager for Chemical and Hazardous Waste.

Mulligan, who has 12 years of experience in the chemical and hazardous waste sectors, has previously worked with businesses including PHS, Augean and Shanks.

He will be working to develop a business stream to ‘keep the value of certain wastes within the UK market and develop reciprocal relationships with other waste management organisations’.

Phil Thomas, National Sales Manager at Remondis UK, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Mike to the Remondis team. He has such relevant experience and great connections throughout the waste industry. We have already seen some really positive results in his first few weeks and look forward to announcing new solutions for our customers in due course.”

Mulligan commented: “I jumped at the opportunity to work with the Remondis team on this exciting venture to expand the network of waste recovery and disposal streams within the UK and further develop relationships with the wider industry. It is great to be part of an organisation which has invested so heavily in quality facilities, and I look forward to helping to grow the business even further in 2015.”

Find out more about Remondis.

Viridor donates £1,000 to Sue Ryder

Waste management firm Viridor and its construction partners on the Peterborough Energy Recovery Facility (ERF), B&W Volund, Interserve and Fichtner, have celebrated achieving 200,000 man hours (equivalent to nearly 23 years) of work without time lost to accident or injury.

To mark the achievement and ‘demonstrate its commitment to the community in which it is working’, Viridor has donated a second cheque for £1,000 to the Sue Ryder appeal to build a new hospice at Thorpe Hall in Peterborough.

Regional Contracts Manager, Paul Rowland, who was joined by representatives from each of the construction partners to present the cheque (pictured, above), commented: “Since we started construction last July, we’ve established a strong team approach to health and safety. Everyone works together to identify opportunities to improve and we’re constantly challenging each other to keep our excellent performance record going.

“I’m delighted to reach this milestone, and it means we’re able to stand here today, at the Sue Ryder facilities, and see where our contribution can really help make a difference.”

Hospice Fundraiser Nilesh Patel said the charity was “grateful for the continued support from Viridor and its partners” and added that Viridor’s donation would help the charity compete construction of the new hospice on time.

Once operational in ‘late 2015’, the Peterborough incinerator will burn up to 85,000 tonnes of residual waste a year to produce 7.25 megawatts of electricity.

Find out more about the Peterborough ERF or the work of Sue Ryder.

Reconditioned vehicles expand William Tracey's fleet

Recycling company the William Tracey Group has introduced two ‘fully reconditioned’ refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) in to its fleet.

The Mercedes Econic RCVs are fitted with Heil compaction bodies and new Zoeller trade lifts. They have also been fitted with AMCS Group onboard computer technology, which enables real-time online communication between the vehicle and the company's IT system.

Commenting on the introduction of the reconditioned vehicles, William Tracey Group's Managing Director for the Non Hazardous Division, Robin Stevenson, said: “The increase in availability of reconditioned vehicles means that they are now a realistic option when we need to expand our fleet.

“Reusing vehicles enables us to implement the waste hierarchy in to our [own] business and to genuinely practice what we preach. The reconditioning and original build quality means that they present a practical, sustainable and cost-effective alternative with all the technological capability of a new vehicle.”

Find out more about the William Tracey Group.