Agrivert West London exports electricity

A new anaerobic digestion plant at Chertsey in Surrey has begun exporting energy to the National Grid for the first time.

The £11-million plant, owned by waste management company Agrivert, is currently operating at around 80 per cent of its capacity, but once fully operational is expected to produce 2.4 megawatts of electricity (enough power for over 4,000 homes) by processing up to 50,000 tonnes of food waste a year.

Harry Waters, Agrivert’s Commercial Director, commented: “This plant will provide much needed food waste treatment capacity in the local area, as well as producing valuable renewable energy and fertiliser.”

Richard Skehens, Chief Executive of Grundon Waste Management – which has a 15 per cent stake in the project – added: “We see this as an important strategic investment. Our customers are always looking for more comprehensive and environmentally-friendly recycling solutions and Trumps Farm enables us to meet those needs, combining increased service levels with excellent value for money.”

Find out more about Agrivert’s West London AD plant.

Shanks begins work on Wakefield HWRC

Waste management company Shanks UK has marked the beginning of its redevelopment of the Denby Dale Road Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) in Wakefield, by demolishing the old site.

According to the company, the new HWRC, being built as part of Shanks’s 25-year PFI contract with Wakefield Council, will ‘improve [the site’s] efficiency and functionality’ through: ‘safer’ traffic management; a new waste transfer station; and the development of a new facility building, gatehouse and covering.

Peter Eglinton, Managing Director of Shanks UK, said he was ‘delighted’ to mark the milestone, adding that Shanks“look[s] forward to rebuilding a safer and more efficient waste facility for the people of Wakefield”.

Councillor Maureen Cummings, Cabinet Member for Environment and Communities at Wakefield Council, added: “This is the next major step towards improving waste management for everyone in the district and protecting our local environment. I look forward to the new facility being built, providing a more sustainable future for our waste recycling services.”

Shanks is also building a new residual waste treatment facility at South Kirkby, due to open in 2015.

Find out more about Shanks's waste contract with Wakefield Council.

i2i appoints two new event specialists

i2i Events Group has appointed two new ‘senior event specialists’ to the RWM in partnership with CIWM (the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management) portfolio.

Sarah Porter has been appointed Divisional Director for Environment and Broadcasting Events and will be responsible for managing ‘market-leading brands’ such as RWM in partnership with CIWM and be, an event aimed at the broadcasting industry. She was previously a management consultant to the exhibition industry for organisers including United Business Media, Clarion Events, and London 2012.

Russell Baconhas been taken on as new portfolio director for the same division at i2i and will ‘lead and set show strategies for the environment and broadcasting portfolio’. He had previously been Sales Director at IIR Telecoms, Informa SAS, and OVUM.

Steve Lee, Chief Executive of CIWM, said: "RWM is Europe's premier waste and resources management event. We're proud of what we've built with our partners i2i, and in the way we've done it: by listening to our customers and to our customers' customers. And I’m delighted to have Sarah and Russell on the RWM team.”

RWM in partnership with CIWM will run from 16-18 September at the NEC Birmingham.

Find out more about RWM in partnership with CIWM.

Agilitas invests in Impetus Waste Management

Private equity firm Agilitas has invested in the management buyout of Impetus Waste Management Holdings Limited (Impetus). The sum of this investment has not been made publically available.

Impetus currently handles over 500,000 tonnes per annum of commercial, industrial and municipal waste through its two waste transfer stations at Wallsend and Washington and its two landfill sites at Cowpen Bewley and Teesport. It is currently building a 49-megawatt gasification facility in Teesside.

Commenting on the announcement, Martin Calderbank, Founding Partner at Agilitas, said: “Impetus is an organisation at the crossroads of transformational change, and we see huge opportunities in helping the management team develop their business in waste to energy.”

Dee Moloney, Managing Director of LRS Consultancy (which advised Agilitas on this transaction through its undertaking of commercial market due diligence), commented: "Private equity firms, like Agilitas, need the confidence that thorough commercial market due diligence can provide in decision-making.

“It’s essential that both the market demand and competitive position stack up for an investment decision to proceed.”

Read more about Agilitas, Impetus Waste Management or LRS Consultancy.

BIU Group installs recycling points in Test Valley Borough

Textile recycling company BIU Group (BIU) is to install six new textile recycling points across Test Valley Borough Council sites to help raise funds for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA).

BIU works together with local authorities to encourage residents to donate unwanted clothes and textiles to BIU’s recycling banks. These are then sold on with funds going toward local charities.

The six new sites in Hampshire will see proceeds donated to HIOWAA. To date, BIU has raised £2 million for the charity.

Wendy Yarney, Charity Partnerships Manager at BIU, said: “We are delighted that Test Valley Borough Council is continuing to support the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance recycling scheme, by providing additional sites.

“Recycling textiles is a sustainable way of raising funds for local charities. This scheme alone will provide enough funding for a third of all the aircraft's lifesaving missions, whilst diverting textiles which would otherwise be destined for landfill.”

Find out more about BIU Group.

New Chair of CEPI Recycling & Product Committee

The Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI), a Brussels-based organisation that represents the European pulp and paper industry, has appointed Jim Malone as Chairman of CEPI’s Recycling and Product Committee.

Malone, European Sales and Purchasing Director in the Recycling Division of packaging company DS Smith, will hold the position for the next two years.

Speaking of his appointment, Malone said: ”There are many ongoing issues that I plan to oversee, including implementing the new EN643 paper grade, looking at the impacts of food contact within the paper sector and ensuring end of waste paper criteria is sensible and practical for the industry.

“The committee will keep an active eye on legislation and how new

regulations could impact on the paper industry’s activities. We are working on ideas for increasing our lobbying and engagement work, particularly towards local authorities and consumers.”

Find out more about CEPI.