Planning permission granted for AD facility at Clapham Lodge

Planning permission has been granted for a 1.5 megawatt anaerobic digestion (AD) facility at Clapham Lodge in Leeming, North Yorkshire.

Granted by North Yorkshire Council at their planning meeting on Tuesday (25 March), the decision marked the end of a ‘long running application’ from planning consultancy, Prism Planning and AD technology group, JFS & Associates.

The plant will process ‘around 50,000 tonnes’ of food waste, produced by nearby food and drink businesses, a year.

The layout and configuration of the site have been redesigned to prevent interference with the radar emissions from RAF Leeming, whose main runway passes close to the site.

Read more about Prism Planning.

British Metals Recycling Association expands board

The British Recycling Association (BMRA), the trade association representing the UK’s £5.6 billion metals recycling sector, has appointed five new board members to fill existing vacancies and replace members who are retiring.

The new members, announced on Tuesday (25 March), are:

· David Barraclough, Director of Robinson & Birdsell;

· John Boyd, Managing Director at JSB Metals;

· Susie Burrage, Director of Recycled Products;

· John Rice, a Director of Metal & Waste; and

· Alasdair Jackson, Operations Director at Recycling Lives.

Graham Davy, President of the BMRA, commented: “We are delighted to welcome the new additions to the board as they bring a wealth of experience and will be able to serve our members well.”

Find out more about the BMRA.

Shanks completes sale of Scottish recycling plant

Waste management company Shanks Group plc has completed the sale of its Blochairn recycling facility in Glasgow, it has been announced.

The Blochairn site, located on the eastern side of Glasgow, comprises a material recovery facility (MRF) and an adjacent sorting hall. The site was closed in December following the completion of the sale of Shanks’ UK solid waste collection activities to Biffa.

Managing Director of Shanks’ UK Municipal Division,Peter Eglinton, commented: “We are pleased to have been able to complete the handover of this facility on time to Glasgow City Council. We can now focus the UK business on our core municipal contracts and producing fuel for our customers.”

Read more about Shanks Group plc.

BHS appoints Richard Sweet as Systems Optimisation Manager

Waste sorting-system manufacturer Bulk Handling Systems (BHS) has named former Projects Group Manager, Richard Sweet, as the new System Optimisation Manager.

Sweet and his team will be responsible for plant optimisation, preventive maintenance, parts programs, and regularly scheduled visits to materials recovery facilities (MRFs) and other customer locations.

Sweet has worked with all the major BHS systems since he started at the company in 2008, which BHS believes will give him a ‘unique’ understanding of MRF operations.

“Throughout this evolution I have been fortunate to have worked with hundreds of elite operators and the best equipment in the industry”, said Sweet.

“I plan to share these best practices to help our customers achieve their business goals. It’s a truly exciting position for me, and one that I’m sure will provide great value to our customers.”

Read more about BHS.

New Sustainability and Recycling Awards launched

A new scheme from Birmingham City Council, the Sustainability and Recycling Awards, was launched earlier this week (26 March) at Purnell’s restaurant in Birmingham.

Encouraging businesses, community groups and schools to submit ideas for ‘green initiatives’, the scheme will recognise projects in four categories:

· Best Waste and Recycling Scheme;

· Best Energy and reduction Scheme;

· Best Food and Growing Scheme;

· Best Staff and Community Scheme.

An overall winner whose entry ‘embraces the ethos of the awards’ will be announced at a ceremony at the Council House, in Victoria Square on 18 July 2014.

Launching the awards, Councillor James McKay said: “I would like to urge all local people, businesses and schools who actively recycle, reuse and reduce waste to enter these new Sustainability and Recycling Awards.

“These awards give us the opportunity to highlight and celebrate the fantastic work that’s being carried out in our city, and which usually goes unnoticed.”

Find out how to enter the awards.

VEKA Recycling sponsors young football team

PVC recycling company, VEKA Recycling Ltd, has sponsored an under 13s football team at the Gravesend-based Invicta Lions youth football club in Kent.

VEKA Recycling Ltd (VEKA), producers of recyclate from post-industrial and post-consumer window frame material, has supplied the Under 13s team at Invicta Lions youth football club with a new football strip.

Thenew kit bears VEKA’s blue diamond logo to ‘spread the plastic recycling message’.

Simon Scholes, Business Administration Manager for VEKA Recycling, said: “In line with our commitment to investment in new recycling infrastructure, we welcomed the opportunity to also invest in our local community; benefiting local youngsters who will hopefully be the recyclers of the future.”

Established in 2007 the Invicta Lions football club allows children aged between five and 18 to be trained by an FA-qualified coach.

Find out more information on VEKA Recycling Ltd.