Manchester school reduces carbon footprint through waste reduction

Parrs Wood High School in Manchester has announced that it is now saving over 400 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year and recycling 85 per cent of its waste, after implementing waste reduction practices on advice from Bagnall & Morris (B&M) Waste Services.

The company carried out a full waste audit of the school in partnership with the school’s carbon reduction committee – the Student CO2 Committee – and found the school could be doing more to recycle.

As such, it introduced 25 internal bins for dry mixed recycling, internal food recycling bins, a collection service for waste electrical and electronic equipment, a skip for metals, and proposals for secure shredding and recycling of office paper.

B&M is also working with the school to plant trees on-site to help offset the school’s carbon emissions.

Tony Way, Parrs Wood High School’s Facilities Manager, said: “B&M’s ethos and innovative ideas have resulted in our Student CO2 Committee taking control and advertising different schemes across the school to get the message across that recycling is the way forward.”

Read more about Parrs Wood High School or B&M Waste Services.

North Lincolnshire Council to refurbish HWRC

Goxhill Household Waste Recycling Centre in North Lincolnshire is to shut for refurbishment between 14 May and 9 June 2014, as part of a £650,000 investment to improve all sites for residents.

During the closure, furniture reuse schemes, community recycling centres, glass, can and paper recycling points, and other HWRCs will stay open.

Residents are being advised to use the nearest alternative HWRCs in Gravel Pit Lane, Barton, or Bigby Road, Barnetby (closed Wednesdays and Thursdays).

Find out more about recycling facilities in North Lincolnshire.

Wheeled bins made from 100 per cent recycled material

Container manufacturer ESE World Ltd, part of the ESE World BV Group, has produced a wheeled bin made from 100 per cent recycled material.

Old plastic wheeled bins from local authorities and private contractors that are collected by waste management firm Avanti Environmental as part of replacement projects are processed in the UK and the material is prepared for onward shipping to ESE manufacturing plants across Europe. The recycled material is then used to manufacture new wheeled bins for supply across Europe, including in the UK market.

According to ESE World, the containers are ‘robust and durable’ and meet guidelines from The Quality Control Association of Waste and Recycling Containers.

“Having been involved in the recycling of more than four million plastic wheeled bins, we can now produce containers manufactured from 100 per cent recycled material… Just because you have the materials to make a bin doesn’t mean that you can produce a container which will be as good”, said ESE World Managing Director Dave Hughes.

Plymouth begins glass recycling collections

As of yesterday (1 May), residents in Plymouth are able to recycle their glass bottles and jars as part of their kerbside collection service.

The move follows a ‘succesful’ trial in the area, and sees the council asking residents to put out (rinsed) glass bottles and jars in the green recycling bins or bags. Other glass materials, such as light bulbs, spectacles, windows, Pyrex and drinking glasses are not being accepted in the scheme.

Councillor Brian Vincent, cabinet member for the environment at Plymouth City Council, said: "We've all wanted this for a long time – it makes recycling more convenient for residents, which should help reduce the amount of rubbish that ends up in landfill. The glass trial scheme has been really successful, so it is all systems go across the city."

Read more about the glass recycling service in Plymouth.

FCC Environment awarded International Safety Award

Recycling and waste management company FCC Environment has been awarded an International Safety Award by the British Safety Council.

An independent adjudicator appointed by the British Safety Council assessed questions relating to 44 FCC Environment sites in the North West of England and Scotland.

Neal Stone, Policy & Communications Director at the British Safety Council, said: “This award clearly demonstrates FCC Environment’s commitment to the health, safety and wellbeing of its workforce. We congratulate the company and its workforce on their achievement.”

FCC Environment’s Head of Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Paul Stokes said: “We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved so far and will continue to work hard to keep improving our health and safety record.”

Read more about FCC Environment or the British Safety Council.