ERP and Ecology to manage WEEE take-back scheme in Israel

Israel's Ministry of Environmental Protection has granted a permit to Ecommunity, ERP’s joint venture with local company Ecology, to operate a take-back scheme for waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and batteries in Israel.

The joint venture aims to help producers and importers manage waste batteries and WEEE in accordance with the WEEE and Battery Take-Back Act (which passed last year and will enter into force on 1 March 2014), and aid them in achieving the country’s 50 per cent recycling and collection target by 2020.

Ecommunity forms part of ERP’s international expansion and follows on from the re-launch of its Europe Plus Package, which offers compliance services to producers across Europe.

Umberto Raiteri, President and CEO of ERP, said the permission was “evidence of the quality of [ERP’s] services”, adding that the partnership with Ecology will help “deliver immediate solutions to both international producers and local importers of electronic equipment and batteries”.

Yossi Ben Shalom, Chairman of the Board for Ecommunity, added: “The entrance of the global recycling expert ERP is a significant and exciting event, as well as an expression of confidence in the Israeli Ministry of Environmental Protection and its leader Minister Amir Peretz who is heading the recycling revolution in Israel.”

Find out more about Ecommunity.

REA Head of Biogas elected to European Biogas Association Board

(L-R): EBA's Stefano Bozzetto, Attila Kovacs, Harm Grobruegge, Jan Štambaský, Franz Kirchmeyr, Goran Strandberg, and David Collins

The Head of Biogas at the Renewable Energy Association (REA), David Collins (pictured above, far right), has been elected as an Executive Member of the Board of the European Biogas Association (EBA).

The announcement came at the EBA’s General Assembly in Nuremberg last week (15 January) and follows on from the REA and EBA’s agreement last February to ‘intensify collaboration’ on ‘key areas’ facing the biogas sector across Europe.

Collins said it was “an honour” to be elected to the EBA Board, adding: “I look forward to working closely with my new colleagues to help the UK and our neighbours maximise the economic and environmental value of anaerobic digestion for electricity, heating, transport fuel and fertiliser.”

EBA President Dr Jan Štambaský, who was elected to succeed Dr Arthur Wellinger as President of the EBA at the general assembly last week, welcomed Collins to the board, saying: “I am sure his experience and his background in the UK biogas industry will strengthen the EBA.”

John Baldwin, Chair of REA Biogas and Managing Director of CNG Services, also welcomed Collins’s appointment, saying that “having a voice at the top table will help the REA defend the interests of the UK industry in relation to pan-EU policy”.

Read more about the European Biogas Association.

New Taunton office for Wardell Armstrong

Environmental and engineering consultancy Wardell Armstrong has opened a new office in Taunton, Somerset.

The Taunton office – led by Technical Director Gareth Davies (pictured, right), who recently joined the company from consulting engineer firm, Pell Frischmann – will offer consultation services for the environmental and engineering sectors, specialising in water supply, water treatment and management, waste resource management, and land and property development.

Speaking of the new office, Managing Director of Wardell Armstrong Mike Hassall said: “A presence in Taunton will allow us to strengthen our relationships with many existing customers in the area – including major waste operators, utility providers and property developers. The new office also represents part of our continuing plans to grow our business both in the UK and overseas.”

He added he was “delighted” that Davies had joined the company to set up the new base.

Matt Jordan, a technical director specialising in contaminated land, environmental assessment, infrastructure and regeneration, will also be based at the new office, which is located in Victoria Street, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 3JA.

Find out more about Wardell Armstrong.

‘Recycled’ cash goes back to the community

Maureen Vince from Melksham Foodbank (middle) receives the cash donation from Hills recycling staff: (L-R) Nick Goddard, Robin Pearse, Elaine Mewton, and Bruce McRobert-Thompson.

Hills Waste Solutions has donated money to the Melksham Foodbank after recovering cash from its household waste recycling centre (HWRC) in Melksham, Wiltshire.

Staff at the HWRC had discovered that members of the public using the site were inadvertently leaving loose change in the items they were recycling (such as sofas and drawers), and decided to give the money to a local charity.

Robin Pearse, site supervisor for Hills Waste Solutions, commented: “People bring items to us for recycling and don’t realise that sometimes odd coins are included – in sofas, drawers, boxes and the like. The coins get dislodged and fall out onto the floor when the large recycling containers are moved and we usually find them when we are sweeping up afterwards.

“We thought it would be a great idea to give the money back to a good cause in Melksham, as the money has come from residents of the town.”

Around £33 was recovered from the site, but Hills Waste Solutions donated a total of £100 to the Melksham Foodbank.

Maureen Vince from the Melksham Foodbank said: “It was a lovely surprise to get a call to say that there was a cash donation. It will [go] some way to help with our running costs and allows us to purchase items which we are short of.”

Read more about Hills Waste Solutions and Melksham Foodbank.