Recycling up, costs down with new WEEE Regulations

New Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations introduced in 2014 led to a four per cent increase in collections in the UK compared to 2013, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) has revealed.

According to figures from the WEE Settlement Centre, the total collection of WEEE reached 491,007 tonnes (t) in 2014, up from 474,711t in 2013

BIS has said that as well as raising collection rates, the regulations have also saved producers of electrical equipment more than £18 million through reduced producer compliance costs.

Business Minister Matthew Hancock commented: “We have improved the way we regulate the recycling of WEEE and, as a result, have saved firms in this industry almost £20 million in one year – at the same time increasing the amount of products we recycle and beating our collection target.

“We are committed to working with businesses to identify areas that have gone well but also to identify what more can be done to build on a successful first year.”

Doctor Phil Morton, CEO of REPIC, the Recycling Electrical Producers’ Industry Consortium, welcomed the “great news”.

“There is now greater transparency; for the first time producer compliance schemes know where the WEEE they pay to recycle is treated and the approved authorised treatment facilities know who their true customers are.”

Find out more about the WEEE Regulations.

Carlsberg cans receive first Cradle to Cradle certification

Drinks cans manufactured by Rexam for Danish brewer Carlsberg have received Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute’s first certification for beverage cans.

The institute awards bronze, silver, and gold Cradle to Cradle Certificates to products designed with material health, material reutilisation, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship, and social fairness in mind. The bronze award in particular focuses on the product’s renewable energy and carbon management.

Speaking about the award, Matthew Rowland Jones, European Sustainability Manager at Rexam, said: “The bronze certification marks an important step in our joint sustainability journey with Carlsberg. We are thrilled to be part of a collaboration that sees cans supplied by Rexam awarded the first Cradle to Cradle certification of its kind.

“There is still a way to go to encouraging consumers to recycle cans, so focusing on consumer involvement in the recycling process will continue to be a focus for us moving forward.”

Simon Hoffmeyer Boas, Corporate Communications and Corporate Social Responsibility Director at Carlsberg said the company was “thrilled to celebrate this collaboration with Rexam”.

Find out more about the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

Workshop to address reuse regulation in Scotland

Zero Waste Scotland and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) are to host a workshop next week exploring the challenges and opportunities presented by the current regulation of reuse and remanufacturing activities.

Taking place at The Gold Lion function suite in Stirling on Thursday (5 March), the workshop will be open to third sector organisations, local authorities, remanufacturers, retailers offering take-back schemes, and waste management companies affected by environmental regulations relating to reuse or remanufacturing in Scotland.

Iain Gulland, Chief Executive of Zero Waste Scotland, commented: “Evidence shows that reuse can have far-reaching benefits – including retaining the value of products in our economy, reducing carbon emissions and our impact on the environment, and providing employment and training opportunities.

“However we also have anecdotal evidence that regulation can be perceived as a barrier to growing reuse and remanufacturing. I would urge anyone who is, or is likely to be, affected by regulations to attend this workshop and make sure they take this opportunity to shape future regulations.”

Adrian Bond, Unit Manager at SEPA, added that the workshop will help SEPA ”gather evidence and ensure the environmental regulation of these activities is appropriate”.

Find out more about the workshop.

Remondis UK appoints Louise Holt as Joint Managing Director

Global waste processor Remondis has appointed a new Joint Managing Director for Remondis UK.

Louise Holt first joined the organisation in 2002 and has served as Assistant Manager to the Directors of Remondis for the past four years. She now joins Marcus Bauer as Joint Managing Director for Remondis UK.

Commenting on her new role, Holt said: “In the past 13 years I’ve been privileged to work with the fantastic team at Remondis and learn all about the hazardous waste industry. I’m delighted to be able to build upon this knowledge and to use it to help shape the future direction of Remondis in the UK.”

Bauer added: “It is with great pleasure that we announce Louise’s new role. With 13 years’ hands-on experience, she is a natural successor to this role and brings a wealth of experience to lead and continue the company’s growth.”

Find out more about Remondis UK.

Community project spreading the word of reuse in the Wirral

Volunteers from a range of communities are being trained in textile reuse as part of an information dissemination initiative.

Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority is providing training for 10 volunteers from Wirral Change Community Activities projects – including those from the Carers, Polish, Arabic and Indian Community Groups – to become ‘textile recycling champions’ and promote textile reuse and waste reduction.

Lessons given to the volunteers will include how to weave rugs from old textiles.

A further 20 volunteers from the same outreach groups will also be trained in recycling furniture and reducing food waste.

Councillor Graham Morgan, Chairperson of the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority, commented: “This is a great scheme which will help get the recycling message to communities that we couldn’t reach on our own.

“It’s also great because it brings people from very different backgrounds together to share experiences and learn new skills.”

Find out more about the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority.