Kane Haulage appeals against concrete crushing ban - Road Transport

Kane Haulage has lodged an appeal against a council enforcement notice, ordering it to stop crushing concrete at one of its depots in St Albans.

The haulier was served with a notice by Hertfordshire County Council on 16 June to cease processing concrete at its facility in the Old Station Yard, Redbourn and remove all associated waste, following complaints and a petition from nearby residents.

Kane - authorised for 50 vehicles and 10 trailers - removed the concrete crushing machinery the same day the notice was served.

In a statement, the council alleged that Kane had been carrying out unauthorised concrete crushing without planning permission, causing disruption for local residents.

A county council spokesman confirmed to Motor Transport that Kane has appealed against the notice, with a date for the appeal hearing yet to be set.

Kane Group was unavailable for comment.

View the original article here

Hauliers Gain Expanding Market in UK Waste Management Sector Valued at £7.5 billion - letsrecycle.com

A report which attempts to bridge a ‘gap’ in knowledge about the size and value of the UK waste management sector has been published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

By far the largest proportion of Gross Value Added in the waste sector is generated from waste collection, according to Ekosgen
It estimates that the sector contributed £7.5 billion to the UK economy in 2010/11– considerably higher than the latest £5 billion official estimate from 2009. It also estimates that the waste management sector accounts for 128,000 jobs, up from the official figure of 94,000 in 2009.

The ‘From Waste Management to Resource Recovery: A Developing Sector’ study, released last week (September 1) was commissioned because the government believes there are ‘considerable’ opportunities for businesses to exploit as the UK moves towards zero waste. But, as there is a shortage of information in this area, the department asked economic development consultancy Ekosgen, in association with Emma Buckman Associates, to research what exactly the waste management sector is and how big it is.

The report explains: “There is limited data about the composition and size of the waste management sector and its economic contribution to the UK economy. This study was commissioned by BIS to help address this gap and identify the types of actions the Government could take to create the conditions for growth.”

For its research, Ekosgen conducted an online survey of 1,251 companies (representing 1% of the sector) and consulted industry experts at organisations such as the ESA and WRAP and local authorities. It also drew on Environment Agency data and other data sets to create a picture of the industry as a whole.

The report begins by defining the waste sector as that which comprises the following ten activities: Re-use of products to divert waste at source; collection and transport; brokerage of waste; sorting and storing; disposal through landfill; disposal through incineration; treatment of waste; processing of recyclate; composting; energy recovery.

However, it notes that the waste sector ‘bleeds’ into many other sectors – including haulage, health, farming and food and drink. It therefore suggests "that the sector is best viewed as comprising a core group of organisations which generate their income from waste management activities and a much wider peripheral group who perform it as a secondary or subsidiary function”.

Ekosgen chart showing employment in the waste sector according to activity
Key report findings include:

• There are a total of 128,000 Full Time Equivalent’s (FTEs) in the core waste management sector.

• Waste management generated approximately £7.5 billion Gross Value Added (GVA) -including the 16 largest companies. These 16 companies generate a GVA of £1.55 billion. and employ 27,500 FTEs (18% of the core workforce). By far the largest proportion of GVA is generated by waste collection, accounting for nearly half (46%) in 2009.

• Over half of the sector’s employment is within three sub sectors: (i): carrying and collection (22%); (ii) processing of recyclate (17%); and (iii) sorting and sale of waste or scrap (17%).

• The sector generates an average GVA per employee of £58,200. This ranges from £32,800-£99,800 across ten main activities, from low intensity activities (composting) to those with considerable infrastructural investment/capital intensity (energy recovery).

• Over the ten year period from 2006-2016 the sector is predicting steady growth recovering to 2006 levels in 2013 with steady growth to the 2016 period.

While the report focuses more on the commercial sector, it also looks at municipal waste management. The study found that approximately 22,175 people were employed by councils in waste management (64% in waste collection, 18% in recycling), with a public sector waste management ‘turnover’ of an estimated £3.33 billion.

Here, the report notes that the withdrawal of PFI funds and concern over long-term commitments meant that councils might move away from developing large-scale waste treatment infrastructure in future, in favour of smaller facilities which do not require so much long-term capital commitment and are often easier to secure local support for. This has particular implications for large-scale incinerators.

The report notes: “Stakeholders suggest that the absence of PFI credits for waste infrastructure and concerns over committing waste streams for such long periods will make smaller energy from waste facilities more popular in future years.”

In terms of collection, meanwhile, the report notes that many councils do not benefit from the value of recyclables as they are risk averse and prefer to let their contractors receive any monetary value for them. This, the report claims, is one reason why the net costs of waste management amongst councils is increasing and it suggests that councils partnerships can help.

In the report, Ekosgen also looks at drivers for change in the waste industry. The consultancy highlights the ‘fundamental’ role that new technologies such as gasification and anaerobic digestion have in waste management, alongside the implications this has for the workforce and required skills.

Experts, the report notes, also expect to see an increase in recovery and reuse of household and commercial and industrial waste in future years, as well as more local authority partnerships.

Ekosgen was also asked in the study to assess the barriers to growth in the waste sector and how the government may address these.

Barriers identified included difficulty in securing planning permission for new waste management infrastructure, lack of clarity surrounding renewable energy policy and electricity market reforms, difficulties accessing finance and the current economic climate.

The report suggests that a simpler, cheaper way of getting permits for waste operations and a refined planning system could help the sector develop, alongside recycling incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs),

View the original article here

Final Push; for WEEE TV Advert Campaign - letsrecycle.com

By Nick Mann - The organisers of an industry-backed campaign to promote WEEE recycling using TV advertising have launched a ‘final push’ to raise more funding for the initiative before the advert is screened at Christmas.

The advert has been funded by over 40 companies from across the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) industry, including reprocessors, compliance schemes, waste management companies and haulage firms.

The WEEE TV advert is set to be screened at Christmas.

In total, £45,100 has now been raised towards buying advertising slots to screen the advert, which can be viewed here. Last month, the organisers set a target of at least £32,000. The initiative is being co-ordinated by WEEE reprocessor SWEEEP Kuusakoski, with donations being encouraged via the website http://www.weeeconnect.co.uk/.

SWEEEP Kuusakoski’s contracts manager Justin Greenaway described the amount raised to date as “staggering”, but told letsrecycle.com there was now a “final push” to secure more members of the campaign.

It is understood that there is a particular focus on signing up a couple more large companies, although Mr Greenaway stressed “it does not matter how modest your contribution is”, noting that just £100 would purchase enough airtime for an additional 28,000 viewers.

According to Mr Greenaway, the current total raised means that, “based on last year’s viewing figures our budget could communicate right now to 12.68 million people”.

The next step for the campaign is to purchase airtime, with aim of funding being collected until the end of September 2011. This would allow advertising to be purchased in mid-October, when slots for Christmas screenings on nationally-broadcast channels like ITV, Sky, Channel 4 and 5 become available.

The TV advert campaign was originally launched last year (see letsrecycle.com story) to raise public awareness of WEEE recycling and, in particular, to increase small WEEE recycling rates.

SWEEEP Kuusakoksi was joined by eight other WEEE businesses - including reprocessors and compliance schemes - to fund the production of the advert, which was unveiled in March 2011 (see letsrecycle.com story).

Plans to screen the advert at Christmas were confirmed last month (see letsrecycle.com story), and Mr Greenaway said the campaign had continued to attract members since then.

The most recent funding members are batteries recycling company G&P Batteries and compliance scheme Clarity, who both signed up this week, bringing the total number of co-funders to 43.

The initiative is being co-ordinated via the WEEE Connect website, which details the supporters for the initiative and what it hopes to achieve

Mr Greenaway said: “You can’t fail to be impressed with the enthusiasm that the recycling industry has taken to the TV advertising concept.

“A further two companies have committed to co-fund already this week and interest is coming in from many more companies. Even agency recycling staff companies are helping to co-fund: more WEEE equals more staff, so you can follow the logic.”

He added: “This is the industry’s chance to stand together to solve a four year old lack of WEEE public awareness – apathy makes no business sense at all.”

Among the campaign’s co-funders, Dr Philip Morton, chief executive of the REPIC compliance scheme, said: “I am delighted with the quality of the advert and everyone involved is keen to have it widely shown. The plan is to get the ad on TV around the Christmas period, a time we believe will have maximum impact as consumers buy new and hence discard many old electrical items

His sentiments were echoed by Martyn Parfitt, compliance manager for the Electrolink compliance scheme, who said: "Electrolink are proud to be supporting the use of television advertising to increase the wider knowledge and understanding of WEEE recycling.

“Increased awareness will go a long way to help maximise the amount of WEEE recycled in the UK and help prevent valuable resources reaching landfill."

Karl Grieg, General Manager for WEEE Operations at DHL Envirosolutions, added: “We are pleased to be a lead partner in this exciting industry initiative which we hope will further improve public awareness. It is good to see the WEEE industry work together with a common objective."

View the original article here

£20k a Month Added to Blaenau Gwent Waste Bills includes Waste Haulage- South Wales Argus

2:50pm Friday 9th September 2011

BLAENAU Gwent will have to pay an extra £20,000 a month to have its waste dumped in Swansea, the council has revealed.

The Argus exclusively reported on Wednesday how Blaenau Gwent council is having to send waste to NPT Recycling, in Swansea, after its Silent Valley site in Cwm was shut down by the Environment Agency.

At the time, the council refused to disclose how much waste is being transported and how much it is costing.

NPT Recycling Ltd confirmed it had made an arrangement with Silent Valley to dispose of 350 tonnes of domestic waste a week between now and April.

The council released a statement following the Argus’ report, confirming Silent Valley had entered into this contract and that this would cost an extra £5.40 per tonne of waste. This includes haulage costs, the bulking of waste and gate fees.

The contract up until the end of March would therefore cost an extra £139,500 (or £20,000 a month) above the council’s original budget of £1,607,025.

The waste is not being taken to the Swansea site by council lorries, but by articulated lorries from a haulage company which can each carry around 20- 23 tonnes per load.

The cost has been identified as one of the “significant cost pressures” faced by the council, which aims to save £9m over the next four years.

But a council spokeswoman said savings could be made if it remained with NPT Recycling beyond next March as the waste is no longer going directly to a landfill site and so the council would avoid any increase in landfill tax.

She said the council, with its partner Torfaen council, was currently working on obtaining a contract for treating and disposing waste which would start in 2013.

Silent Valley was shut down last month, after traces of toxins such as mercury, nickel and ammonia were found leaking from the waste into groundwater.

Environment Agency Wales said there was no risk to the public, but stopped the site taking waste. It is not clear when the site will re-open.

View the original article here

Haulage companies fined for tipping at Cornish farm - Insider Media

A group of West Cornwall hauliers and director of a skip hire company have been ordered to pay nearly £100,000 in fines and costs for illegally tipping thousands of tonnes of waste at a farm near Helston, the Environment Agency said.

According to the agency, about 9,000 tonnes of construction and demolition waste were dumped at Trenoweth Farm in Gweek. The operators of five local haulage companies appeared at Truro Crown Court for sentencing.

Offenders were fined, told to pay back costs and ordered to pay back profits they had made from their criminal activities under the Proceeds of Crime (POC) Act.

The Environment Agency said Michael Leah received a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years and was ordered to pay £50,000 under the Proceeds of Crime (POC) Act, plus £4,000 in costs.

It said at the time of the offences Leah was director of a haulage and skip hire company and operated a licensed waste transfer station at Ludgvan near Penzance.

The Environment Agency said that an investigation revealed that during 2007 and 2008 Leah had illegally dumped waste, including asbestos, at three separate sites including two farms and a residential property at St Ives.

The court heard Michael Leah's company, Leah Ltd, has since gone into liquidation.

The agency said Leah claimed he had only deposited three lorry loads of subsoil at Trenoweth Farm, but was unable to verify this by supplying the relevant waste transfer notes. He was also unable to provide documentation for all asbestos entering and leaving his waste transfer station prior to March 2008, it added.

His site manager, Mark Outram from Penzance was ordered to carry out 250 hours unpaid community work and pay £3,000 costs.

Five companies were also involved in offences at Trenoweth Farm and had earlier pleaded guilty to illegally depositing and disposing of controlled waste.

Broad and Sons from Manaccan in Truro was convicted of dumping 2,176 tonnes and fined £2,500 for four offences, plus £4,080 payable as POC. Maen Karne Aggregates from Truro was convicted of dumping 1,875 tonnes of waste and fined £2,250 for four offences, plus £3,750 POC.

St Pirrans Trucks from Camborne was fined £2,000 for three offences, plus £4,860 POC for dumping 1,620 tonnes of waste. Harts Haulage Ltd from Redruth was fined £1,800 for dumping 1,500 tonnes of waste in four offences, plus £3,000 POC. And Michael Mudge Ltd, from Prazein Camborne, was convicted of dumping 1,280 tonnes of waste. It was fined £1,600 for four offences plus £3,200 POC. Each company was also ordered to pay £2,000 costs.

Redwynn Sterry, from the Environment Agency, said: "This case demonstrates how important it is for those who handle waste to make full and adequate checks in respect of where waste is deposited. Simply taking the word of a so called ‘site agent’ or landowner is unacceptable.

"The range of sentences shows the courts take the illegal disposal of waste very seriously. The agency will use the Proceeds of Crime Act to ensure any profits obtained through waste crime are confiscated rendering illegal activities pointless."

View the original article here

INDUSTRY NEWS No time to waste - Waste Management World

Blue Anvil has wasted no time in improving its waste management fleet

WASTE management involves the collection, transport, processing or disposal of waste material to reduce its effects on health in the environment in which we live.

Waste collection methods vary greatly among different countries and regions. Domestic waste collection services are often provided by local government departments or by private companies in the industry.

Generally the waste industry has been slow to react to market needs and hence new developments in technology to facilitate efficient and economic removal of waste have been ignored in some quarters. Some companies however, have risen to the challenge and have gone the whole nine yards to ensure that they are equipped to meet the needs of expanding urban development.

Blue Anvil Bulk Logistics, a Tshwane based company, says it has developed its business around providing the most up-to-date service in waste removal.

At the recent handover of two Mercedes-Benz Axor 3535 waste compactors out of a total of 14, CEO Sandow Rossouw said: & I have been associated with waste removal transport since 1992 and have built my business reputation on using the best combination of equipment for the job.

& The addition of these new Axor 3535s fitted with the McNeilus 26m? compactor body is a continuation of the tradition of using Mercedes-Benz products, which we have done since since 1997.& He says the new Axor 3535 8X4 is well suited for this mediumdistance haulage and heavy duty short-distance distribution.

Powered by the OM457LA six-cylinder diesel engine with an output of 260kW at 1900r/min and torque of 1850Nm at 1100r/min, the Axor 3535 provides a powerful, durable and economical vehicle for the task.

The 9-speed direct-drive transmission allows effortless gear changes, and thanks to the deep crawler gear and reverse gear ratio, enables precise low-speed manoeuvring, especially in the confined urban environment.

The essence of the design has been in weight reduction wherever possible to achieve a balance between robust design and high payload.

This enables the vehicle to endure the rigours of the waste industry and thrive under the most gruelling conditions to which any vehicle can be subjected.

The McNeilus Extra Heavy Duty 26m? compactor makes this combination the monster crusher of the vehicle waste industry because of its high compaction force.

Rossouw says the higher than average compaction capabilities of the McNeilus enables the company to achieve a 50% increase in volume of waste a trip for each vehicle.

& This makes economic sense, especially if the landfill site is far away and we can reduce the number of trips a day.& The Axor-based waste compactors in use by Blue Anvil.

View the original article here

Worldwide moves from solid waste to property - Waste Management World

SHAH ALAM: For more than a decade, Worldwide Holdings Bhd, through its Environment Division, has been providing a vital service in solid waste management.

Worldwide Holdings became one of the pioneer companies in solid waste management when it was awarded a 20-year concession in 1995 by the Selangor government to build and operate a sanitary landfill in Air Hitam, Puchong.

Since 1995, the landfill has received solid waste collected from Klang Valley areas like Kajang, Petaling Jaya, Subang Jaya, Shah Alam, and Ampang.

But when waste from Kuala Lumpur was sent there as well from 2002, the amount proved to be overwhelming.

The Air Hitam landfill was closed after it reached its maximum capacity of more than six million tonnes and solid waste was then diverted to other landfills managed by Worldwide Holdings in Jeram and Kuala Langat.

Worldwide Holdings is now in position to export its expertise.

When Worldwide Landfills Sdn Bhd was established, its expertise was confined to the building, managing and maintenance of sanitary landfills.

Today, the company reaffirms its commitment to conservation and preservation of the environment by expanding its involvement in environmental management.

As a leader in the solid waste management industry, Worldwide Holdings offers a full range of services in sanitary landfill -- domestic waste; inert waste landfill; transfer station; rehabilitation
and upgrading of dumpsites; landfill gas power generation; clean development mechanism; and consultancy.

With the emphasis on an integrated solid waste management system and through its management foresight, expertise and experience, strong balance sheet and available resources, Worldwide Holdings is well positioned to taking up the challenge in venturing into new areas like waste-to-energy operations; composting; material recovery facilities; and transportation and haulage.

In addition to solid waste management, Worldwide Holdings is also involved in property services, including property investment, development and management.

Its portfolio in Malaysia includes Puncak Bestari, Bandar Puncak Alam; Platinum Project, Shah Alam; SA7, Seksyen 7, Shah Alam; Worldwide Industrial Park, Kapar; Worldwide Business Park, Seksyen 13 Shah Alam; and Menara Worldwide, Jalan Bukit Bintang.

Its international property investment portfolio includes Australia Champion Lake in Perth.

Its latest offering is a lifestyle haven - the Subang Bestari's Safira bungalows. Safira, located within the exclusive Laman Permai precint, exudes exclusivity and luxury.

The design theme of "tropical contemporary" features flat and gable tropical roofs with stone walls. The design reflects modern and clean planes that boast natural lighting and ventilation. Featuring spacious living and entertaining areas, there is certainly space for the family to grow.

Senior general manager (operations) Ahmad Azman Azizul Rahman said: "We expect Safira to be well received by the public based on the response from the pre-launch awareness campaign.

"We feel that our products are among the most attractive and competitive in the market. One of the plus points is the relatively large lot sizes for the bungalow houses with average size of 7,000 sq ft."

Other unique feature incorporated in the design is the rainwater harvesting system that stores rainwater for general purpose use like gardening, car washing and general cleaning."

The "guarded housing" concept is another plus factor as security is high on the mind of most house owners.

"Access is limited to two points only and will be guarded round the clock. The development, which is located on elevated ground, provides another natural security feature and the perimeter area are well above the road level.

"Additional incentives are also being offered to buyers."

View the original article here

Regional District looks to clean up waste disposal - Recycling Raises Waste Haulage

Regional District of Central Kootenay officials say a five-year, $14 million waste management plan adopted by the board last week will save money in the long run.

The plan, headed to public meetings over the next month, includes moving the Nelson and Kaslo transfer stations and consolidating the Nakusp and Salmo landfills at Ootischenia.

“The cost of the capital projects will in part be paid by efficiencies gained through new equipment,” says resource recovery manager Mike Morrison. “We’re looking at multi-point pick-up that lets us transport materials more efficiently between sites.”

Public drop-off areas at transfer stations, most of which were built in the 1970s and ‘80s, will also receive upgrades.

As for relocating the Nelson transfer station off the waterfront, Morrison says they’ve received several proposals, but haven’t evaluated them yet.

“We’re required by the province to have waste management plans,” he explains. “We did our original plan in 1996, and you’re supposed to update them every five years, so we’re long overdue for a fresh look at everything.”

Morrison says they studied eight different options over a 25-year period, including the status quo, and found that doing nothing was the most costly option, “which established a strong business case for making changes.”

Nelson Mayor John Dooley, the city’s representative on the central waste committee, says the plan has been more than two years in the making, and touches every part of the regional district.

“The [current] system is not very efficient,” he says. “A more efficient system will help us reduce the number of trucks on the road and cost of haulage.”

Nearly a quarter of the capital outlay will be spent permanently capping portions of the Creston, Salmo, and Nakusp landfills. The latter two sites would no longer have daily operations and would be replaced with transfer stations, while garbage will be redirected to Ootischenia.

“The idea of this program is to consolidate, streamline, and reduce the amount of product actually going to the landfill,” Dooley says. “We believe there will be a great reduction.”

The plan further includes provisions for composting yard and garden waste, and is intended to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and align with zero waste goals.

The regional district currently spends about $6 million per year dealing with garbage and recycling, a figure that has risen as fuel and contract prices have increased.

However, certain work and equipment purchases have been put off pending completion of the plan.

Five open houses are scheduled, including Wednesday, October 27 at the Salmo community services centre, and Monday, November 8 at the RDCK board room in Nelson. Both run from 4 to 8 p.m.

Following the consultation and provincial approval, the plan could be implemented starting next year, with specific projects getting underway in 2012.

View the original article here

Research and Markets: The Refuse Truck Industry in North America: Size ... - Business Wire (press release)

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7c7ca6/the_refuse_truck_i) has announced the addition of the "The Refuse Truck Industry in North America" report to their offering.

“The Refuse Truck Industry in North America”

The Refuse Truck Industry in North America: Size, segmentation, competition, growth and trends underlying the manufacture and market of front, rear and side loader refuse trucks and recycling trucks in North America

Household waste generation and its haulage have historically been viewed as recession-resilient activities. However recent studies indicate that households put out less waste for collection during an economic downturn, driven by the economics of recycling and reusing a portion of the waste which previously would have been set out for disposal, as well as encouragement from green initiatives actively promoted by community groups and governmental entities. Zero-waste (no waste sent to landfills) is a target set by many local governments. While this target is still quite some distance away, both waste haulers and refuse truck manufacturers are changing to accommodate this trend.

The refuse truck industry is cyclical in nature, albeit moderately so. With private haulers and local governments being the customers, curtailment of their buying power during a recessionary period negatively impacts demand for the refuse truck industry. Local governments and municipalities are hampered by shrinking budgets owing to lower tax collections, while waste haulers cut back on capital expenditures in the face of rising costs, increasing price pressures and lack of financing. Housing construction is the direct demand driver for waste hauling services, and with this segment being in the stranglehold of a severe recession for the past several years, waste haulers have not seen an increase in demand from new routes.

Despite the above-mentioned factors, the refuse truck industry has not witnessed a significant decline in demand. 2007 and 2008 were strong years for the industry; 2009 saw some decline, but the outlook remains positive.

Alternative fuel-powered refuse trucks are generating a lot of interest, and it is expected that such trucks will increasingly replace the ageing fleet of diesel-powered vehicles. The other area of interest is automation of refuse collection activity. Automation contributes not only towards significant reduction in the direct cost of refuse collection, but also works towards improved driver and operator safety and work conditions.

These and other issues are the subject of this succinct report from SpecialtyVehicles.net (SVN). The report can be put to immediate use for sales and market planning, M&A identification, competitive share analysis, alliances and technology transfer considerations

Key Topics Covered:

A. INTRODUCTION

B. SUMMARY OF MAJOR FINDINGS

C. INDUSTRY CHALLENGES & MARKET OUTLOOK

D. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN PRODUCT & TECHNOLOGY

E. MARKET ANALYSIS

F. COMPANY PROFILES

Companies Mentioned:

Amrep Inc. Bridgeport Manufacturing, Inc. E-Z Pack Manufacturing LLC Edge Manufacturing, Inc. G&H Manufacturing Ltd GCI Environment Inc. GSP Marketing, Inc. Heil Environmental Kann Manufacturing Corporation Labrie Environmental Group Loadmaster Corp. Lodal Inc. McNeilus Truck & Manufacturing Pak-Mor Ltd. Pendpac, Inc. Scranton Manufacturing Co., Inc./New Way Shu-Pak Equipment, Inc. Universal Handling Equipment Co. Walinga Inc. Wayne Engineering

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7c7ca6/the_refuse_truck_i.

View the original article here

Waste not, want not - Road Transport

Recent cases have highlighted the penalties operators can face if they fail to observe environmental legislation, particularly with regards to illegal dumping of waste materials or pollution of rivers or streams.

In May the Environment Agency (EA) successfully prosecuted nine haulage companies and individuals involved in dumping construction and demolition waste at a designated area of natural beauty in Kent in 2008. Fines totalling £74,250 were imposed on the offenders.

The defendants, who had failed to notify the Highways Agency about it, pleaded guilty to charges under the 1990 Environment Protection Act.

Last month, in another EA prosecution, Nicholson's Transport of Billingham, Teesside, and a driver, each pleaded guilty to a charge of causing liquid wood preservative and toxic chemical Wolmanit CX 8 to enter a tributary in Sedgefield, County Durham, in June 2009.

The firm was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay EA costs of £1,875, while driver Nigel Draper was fined £300 plus £330 costs.

The Environmental Damage Regulations 2009 now force polluters to prevent and remedy environmental damage they have caused - the "polluter pays" principle.

Serious damage

However, the government says the rules are mainly used for the most serious cases of damage only.

The principle is that if you or your business carry out an activity that causes environmental damage, you will have to remedy that.

If there is a risk of harm from your business activities, you must prevent such damage occurring.

Under the regulations, environmental damage is:

? serious damage to surface or ground water;

? contamination of land where there is a significant risk to human health;

? serious damage to EU-protected natural habitats and species or damage to - sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) or areas of special scientific interest (ASSIs) in Northern Ireland.

The legislation affects hauliers involved in sectors such as manufacturing, construction and demolition, waste management and forestry.

Liam Northfield, FTA media relations manager, says: "Broadly speaking, good transport operators will always be aware of their environmental obligations when it comes to disposing of waste, whether they are general operators or disposal companies.

"We are happy with the current legislation as it does not penalise responsible companies and we would not be in favour of any sort of legislative relaxation."

If a haulage firm has threatened to cause, or has caused, environmental damage it must:

-take steps to prevent the damage (or further damage) occurring;

-inform the EA or other authorities who will say what the company must do to prevent and/or remedy the damage;

-if the EA has to remedy the damage, the firm will have to pay the costs.

In England and Wales, the EA, Natural England, local councils and Environment Secretary are responsible for administering and enforcing the regulations, depending on the type of damage involved.

Responsible bodies

In Northern Ireland, the body responsible is the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), while in Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Marine Scotland and Scottish Natural Heritage look after the regulations.

If you don't comply with the law, you can be prosecuted, fined and/or imprisoned.

Nick Deal, Road Haulage Association manager for logistics development, adds: "Most of the offences are spillages and companies should have systems in place to deal with these. The principle is the polluter pays, I don't have any issue with that and although the fines can be pretty big, they are there to restore the land."

ENVIRONMENT CIVIL SANCTION ORDERS

New rules allowing environmental regulators in England and Wales to impose civil sanctions on a business committing certain types of environmental offence came into force in England in April 2010 and in Wales three months later.

Environment Civil Sanction Orders are intended as an alternative to prosecution and the criminal penalties of fines and imprisonment.

The government believes the sanctions will make environmental law enforcement more proportionate and reflect the fact that most offences committed by businesses are unintentional.

Civil sanctions will initially cover offences relating to harm to water or wildlife, drainage and waste management.

Regulators can use the legislation to clamp down on businesses committing certain environmental offences.

Sanctions include:

? Compliance notices - written notices to take steps to ensure that an offence does not continue or recur.

? Restoration notices - written notices to restore harm caused by non-compliance.

? Enforcement undertakings - voluntary agreement by business to take corrective action to make up for non-compliance.

? A fixed monetary penalty - a low-level penalty for minor offences fixed at £100 for an individual and £300 for a company.

? A variable monetary penalty - a monetary penalty for more serious offences with a maximum of £250,000.

? A stop notice - written notice to stop an activity which is causing harm.

Environmental regulators with the civil powers - EA and Natural England - will still be able to use civil or traditional criminal punishments at their discretion.

In most cases the regulator will issue a notice of intent to impose the sanction.

The offender can appeal against a civil sanction to an independent tribunal, and subject to the appeal, the offender must pay the penalty.

Legal action will be taken against anyone not paying monetary penalties and anyone not complying with restoration notices or stop notices will usually be prosecuted.

In some cases, the regulator may recover costs of investigation or legal advice. It is important operators admit their mistakes immediately as failure to do so can lead to a heavier fine.

LEGISLATION

? 1990 Environment Protection Act

? Water Resources Act 1991

Environment Civil Sanction Orders

Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2010

Environmental Damage (Prevention and Remediation) Regulations 2009

Environmental Damage (Prevention and Remediation) (Wales) Regulations 2009

Environmental Liability (Prevention and Remediation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009

Environmental Liability (Scotland) Regulations 2009

Environmental Liability (Prevention and Remediation) (Scotland) Regulations 2008

View the original article here

Discovering Essential Things Regarding European Haulage

European haulage is something a lot of people don't understand. Haulage is a worldwide industry that is committed to transporting load or goods via railway or road systems. Usually, it involves transport of ores, coals, and waste on land. It's also known as drayage or cartage. The term can also be used to describe charges imposed upon hauling cargo on lorries, trucks, or carts. People handling haulage are known as haulage contractors, private carriers, or common carriers. Hauliers or haulage companies are equipped with a set of machinery to carry a huge amount of goods. A typical haulier has a warehouse stock, industrial machinery or equipment, a reliable number of pallets, and construction materials.

Today, the haulage industry has changed as technology has. European haulage industry has to prove itself to clients and consumers. As a matter of fact, it did prove itself to the European market and is still flourishing. Transport of goods and products is extremely important in business. It is usually through this type of delivery that goods are sent right to the recipient. Suppliers generally send load or freight to manufacturers through private shipping or haulage. Haulage contractors are expected to handle the job with reliability or they will eventually lose their clients. Reliability entails on-time delivery and aside from having goods delivered on schedule, the goods must also be delivered safely without any signs of damage.

Back in the day, clients would just have to wait until the goods arrive, but now they can keep track of their cargo through advanced tracking systems. For instance, some hauliers support global positioning system so that businessmen can monitor where their goods are. GPS tracking system has been convenient for both consumers and hauliers and it is used all over the world. It allows both parties to keep track of the items, packages, and goods being transported from the moment they arrive at the warehouse to the moment they are delivered to their proper destination. With this kind of system, the delivery personnel can also be monitored.

Haulage companies do employ safety regulations when handling and transporting hazardous materials. They go through such precautionary measures to keep their workers safe and to reduce possibilities of accidents. Safe transport also ensures that the goods are transported with utmost care. Hazardous materials or chemicals must be held secured inside delivery trucks to avoid possible leakages or spills. Clients or consumers may file charges against a haulier if goods are damaged due to negligence and imprudence.
Hauliers in Europe ensure that they meet client demands and expectations. Hence, they are willing to accept feedbacks from consumers. See if you can check client feedbacks regarding haulage services.

Commercial centers in Europe may choose between full-load and part-load haulage services. There are an impressive number of available groupage services for people who opt for the latter. You can have a private truck or single truck to deliver just your goods or you can opt for your goods to be transported with the other goods. Some hauliers may offer 24-hour or economy delivery depending on the budget of the consumer.

Road haulage is an important aspect of shipment in Europe and it is an essential facet of groupage services. Door to door distribution generally relies upon road transport. Cargos may be shipped via cargo planes or ships but once they reach the ports, haulage trucks come into play. Delivery trucks may face challenges along the road, like bad weather or heavy traffic, but they should be able to carry out on-time delivery.

Much of Europe is a wide piece of land, so road haulage became much of a reliable option for transport of goods. Then again, haulage is also an important aspect of cargo delivery in UK which is detached from mainland Europe. Both Europe and UK combine advanced monitoring technology and reliable roadway and railway system to support their steadfast haulage industry.

Jo is an author and publisher for 'Sims Worldwide Logistics' ( http://www.simsworldwide.com ), an establishment stationed in Stockport, South Manchester, which offers storage and distribution solutions in addition to road haulage to a broad variety of local, regional, international and national customers. If you are seeking a European haulage company which gives quality service with a progressive point of view and a guarantee to quality which is founded on years of traditional values then you should take a look at Sims Worldwide Logistics.

How Will CPC Transport Training Increase Your Bottom Line

If you own or operate a haulage or coach hire provider then you'll need to be aware about the latest European union laws to control your organization, the Drivers Certificate Of Professional Competence or driver CPC. This happens to be a regulation that requires a basic qualification for first time staff and for current drivers to engage in 35 hours of training over a period of five-years. You do not in fact get a formal certification at the conclusion of the training as you merely have to attend to accomplish it, however it is still a pre-requisite to abide by legal requirements. Safety and health are featured highly in the programs, as you might expect yet, more surprisingly you will also end up being examined on your understanding of safe and efficient driving and also facets of customer care for instance first aid and courteous driving.

There are advantages and disadvantages to the lack of a formal training curriculum obviously. One significant benefit is the fact that, as a company operator, you'll be able to train the employees with your own company needs and objectives in mind - provided that the primary matters are all dealt with. The problem with this to this, nonetheless, is you need to be certain to make sure that all of the appropriate facets of the directive are taken care of, and in the best ratio. Make sure you don't buy training which you don't need and find yourself wasting cash.

That's why it is vital that you work closely along with your coaching company to make sure that the classes they may be delivering are well suited for your enterprise. There are actually lots of advantages to be obtained by organizations, if they put their drivers through the right coaching, like energy cost savings and a reduction in car or truck wear and tear and one recent boss assessment saw 87% of businesses discovering a benefit in improvements in superior road safety.

Most businesses offer continuous training for staff and see the advantages of Drivers CPC training, that it enables companies to supply drivers the same individual skills development. If your business already provides on-going training then you are at an advantage, and you may even customize your present programs to cover the prerequisites of the CPC driver training directives. It may also be feasible, with only a little more effort to supply formal certification such as NVQ's for your drivers.

Coach operators have had to stick to this legislation for quite a while now, and several have in fact developed a good group of in-house training courses and blueprints for success. In recent months, this sector has seen a huge rise in standards of professionalism and quality, as well as cost efficient.

CPC Transport Training is an essential part of becoming a qualified coach driver. If you would like to find out more about CPC Courses In Scotland and then contact Whytes Transport Training.

If You've Been Laid Off, Or Might Be, Then Start a Small Business Now

The best time to start a small business is probably during a recession because the big boys are laying off people, and are less able to service would-be clients, whereas a new small business has almost no overheads to speak of, and can either take business away from the big guys, or get sub-contracted jobs from them.

And other big advantage is that a new and very small company has over the big guys is that if you make a mistake then it won't cost very much, whereas just imagine the cost involved in having to recall tens of thousands of cars, or appliances or whatever.

So if you've been laid off, or are already unemployed then this might be exactly the right time to start up a small business, and you might well have almost everything that's needed, and will only have to invest the smallest amount of cash to get things rolling.

And don't be overly concerned that the present economic climate means that it's not the right time to start something, because economic turn-downs most likely offer more pluses than minuses to those that want to start up something small but lucrative, and 92% of existing entrepreneurs say that they started their businesses without ever considering the economic climate.

When you first start out you'll more than likely be a one man or woman band, or be doing it with a family member or friend, and you won't be burdened by, enormous marketing fees and things like HR costs, and what's more, you'll be able to adapt to market changes much faster than the big boys.

There are a zillion businesses that you could start up, and which one you choose will depend on your talents, your available time and having the start up money involved, if any is needed.

It's highly preferable that you enjoy the thing that you're going to spend a lot of time doing, and hobbies are therefore always great things to turn into money making ventures.

Stamp collecting, coin collecting, antiques and first edition books or comics, are obvious ideas that spring to mind but there are there as many ideas as there are hobbies.

If you don't have a specialist hobby, or don't think you could make any meaningful money from the one you have, then the next requirement is that the business be based on something that you do well, or have a particular affinity for.

Nine Ideas For Small Businesses That Require Almost No Investment

1) Animals

If you like animals, then either having them in your home whilst the owner is away, or visiting the owners house to feed and walk them etc. can be very lucrative and the start up cost is next to zero, and should require nothing more than placing ads in local newspapers, or on trees.

* The NAPPS (National Association of Professional Pet Sitters) says that in-home pet-care is one of the fastest growing industries in North America today.

2) Computer Repair

If you know how to repair computers then it's a sure-fire way to make money, because most people have no idea what to do when their computer won't start, they get a virus or can't get onto the Internet. There's hardly any profit in selling software, and not much more in selling hardware and the real profit is in repair which you can do at home or at the customer's house.

3) Selling On eBay

Related to #2 above is selling on eBay and it's good for people that feel comfortable working on computers, but you also need to have a good feel for market prices and to be able to spot a great deal and to be able to buy it fast. Lots of people now work full time on eBay and make a very good living from it.

4) Auto Repair

What happens during a recession is that people either hold onto their cars for longer than they normally would or they buy a used car, both of which are good news for somebody that knows how to fix cars.

If you're an enthusiast then you most likely have a lot of tools already, but it's likely that you'll need to buy more, and having a place to make the repairs will obviously need to be taken into consideration as your neighbors won't take kindly to changing their street into an auto repair shop.

5) Yard maintenance, Landscaping And Snow Clearing

Depending on the time of year and where you live, it's obviously possible to make money from mowing peoples' lawns and even real gardening and landscaping if you have a flare for it, and clearing snow in the winter is hard work but pays well, and none of the forgoing involve any real start up costs.

6) Heating, Air Conditioning And Appliance Repair

I've lumped the above three things together because someone that's good and doing one of them can probably do all of them and they're all good money makers. When a person's freezer or fridge breaks down and it's full of defrosting food then the owner is not going to quibble too much about the price of a quick repair, and the same goes for either a heating or air conditioning failure if the temperature is rising or dropping fast outside.

7) House Cleaning

Cleaning other people's houses might not sound like fun but where there's muck there's money, and it's no longer just the rich that hire somebody to clean once a week or month. Most people seem to have less and less free time rather than more and more, and if you really clean well, then you'll have a fast growing business and will most likely soon be hiring help.

8) Light Haulage

What I'm talking about here is not a moving company, but a business that transports things that won't fit into a regular car or that people don't want to put into their cars, like yard waste, trash or compost etc.

A simple ad in the local newspaper and maybe at the supermarket will soon get people calling you and the money's good, but you'll need a suitable vehicle and a cell phone.

9) A Local Delivery Service

Similar to #8 but for clean things that will fit into a local car, and quite a few people have been making good money from this recently, especially if you're willing to pick things up during regular shop hours and drop them off when people get home from work.

How you should handle the tax side of things is beyond the scope of this article, but it goes without saying that most of the money from all of the above ideas will be cash, and you should be able to make at least reasonable money from all them.

What's more, they would all be better that sitting at home unemployed, and they all offer the freedom of doing things in your own time, and not when you're told to do them.

[http://get-financial-help.org] is one of a small network of sites, and each has one interesting and very popular articles related to personal finance. The author has always been interested in economics and his love and enthusiasm of the subject come through strongly in his articles.