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.
A report which attempts to bridge a ‘gap’ in knowledge about the size and value of the UKwaste 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),
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."
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.
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."
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.
