Some of you may recall how I bought a vacuum cleaner in March from my local Curry’s store. This vacuum cleaner never actually worked properly or picked up any dirt. But we just assumed that it would work eventually so I forgot to take it back after the 28 days shop guarantee. Subsequently, I tried to take it back to the shop last weekend to exchange it for another one that worked – that failed miserably.
The store assistant told me that I never paid for product cover and the store would have to get someone to try and repair it before I got another one.
But one needs a vacuum cleaner so I brought the Henry version- which is good.
The store has just phoned me to say they cannot repair the vacuum cleaner I originally bought because the belt is broken and the belt is not covered under the manufacturer’s guarantee, so we have to fix it ourselves.
This has got me thinking about waste. When did it become acceptable to sell faulty products that didn’t work from the word go? When was it acceptable that you couldn’t get your money back or an exchange if you did not take out a product warranty?
Manufacturer’s need to make products that work and that are durable to stop creating waste. Or do you disagree?
Liz Gyekye, Senior Reporter, MRW
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
A need for regulation?
The Conservative Party has announced that it will implement more voluntary agreements that focus on waste rather than rely on regulation.
This issue was also discussed at a recent London Remade conference I attended.
Although I think some regulation can cause red tape and be a burden, others can let people take action and tackle waste.
The recent announcement by retailers that they narrowly missed their voluntary single-use carrier bag targets shows that sometimes voluntary agreements do not necessarily force businesses to meet their targets.
It will be interesting to see what happens in the future on this issue.
This issue was also discussed at a recent London Remade conference I attended.
Although I think some regulation can cause red tape and be a burden, others can let people take action and tackle waste.
The recent announcement by retailers that they narrowly missed their voluntary single-use carrier bag targets shows that sometimes voluntary agreements do not necessarily force businesses to meet their targets.
It will be interesting to see what happens in the future on this issue.
Monday, 20 July 2009
Education is the key to recycling
As the Government announced around four different reports last week on cutting carbon emissions, expanding anaerobic digestion, creating green jobs and more,it seemed as though it was actually taking practical action against climate change.
However, I think a key action it has missed is informing the public about just how important these measures are. Because of this many people are still quite cynical about the new technologies being invested in.
For example, I know about anaerobic digestion only because I work in this industry but I had never heard of it before I started this job - which was only three months ago. If my local authority were to bring in food waste collections I think many people in the area would be concerned about it attracting pests and wonder if it was truly necessary, because I know that thought would have previously crossed my mind.
The Government has neglected to explain to the people what AD is and why we need to do it. I believe the same problem lies with combined heat and power plants and even understanding the basic importance of recycling as much waste as we possibly can.
Well done to the Government for its efforts, but action won't be taken unless the public really understand it and accept it.
Tiffany Holland, Reporter, MRW
However, I think a key action it has missed is informing the public about just how important these measures are. Because of this many people are still quite cynical about the new technologies being invested in.
For example, I know about anaerobic digestion only because I work in this industry but I had never heard of it before I started this job - which was only three months ago. If my local authority were to bring in food waste collections I think many people in the area would be concerned about it attracting pests and wonder if it was truly necessary, because I know that thought would have previously crossed my mind.
The Government has neglected to explain to the people what AD is and why we need to do it. I believe the same problem lies with combined heat and power plants and even understanding the basic importance of recycling as much waste as we possibly can.
Well done to the Government for its efforts, but action won't be taken unless the public really understand it and accept it.
Tiffany Holland, Reporter, MRW
Wednesday, 15 July 2009
The scheme is a load of scrap!
The Government's car scrappage scheme was a funny one from the start. The Government initially branded it a green initiative, which was later abandoned as one of the key motives and reduced to simply advising people to buy more efficient vehicles. Then the primary issue for the scheme was to boost the car manufacturing industry with no real mention of how it might help the struggling scrap industry.
However, I wanted to flare up the fact that although it may not have a been a brilliant success boosting British business - as it seems that many of the foreign car manufactures have taken most of the sales - it has kept many Brits in work, with some manufacturers even having to expand their workforce.
Most importantly, regarding the recycling and waste management sector, the scheme has definitely helped out those in the scrap industry who are apart of the action. I would say this has been a fantastic scheme in that respect.
The success has been patchy as only a predicted 30 per cent of Approved Treatment Facilities are apart of the scheme, so there is room for improvement but I'm still pretty chuffed that after all the negative speculation it has made a bit of a difference.
Tiffany Holland, Reporter, MRW
However, I wanted to flare up the fact that although it may not have a been a brilliant success boosting British business - as it seems that many of the foreign car manufactures have taken most of the sales - it has kept many Brits in work, with some manufacturers even having to expand their workforce.
Most importantly, regarding the recycling and waste management sector, the scheme has definitely helped out those in the scrap industry who are apart of the action. I would say this has been a fantastic scheme in that respect.
The success has been patchy as only a predicted 30 per cent of Approved Treatment Facilities are apart of the scheme, so there is room for improvement but I'm still pretty chuffed that after all the negative speculation it has made a bit of a difference.
Tiffany Holland, Reporter, MRW
Wednesday, 8 July 2009
Ads aiming to save the planet
This isn't exactly waste and recycling specific, but it's worth having a look at all the same. It's a picture story showing what the Guardian thinks are the 'Best adverts to save the planet' and is worth taking a look at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2009/jul/01/act-responsible-environmental-advertising?picture=349628871
Andrea Height, MRW, deputy editor
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2009/jul/01/act-responsible-environmental-advertising?picture=349628871
Andrea Height, MRW, deputy editor
Tuesday, 7 July 2009
Festival Litter
I attended this year's Wireless Festival at Hyde Park (05 July). It was a good experience. The atmosphere was nice, the people were chilled and the music was good.
There was just one thing - the litter on the floor.
Any litter you can name was on the floor - mainly empty plastic beer bottles. It was like walking through the Red Sea of litter. I have never seen anything like it. When performers came on people threw their plastic bottles in the air and I got doused in beer plenty of times (not great). The more they liked the performer the more they threw their bottles.
The promoter of the festival was Live Nation. On its website it states the following: "Recycling systems will be in place to segregate all cardboard, plastic, paper and cans from back of house and the waste from the audience will be sent through a sorting process to extract all recyclable elements. All vendors will be using biodegradable packaging and wooden utensils across the site to avoid plastic packaging including polystyrene."
But what it fails to mention is that festival goers have no place to throw their rubbish so they just use the floor. There were bins at the event but not enough.
It seems as if litter pickers were just paid to pick the litter - poor them.
If we do not target the young to give out the message that it is not cool to throw litter then that generation will grow up thinking that it is OK to do it.
I think nobody is brave enough to challenge anyone, young or old, who drops litter nowadays for fear of getting into a confrontational situation.
Liz Gyekye, Senior Reporter, MRW
There was just one thing - the litter on the floor.
Any litter you can name was on the floor - mainly empty plastic beer bottles. It was like walking through the Red Sea of litter. I have never seen anything like it. When performers came on people threw their plastic bottles in the air and I got doused in beer plenty of times (not great). The more they liked the performer the more they threw their bottles.
The promoter of the festival was Live Nation. On its website it states the following: "Recycling systems will be in place to segregate all cardboard, plastic, paper and cans from back of house and the waste from the audience will be sent through a sorting process to extract all recyclable elements. All vendors will be using biodegradable packaging and wooden utensils across the site to avoid plastic packaging including polystyrene."
But what it fails to mention is that festival goers have no place to throw their rubbish so they just use the floor. There were bins at the event but not enough.
It seems as if litter pickers were just paid to pick the litter - poor them.
If we do not target the young to give out the message that it is not cool to throw litter then that generation will grow up thinking that it is OK to do it.
I think nobody is brave enough to challenge anyone, young or old, who drops litter nowadays for fear of getting into a confrontational situation.
Liz Gyekye, Senior Reporter, MRW
Monday, 6 July 2009
One man's rubbish is most certainly another man's treasure
Sitting behind my stall selling parts of my wardrobe that haven't seen the light in years at a bootsale on Sunday, it was interesting to see how crowded it became as clothes were flying off the stalls and jewellery was a must-have.
Of course, selling on unwanted goods is not a new thing as websites like ebay have proved hugely popular. But ebay tend to be more useful for items you expect a decent price for and for those who are willing to tackle the post office for each item. This is where bootsales come into their own as prices are spectacularly low and people can sell in bulk to anyone.
Speaking to friends at the weekend, a few of them told me how they have recently made their way around bootsales in search of a bargain, something which may not have been voiced so freely before. Proud of their resourcefulness as the recession bites, it felt as though bootsales are now the cool way to get over the Saturday night hangover.
We successfully sold half the clothes on our stall, making £90 in total, helping to fund new clothes to fill the gap in my now empty wardrobe.
So, it seems people are realising that their unwanted items are not rubbish but resources. But this is something that needs to be emphasised when it comes to all unwanted things including normal household waste.
Tiffany Holland, Reporter, MRW
Of course, selling on unwanted goods is not a new thing as websites like ebay have proved hugely popular. But ebay tend to be more useful for items you expect a decent price for and for those who are willing to tackle the post office for each item. This is where bootsales come into their own as prices are spectacularly low and people can sell in bulk to anyone.
Speaking to friends at the weekend, a few of them told me how they have recently made their way around bootsales in search of a bargain, something which may not have been voiced so freely before. Proud of their resourcefulness as the recession bites, it felt as though bootsales are now the cool way to get over the Saturday night hangover.
We successfully sold half the clothes on our stall, making £90 in total, helping to fund new clothes to fill the gap in my now empty wardrobe.
So, it seems people are realising that their unwanted items are not rubbish but resources. But this is something that needs to be emphasised when it comes to all unwanted things including normal household waste.
Tiffany Holland, Reporter, MRW
Thursday, 2 July 2009
Second anniversary of WEEE
It's now July 2009 and just over two years since the WEEE directive came into effect in the UK.
Personally, I haven't seen very much in the way of publicity to the general public about what they need to do with their old electronic waste, and I'd say that most of my friends wouldn't know what to do with their electronic and electrical waste, which is rather worrying.
With large items such as washing machines and fridges these are more likely to go into the proper channels as they are bulky and require special pick ups or would have to be transported to CA sites. But a friend told me how he had just put his old hi-fi in the bin the other day, and it is this type of smaller electrical and electronic waste item that I fear is still getting into the general waste stream - and an area where we really need to step up our recycling efforts.
Andrea Height, MRW, deputy editor
Personally, I haven't seen very much in the way of publicity to the general public about what they need to do with their old electronic waste, and I'd say that most of my friends wouldn't know what to do with their electronic and electrical waste, which is rather worrying.
With large items such as washing machines and fridges these are more likely to go into the proper channels as they are bulky and require special pick ups or would have to be transported to CA sites. But a friend told me how he had just put his old hi-fi in the bin the other day, and it is this type of smaller electrical and electronic waste item that I fear is still getting into the general waste stream - and an area where we really need to step up our recycling efforts.
Andrea Height, MRW, deputy editor
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Universal phone charger
I welcome the news that mobile phone companies are coming together to create a universal phone charger.
I think it is long overdue. I probably have about two old phone chargers lying about in my house doing nothing.
I want to get rid of them but I can't throw them away and I do not think mobile phone companies take them back.
There are so many things lying around creating waste around the house that I can't get rid of. For instance, I blogged about not knowing what to do with my old Sky remote control. Everything is working on it apart from the zero.
This makes me think that many households in the UK are hoarding stuff because they do not know what to do with them. We have become more environmentally aware so we hoard things because we can't throw them out.
Instead of sending waste to landfill our houses are becoming landfills themselves!!!Ahh!!
Think about it! How many batteries do you still have in your drawers? Or old video/DVD players?
Even if you wanted to use your old videos you couldn't because all the stores switched to DVD format.
Liz Gyekye, MRW, Senior Reporter
I think it is long overdue. I probably have about two old phone chargers lying about in my house doing nothing.
I want to get rid of them but I can't throw them away and I do not think mobile phone companies take them back.
There are so many things lying around creating waste around the house that I can't get rid of. For instance, I blogged about not knowing what to do with my old Sky remote control. Everything is working on it apart from the zero.
This makes me think that many households in the UK are hoarding stuff because they do not know what to do with them. We have become more environmentally aware so we hoard things because we can't throw them out.
Instead of sending waste to landfill our houses are becoming landfills themselves!!!Ahh!!
Think about it! How many batteries do you still have in your drawers? Or old video/DVD players?
Even if you wanted to use your old videos you couldn't because all the stores switched to DVD format.
Liz Gyekye, MRW, Senior Reporter
Monday, 29 June 2009
The plastic bag debate goes on
The plastic bag debate will just keep battling on with a decided split between those for and against them. But I must admit that I feel truly stuck in the middle.
I realise how awful it is when the bags pollute the sea and wreak havoc with wildlife. It also takes forever for them to degrade.
But they are very very useful too.
My family and I have always had a plastic bag pouch hung up in our kitchen where we stuff all the plastic bags we have collected from our shopping ready to be used in the house bins. I know I'm not alone in recycling these bags, therefore, it seems inaccurate when people call them single-use bags.
Then there is the issue of degradable plastic bags, which sound hugely appealing but there are difficulties if this plastic were ever to get in the recyclable plastic waste stream.
People forget that the bags can actually be recycled, and you only have to go down to your local supermarket to find a bank.
I don't think the answer is banning the bags, it's just time for less plastic bag production and, as always, more recycling.
Tiffany Holland, MRW, Reporter
I realise how awful it is when the bags pollute the sea and wreak havoc with wildlife. It also takes forever for them to degrade.
But they are very very useful too.
My family and I have always had a plastic bag pouch hung up in our kitchen where we stuff all the plastic bags we have collected from our shopping ready to be used in the house bins. I know I'm not alone in recycling these bags, therefore, it seems inaccurate when people call them single-use bags.
Then there is the issue of degradable plastic bags, which sound hugely appealing but there are difficulties if this plastic were ever to get in the recyclable plastic waste stream.
People forget that the bags can actually be recycled, and you only have to go down to your local supermarket to find a bank.
I don't think the answer is banning the bags, it's just time for less plastic bag production and, as always, more recycling.
Tiffany Holland, MRW, Reporter
Thursday, 25 June 2009
When it all seems like a lot of effort
It's almost two years since the implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive in the UK.
I often think if I wasn't in a job related to the waste and recycling sector I would have no idea that there is EU legislation requiring us to recycle our electrical waste. Of course, because I do know about it, I feel obligated to recycle my toaster that blew up the other week.
I live in a flat in central London, don't have a car and have been given a replacement toaster by my mum who had a spare one. I want to recycle my toaster but the nearest CA site is on the other side of the river and requires some effort to get there.
Of course, I'm willing to put in the effort to take my old toaster to the CA site by public transport but there will be many more people who simply won't go to the trouble. We have to be aware that if we don't make it easier for people to recycle such items they simply won't bother.
Andrea Height, MRW, deputy editor
I often think if I wasn't in a job related to the waste and recycling sector I would have no idea that there is EU legislation requiring us to recycle our electrical waste. Of course, because I do know about it, I feel obligated to recycle my toaster that blew up the other week.
I live in a flat in central London, don't have a car and have been given a replacement toaster by my mum who had a spare one. I want to recycle my toaster but the nearest CA site is on the other side of the river and requires some effort to get there.
Of course, I'm willing to put in the effort to take my old toaster to the CA site by public transport but there will be many more people who simply won't go to the trouble. We have to be aware that if we don't make it easier for people to recycle such items they simply won't bother.
Andrea Height, MRW, deputy editor
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
Embracing new media to push the recycling message
It's interesting to see recycling campaigners embrace the new forms of technology and communication that are now available to get their messages out. This week Friends of Glass, set up by the Federation of European manufacturers of glass packaging containers has started a 'TweetRecycle' challenge on twitter. It is urging twitter users - and encouraging those not using twitter to do so - to tweet about the number of glass containers they have recycled. It hopes that tweeters will have collectively recycled 75,000 bottles over the next three months and in tweeting about it also raised awareness about glass recycling.
Find out more at:
http://bloginabottle.com/
Find out more at:
http://bloginabottle.com/
Friday, 19 June 2009
More about wheelie bins
I am not going to write a blog but refer you to this one about the Daily Mail wheelie bin campaign below:
http://straightsays.blogspot.com/2009/06/more-about-wheeled-bins.html
http://straightsays.blogspot.com/2009/06/more-about-wheeled-bins.html
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Where can you recycle your old Sky remote control?
Does anybody know the answer to the above question? Products seem to break just as soon as you have brought them these days. I have recently brought a new Sky remote control because the zero on the old one was not working.
Who knows where I can recycle the old one?
Who knows where I can recycle the old one?
To wheelie bin or not to wheelie bin? That is the question.
The Daily Mail has started a new campaign. It has declared war against the "monstrous wheelie bin" that is causing havoc across the land.
To a certain extent they have a point. I agree with Wheelie Bin Direct MD Clive O'Riordan. He says that some councils have given out four/five wheelie bins to residents. This can be a nuisance.
In the area where I live we still do not have wheelie bins. We have the black bin bag system. I think if we had wheelie bins it would clog up the area.This is because I live in a small cul-de-sac and we just don't have the space. I also don't think it would be the best system if we introduced wheelie bins into the area.
However, as O'Riordan concluded, the wheelie bin is ugly but it is a "necessary evil".
To a certain extent they have a point. I agree with Wheelie Bin Direct MD Clive O'Riordan. He says that some councils have given out four/five wheelie bins to residents. This can be a nuisance.
In the area where I live we still do not have wheelie bins. We have the black bin bag system. I think if we had wheelie bins it would clog up the area.This is because I live in a small cul-de-sac and we just don't have the space. I also don't think it would be the best system if we introduced wheelie bins into the area.
However, as O'Riordan concluded, the wheelie bin is ugly but it is a "necessary evil".
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Batteries recycling
There is a lot of activity at the moment around battery recycling and in the 5 June issue of MRW we are looking at it in more detail.
With the potential compliance schemes all now in the process of seeking approval to comply for the battery producers (which technically includes anyone who places batteries in the UK market so includes electrical manufacturers small and large, retailers - with some small exceptions and the battery manufacturers themselves).
It appears that store take-back and possibly some local authority collection mechanisms will be the main way for domestic batteries to be returned to meet the targets set by the EU.
But the difficulty remains that batteries are usually small enough and easy enough to throw away in the residual waste bin and volumes are pretty small on the whole.
To make this work, we need to have a good publicity campaign when the eventual system is up and running - something which definitely didn't happen with waste electrical item recycling.
That campaign should focus on reminding people to take old batteries with them to the supermarkets to be recycled. Then, the supermarkets should be allowed and encouraged to use reverse hauling of batteries to justify the collections in terms of sustainability.
With the potential compliance schemes all now in the process of seeking approval to comply for the battery producers (which technically includes anyone who places batteries in the UK market so includes electrical manufacturers small and large, retailers - with some small exceptions and the battery manufacturers themselves).
It appears that store take-back and possibly some local authority collection mechanisms will be the main way for domestic batteries to be returned to meet the targets set by the EU.
But the difficulty remains that batteries are usually small enough and easy enough to throw away in the residual waste bin and volumes are pretty small on the whole.
To make this work, we need to have a good publicity campaign when the eventual system is up and running - something which definitely didn't happen with waste electrical item recycling.
That campaign should focus on reminding people to take old batteries with them to the supermarkets to be recycled. Then, the supermarkets should be allowed and encouraged to use reverse hauling of batteries to justify the collections in terms of sustainability.
Friday, 22 May 2009
Scottish waste
I was chairing MRW's Scotland conference this week up in Glasgow and was really interested in the ambitious plans that Scotland has for "zero waste". Well 70% recycling, 25% energy from waste (undecided what this means but probably a mix of technologies) and 5% landfill (there will always be something) by 2020.
I'm impressed that the Scottish Government has such ambitious plans, but they really have got a long way to go to meet their targets. In fact, England is still ahead of them in terms of percentage recycled (England is on about 36% and Scotland 32%). But Scotland is way ahead in its thinking - as is Wales - and it is certainly something that us English could learn from.
Paul Sanderson, editor, MRW
I'm impressed that the Scottish Government has such ambitious plans, but they really have got a long way to go to meet their targets. In fact, England is still ahead of them in terms of percentage recycled (England is on about 36% and Scotland 32%). But Scotland is way ahead in its thinking - as is Wales - and it is certainly something that us English could learn from.
Paul Sanderson, editor, MRW
Thursday, 21 May 2009
Glass recycling's own singing sensation
Move over Susan Boyle, glass recycling has its own singing sensation - Hank the Singing Bottle. He's becoming quite the YouTube hit, with well over 17,000 views last time I checked.
Hank is fronting a new campaign, Friends of Glass, which the European Container Glass Federation is behind. In the YouTube clip, he takes us through his life as various different glass containers, all in song.
Cleverly he's also got a catch phrase 'I'll be back' - which he is stunned to hear a certain Hollywood actor say during his time as a glass make up container in LA.
What the campaign hopes to do is put out the message that glass and glass recycling are good and good for the environment.
The video is a humourous way of engaging the public and it is cleverly one of those links that people are likely to forward on to friends and colleagues. Perhaps there's something that other recyclable materials can learn from this...
See the clip here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9a0gzx_HIE
Andrea Height, MRW, deputy editor
Hank is fronting a new campaign, Friends of Glass, which the European Container Glass Federation is behind. In the YouTube clip, he takes us through his life as various different glass containers, all in song.
Cleverly he's also got a catch phrase 'I'll be back' - which he is stunned to hear a certain Hollywood actor say during his time as a glass make up container in LA.
What the campaign hopes to do is put out the message that glass and glass recycling are good and good for the environment.
The video is a humourous way of engaging the public and it is cleverly one of those links that people are likely to forward on to friends and colleagues. Perhaps there's something that other recyclable materials can learn from this...
See the clip here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9a0gzx_HIE
Andrea Height, MRW, deputy editor
Friday, 15 May 2009
Let's have more recycling bins!
Thinking back to previous posts made on this blog about the need to make recycling facilities convenient - combined with the sunshine I can currently see looking out my office window - has made me think about recycling facilities in public parks.
A few weekends ago, myself and a few friends thought we would have a picnic in Hyde Park. When we were heading off home, we wanted to be able to dispose of our empty plastic bottles and cans. All we could find around the area where we had been sitting was a normal waste bin - so the empties went in there.
I knew the 'Recycle on the Go' scheme had launched in the park - so there were dedicated recycling bins in the park somewhere - but they were nowhere to be seen when we needed them.
What the public need - in parks, on streets, wherever there is a general waste bin - is to also have a bin for commingled recyclables right next to it. Then you will always have somewhere to get rid of your recyclables when you are out and about.
Andrea Height, Deputy Editor, MRW
A few weekends ago, myself and a few friends thought we would have a picnic in Hyde Park. When we were heading off home, we wanted to be able to dispose of our empty plastic bottles and cans. All we could find around the area where we had been sitting was a normal waste bin - so the empties went in there.
I knew the 'Recycle on the Go' scheme had launched in the park - so there were dedicated recycling bins in the park somewhere - but they were nowhere to be seen when we needed them.
What the public need - in parks, on streets, wherever there is a general waste bin - is to also have a bin for commingled recyclables right next to it. Then you will always have somewhere to get rid of your recyclables when you are out and about.
Andrea Height, Deputy Editor, MRW
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
New Potato head campaign by WRAP
I think the new potato head campaign by WRAP is cool. It is really creative and I think it will have the potential to get people to think about how much food they waste.
I do think that their last campaign with the 'crying pear' was not that effective. If I wasn't working in the industry I would fail to see the significance of a 'crying pear'.
My mind starts to think about other recycling campaigns. If you live in London you would have seen the 'Don't feed me bin' campaign launched by Boris Johnson on TV. In the ad, a rubbish bin screams for more waste. I don't think this was very effective but I think if I was a kid watching it it would scare me!
Liz Gyekye, senior reporter, MRW
I do think that their last campaign with the 'crying pear' was not that effective. If I wasn't working in the industry I would fail to see the significance of a 'crying pear'.
My mind starts to think about other recycling campaigns. If you live in London you would have seen the 'Don't feed me bin' campaign launched by Boris Johnson on TV. In the ad, a rubbish bin screams for more waste. I don't think this was very effective but I think if I was a kid watching it it would scare me!
Liz Gyekye, senior reporter, MRW
New WRAP campaign
I really like the new WRAP Love Food Hate Waste campaign that uses people that look like the food they eat. I'm sure it will have a really good impact on the public and get them to reduce the amount of food they waste.
We have an example of Mr Potato Head on our story here http://www.mrw.co.uk/page.cfm/action=Archive/ArchiveID=10/EntryID=5390
Paul Sanderson, Editor, MRW
We have an example of Mr Potato Head on our story here http://www.mrw.co.uk/page.cfm/action=Archive/ArchiveID=10/EntryID=5390
Paul Sanderson, Editor, MRW
Monday, 20 April 2009
Event recycling
I was at an event over the weekend at a major exhibition centre. Outside there were loads of recycling bins, which was good to see.
However, inside near the food areas, there were traditional waste bins. Clearly, the public wanted to recycle as recyclables had been left separated next to the bin. But they had nowhere to do it without going out of the hall.
The lesson is obviously that recycling always needs to be convenient.
Paul Sanderson, editor, MRW
However, inside near the food areas, there were traditional waste bins. Clearly, the public wanted to recycle as recyclables had been left separated next to the bin. But they had nowhere to do it without going out of the hall.
The lesson is obviously that recycling always needs to be convenient.
Paul Sanderson, editor, MRW
Wednesday, 8 April 2009
Current climate makes for more creative solutions
I had an interesting conversation with the MD of an equipment manufacturer this week. While he acknowledged that the current economic situation had inevitably had an effect on business, he did note that businesses were still willing to spend money if you were able to offer them a solution to their particular problem rather than simply an 'off the shelf' type answer.
While this is not a 'quick win' approach it is one that has paid dividends for the company in question. It has led to businesses coming back and placing more orders and has helped to demonstrate the market expertise and professionalism of the manufacturer in question.
It just goes to show that if you can demonstrate the value gained, businesses are still willing to part with their hard earned cash.
Andrea Height, deputy editor, MRW
While this is not a 'quick win' approach it is one that has paid dividends for the company in question. It has led to businesses coming back and placing more orders and has helped to demonstrate the market expertise and professionalism of the manufacturer in question.
It just goes to show that if you can demonstrate the value gained, businesses are still willing to part with their hard earned cash.
Andrea Height, deputy editor, MRW
Monday, 6 April 2009
Second World War thrift - can it work now?
We did a story on www.mrw.co.uk last week about how 60% of people think we need a World War II attitude to cut waste.
Certainly, the attitude of the 1940's would go a long way to meeting the waste minimisation and re-use sections at the top of the waste hieararchy.
The difficulty is that we live in completely different times. Even in this recession, as a population we have a lot more than (in my case) our grandparents did and access to greater consumer choice. The most obvious example being that rationing in the '40's was essential and was a strong factor in making people thrifty with what they had - now it would be seen as ridiculous.
But, there is certainly a lot we can learn from those times and a bit of thrift now would go a long way.
Certainly, the attitude of the 1940's would go a long way to meeting the waste minimisation and re-use sections at the top of the waste hieararchy.
The difficulty is that we live in completely different times. Even in this recession, as a population we have a lot more than (in my case) our grandparents did and access to greater consumer choice. The most obvious example being that rationing in the '40's was essential and was a strong factor in making people thrifty with what they had - now it would be seen as ridiculous.
But, there is certainly a lot we can learn from those times and a bit of thrift now would go a long way.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
WRAP to be single delivery body
WRAP have today announced that they are to be the single delivery body for a range of resource efficiency services. This seems like a good idea to me as it means more clarity and fingers crossed more efficient services.
To see more of this story from MRW
Paul Sanderson, editor, MRW
To see more of this story from MRW
Paul Sanderson, editor, MRW
Monday, 23 March 2009
Energy from waste or incineration?
I chaired a seminar last week and energy from waste was high on the agenda.
Despite my efforts to negotiate a middle ground, it was clear that there was a divide between supporters of combined heat and power plants from the waste industry and engineers and those from the environmental lobby such as Friends of the Earth.
Indeed, it was interesting to see their use of terminology with the waste industry and engineering delegates talking of EfW and CHP and the environmentalists of incineration.
My view is that EfW and CHP has a place in a well structured hierarchy of waste with the usual re-use and recycle etc coming first. Terms such as incineration do an injustice to efficient modern plants as it gives the impression of burning waste with a stack belching out untreated pollutants. Maybe that is why the enviornmental lobby are so keen to use the word incineration.
Paul Sanderson, editor, MRW and www.mrw.co.uk
Despite my efforts to negotiate a middle ground, it was clear that there was a divide between supporters of combined heat and power plants from the waste industry and engineers and those from the environmental lobby such as Friends of the Earth.
Indeed, it was interesting to see their use of terminology with the waste industry and engineering delegates talking of EfW and CHP and the environmentalists of incineration.
My view is that EfW and CHP has a place in a well structured hierarchy of waste with the usual re-use and recycle etc coming first. Terms such as incineration do an injustice to efficient modern plants as it gives the impression of burning waste with a stack belching out untreated pollutants. Maybe that is why the enviornmental lobby are so keen to use the word incineration.
Paul Sanderson, editor, MRW and www.mrw.co.uk
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Doing it for the kids
I was intrigued by a story I saw this week in the Daily Mail about a rural shopkeeper who writes the names of her customers on the packaging of snacks they buy.
According to the Mail, postmistress Yvonne Froud marks each wrapper with the name of the buyer in black permanent marker pen. Then any customer whose name turns up on a piece of rubbish found in the street is temporarily banned from the shop. The idea is that they take responsibility for that waste and put it in the bin.
Froud, who runs the post office in Joys Green in the Forest of Dean, Gloucester, explains that her system works because the rural community is so small. She says she knows the name of every local resident and so cannot be fooled by customers using aliases.
But reading on it becomes apparent that, the woman “on a crusade”, is only applying this system to young people. Surely this is age discrimination. Does this postmistress think only children drop litter? This assumption is something many law abiding children would hotly deny. But of course when you are taking a stand it’s easy to start with those already demonised by some sections of the press and least likely to complain.
Read the full article at:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1163132/Shopkeeper-writes-customers-names-sweet-wrappers-drink-cans--stop-dropping-litter.html
Claire Churchard, senior reporter, MRW
According to the Mail, postmistress Yvonne Froud marks each wrapper with the name of the buyer in black permanent marker pen. Then any customer whose name turns up on a piece of rubbish found in the street is temporarily banned from the shop. The idea is that they take responsibility for that waste and put it in the bin.
Froud, who runs the post office in Joys Green in the Forest of Dean, Gloucester, explains that her system works because the rural community is so small. She says she knows the name of every local resident and so cannot be fooled by customers using aliases.
But reading on it becomes apparent that, the woman “on a crusade”, is only applying this system to young people. Surely this is age discrimination. Does this postmistress think only children drop litter? This assumption is something many law abiding children would hotly deny. But of course when you are taking a stand it’s easy to start with those already demonised by some sections of the press and least likely to complain.
Read the full article at:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1163132/Shopkeeper-writes-customers-names-sweet-wrappers-drink-cans--stop-dropping-litter.html
Claire Churchard, senior reporter, MRW
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Designing out construction waste
I managed to pop along to the Construction Waste Summit yesterday which was attended by representatives from various parts of the construction supply chain. It was interesting to hear their thoughts and concerns on construction waste - and whether the ultimate 'zero waste to landfill' was something that was achievable. (A quick straw poll found that about half of those who attended thought this 'zero waste' goal was achievable and the other half didn't...)
Those who attended seem to think that more collaboration along the supply chain and more awareness among designers about waste would help reduce the amount and impact of construction waste.
A speaker from BDP offered the designer's perspective and made a good point that most waste legislation is aimed at the end-of-life stage and contractors - meaning designers are effectively removed from having to think about waste. In addition, she suggested a lot of designers were not aware of the 'zero waste' concept and the waste hierarchy - something that those further down the waste chain perhaps assume others are aware of.
It raised the question of whether we need to incentivise or put in place regulations to force designers and those at the start of the construction process to think about the impact of their work at the end of the chain?
Andrea Height, MRW, deputy editor
Those who attended seem to think that more collaboration along the supply chain and more awareness among designers about waste would help reduce the amount and impact of construction waste.
A speaker from BDP offered the designer's perspective and made a good point that most waste legislation is aimed at the end-of-life stage and contractors - meaning designers are effectively removed from having to think about waste. In addition, she suggested a lot of designers were not aware of the 'zero waste' concept and the waste hierarchy - something that those further down the waste chain perhaps assume others are aware of.
It raised the question of whether we need to incentivise or put in place regulations to force designers and those at the start of the construction process to think about the impact of their work at the end of the chain?
Andrea Height, MRW, deputy editor
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
Mobius loop
I think if you were to ask people in the UK to identify what is the recycling symbol between the Recycle Now logo and the Mobius Loop logo, most would choose the latter.
There is some news emerging tomorrow which will be positive, but will also highlight the difficulty in communicating the recycling message when the Mobius Loop remains ubiqitous in the minds of the public.
Maybe we'd have been sticking with what was already a well known logo?
Paul Sanderson, editor, MRW
www.mrw.co.uk
There is some news emerging tomorrow which will be positive, but will also highlight the difficulty in communicating the recycling message when the Mobius Loop remains ubiqitous in the minds of the public.
Maybe we'd have been sticking with what was already a well known logo?
Paul Sanderson, editor, MRW
www.mrw.co.uk
Thursday, 12 March 2009
All eyes on WEEE
There been a lot of activity around Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) this week. Of most note is WEEE producer compliance scheme Repic's decision to bring judicial review proceedings over what it calls the “the Government’s failure to close loopholes in the system designed to ensure that WEEE items are recycled”. Read the MRW news story here. It will be interesting to see how this develops.
Repic chief executive Philip Morton calls the WEEE rules "a model of bad regulation" and says they encourage profiteering rather than sound environmental practice. Is he right? And is this also an issue for other aspects of environmental legislation?
Andrea Height, deputy editor, MRW
Repic chief executive Philip Morton calls the WEEE rules "a model of bad regulation" and says they encourage profiteering rather than sound environmental practice. Is he right? And is this also an issue for other aspects of environmental legislation?
Andrea Height, deputy editor, MRW
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
An endearing bin bag?
Is it me, or does anyone else think the black bin bag in the Starve Your Bin television adverts is too cute?
It rifles through the recycling box like a pet dog and then begs Alistair to feed it some more cans. In fact I’m reminded of a dopey old pet that my family used to have and I think, yeah give the bag some more cans!
Surely this is not the response the campaign was after. But the real bin bag in my kitchen does not get cans, plastic bottles or anything else my councils deems fit to recycle. So perhaps I’m being a little harsh.
Yet when I compare it to the earlier poster campaign, I found the two dimensional bin bag character much easier to dislike and I wanted to deprive it of recyclates. Perhaps a creepier, Disney villain voice would’ve worked better on television.
But then this advert isn’t aimed at me is it. I recycle all ready. Maybe it does work on people who don’t. If you haven’t’ already seen it, watch and judge for yourself.
http://www.recycleforlondon.com/starve/tv/
Claire Churchard, senior reporter, MRW
It rifles through the recycling box like a pet dog and then begs Alistair to feed it some more cans. In fact I’m reminded of a dopey old pet that my family used to have and I think, yeah give the bag some more cans!
Surely this is not the response the campaign was after. But the real bin bag in my kitchen does not get cans, plastic bottles or anything else my councils deems fit to recycle. So perhaps I’m being a little harsh.
Yet when I compare it to the earlier poster campaign, I found the two dimensional bin bag character much easier to dislike and I wanted to deprive it of recyclates. Perhaps a creepier, Disney villain voice would’ve worked better on television.
But then this advert isn’t aimed at me is it. I recycle all ready. Maybe it does work on people who don’t. If you haven’t’ already seen it, watch and judge for yourself.
http://www.recycleforlondon.com/starve/tv/
Claire Churchard, senior reporter, MRW
I bought a new hoover....
I bought a new hoover from Curry's the other day. I asked the store assistant that served me if he could take my old one back under the WEEE rules. And he said: "We don't do WEEE take-backs at this store."
He explained that customers that have electrical items delivered by Currys can arrange for the old items to be collected at the same time. But only if they are delivered - you cannot take it back in-store (strange I thought in my mind). So they can recycle it if they deliver it but I can't take it back in-store!!!
I am sure that they launched a scheme in 2007 where you could take back your old electrical appliances at any store. I have to check this one out. The store assistant might have given me some wrong info - I am on a mission to find out!!
N.B. Thank you Brendan for your help. It was actually a Panasonic vacuum cleaner that I wanted to take back. Now, I know that I can take this back to the store I will just dump it inside. I thought I was right but obviously the store assistant did not know what he was talking about. Next time if in doubt speak to the manager!!!
He explained that customers that have electrical items delivered by Currys can arrange for the old items to be collected at the same time. But only if they are delivered - you cannot take it back in-store (strange I thought in my mind). So they can recycle it if they deliver it but I can't take it back in-store!!!
I am sure that they launched a scheme in 2007 where you could take back your old electrical appliances at any store. I have to check this one out. The store assistant might have given me some wrong info - I am on a mission to find out!!
N.B. Thank you Brendan for your help. It was actually a Panasonic vacuum cleaner that I wanted to take back. Now, I know that I can take this back to the store I will just dump it inside. I thought I was right but obviously the store assistant did not know what he was talking about. Next time if in doubt speak to the manager!!!
Monday, 9 March 2009
Inspiration and innovation
Sometimes you meet people who are brimming with so much enthusiasm it really is quite infectious and gives you back your zest for life. Last week I went along to Ecobuild, a trade exhibition for those involved with sustainable design and construction, and met a number of people who had seen an opportunity, had a vision and made it happen.
There was Simon Greer from Nulife Glass, who had spent about 13 years trying to find a method of taking the hazardous lead out of the cathode ray tube (CRT) glass that is found in old television screens and computer monitors. He was told it wasn't possible, but persevered and has now cracked the problem and proved his solution. This means both the lead and the glass can be reused as raw materials and the glass is no longer hazardous. The glass can go into applications as diverse as cufflinks, wall and floor tiles, kitchen worktops and high-grade aggregates.
Working with one of last year's National Recycling Award winners, GLASSeco, Simon has even used some of the glass he had separated out from old TV screens for making his own kitchen worktops.
Donald Crawley, one of GLASSeco's directors, had equally spent about 10 years of his life working out how he could find a better use for glass waste that was ending up in landfill. MRW magazine has previously covered the story of how he experimented with mixing waste glass with resin in his garden shed to create worktops. A chance break led to him making a worktop for an eco-house featured in Grand Designs and judging by the number of people at his stand at the exhibition, it's a product people are really interested in.
GLASSeco is now working with Chamois, who make kitchens using 100% recycled timber panels, so you can get a truly recycled kitchen.
And finally there was Les Owens, the managing director of BuilderScrap, a website designed to prevent construction waste from going to landfill. The free service acts like a match-maker for those wanting building materials and those with building materials to get rid of. A builder himself, Les knows how builders think and operate, so has made the website 'builder-friendly' and easy to upload photos and information from site.
It's built around the premise of why you would want to pay to have skips of perfectly usable material thrown away when you could give it to someone who wants it for free. Why indeed. All three were a really good example of thinking outide the box and finding innovative solutions. And they were a real inspiration.
Andrea Height, Deputy Editor, MRW
There was Simon Greer from Nulife Glass, who had spent about 13 years trying to find a method of taking the hazardous lead out of the cathode ray tube (CRT) glass that is found in old television screens and computer monitors. He was told it wasn't possible, but persevered and has now cracked the problem and proved his solution. This means both the lead and the glass can be reused as raw materials and the glass is no longer hazardous. The glass can go into applications as diverse as cufflinks, wall and floor tiles, kitchen worktops and high-grade aggregates.
Working with one of last year's National Recycling Award winners, GLASSeco, Simon has even used some of the glass he had separated out from old TV screens for making his own kitchen worktops.
Donald Crawley, one of GLASSeco's directors, had equally spent about 10 years of his life working out how he could find a better use for glass waste that was ending up in landfill. MRW magazine has previously covered the story of how he experimented with mixing waste glass with resin in his garden shed to create worktops. A chance break led to him making a worktop for an eco-house featured in Grand Designs and judging by the number of people at his stand at the exhibition, it's a product people are really interested in.
GLASSeco is now working with Chamois, who make kitchens using 100% recycled timber panels, so you can get a truly recycled kitchen.
And finally there was Les Owens, the managing director of BuilderScrap, a website designed to prevent construction waste from going to landfill. The free service acts like a match-maker for those wanting building materials and those with building materials to get rid of. A builder himself, Les knows how builders think and operate, so has made the website 'builder-friendly' and easy to upload photos and information from site.
It's built around the premise of why you would want to pay to have skips of perfectly usable material thrown away when you could give it to someone who wants it for free. Why indeed. All three were a really good example of thinking outide the box and finding innovative solutions. And they were a real inspiration.
Andrea Height, Deputy Editor, MRW
Friday, 6 March 2009
Low carbon future
There is a summit happening today on the low carbon future. Seems recycling isn't part of it as there is only mentions of energy policies from Lord Mandelson and Ed Miliband.
Who is shouting our to publicise the climate change mitigation impact of efficient waste management or recycling and waste minimisation? Or who should be?
Paul Sanderson, editor, MRW
Who is shouting our to publicise the climate change mitigation impact of efficient waste management or recycling and waste minimisation? Or who should be?
Paul Sanderson, editor, MRW
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
PFI funding can only be good news
We are reporting on MRW today that the Treasury is to put £3.5 billion into waste PFI projects.
Infrastructure is desperately needed in the recycling and waste sector and I am sure this will give a welcome boost when commercial funding is proving hard to come by.
My sources tell me Greater Manchester is on the brink of being signed - I'm holding my breath in anticipation! Once it is, and with this funding boost, we might actually see a great deal more on the horizon such as Merseyside and North London.
See the story in full on MRW.
Paul Sanderson, Editor, MRW (Materials Recycling Week)
Infrastructure is desperately needed in the recycling and waste sector and I am sure this will give a welcome boost when commercial funding is proving hard to come by.
My sources tell me Greater Manchester is on the brink of being signed - I'm holding my breath in anticipation! Once it is, and with this funding boost, we might actually see a great deal more on the horizon such as Merseyside and North London.
See the story in full on MRW.
Paul Sanderson, Editor, MRW (Materials Recycling Week)
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Revenge of the bin men
Did anyone watch that Channel 4 programme last night called Revenge of the bin men?
How funny was that! That programme was enough to put you off recycling for life. It seemed to exaggerate everybody's roles (it showed the extreme side of practically everyone). Did the Peterborough recycling officer Emma really have a recycling bin in her bedroom? I am sure I must have been dreaming! I think she went too far with that one.
The menacing music in the background just made for more entertaining TV. It really did sound like there was a war was going on.
The best bit of the show was the showdown between the Hertfordshire resident who wanted to keep the bigger wheelie bins and the councillor. And after all the effort that the Hertfordshire resident put into his campaign to save the bigger wheelie bins nobody backed his cause in the end!
I think the show should have put more emphasis on the fact that we are running out of landfill and councils face huge fines if we keep sending waste to landfill. I think if that message got across then it might have encouraged more people to recycle. I didn't get the overall message of the programme.
But showing enforcement/recycling officers penalising the public "is not a good look". It makes them look callous and calculating, especially when they claim that there is no word for recycling in Polish.
Liz Gyekye, reporter, MRW (Materials Recycling Week)
How funny was that! That programme was enough to put you off recycling for life. It seemed to exaggerate everybody's roles (it showed the extreme side of practically everyone). Did the Peterborough recycling officer Emma really have a recycling bin in her bedroom? I am sure I must have been dreaming! I think she went too far with that one.
The menacing music in the background just made for more entertaining TV. It really did sound like there was a war was going on.
The best bit of the show was the showdown between the Hertfordshire resident who wanted to keep the bigger wheelie bins and the councillor. And after all the effort that the Hertfordshire resident put into his campaign to save the bigger wheelie bins nobody backed his cause in the end!
I think the show should have put more emphasis on the fact that we are running out of landfill and councils face huge fines if we keep sending waste to landfill. I think if that message got across then it might have encouraged more people to recycle. I didn't get the overall message of the programme.
But showing enforcement/recycling officers penalising the public "is not a good look". It makes them look callous and calculating, especially when they claim that there is no word for recycling in Polish.
Liz Gyekye, reporter, MRW (Materials Recycling Week)
Friday, 27 February 2009
How aware of WEEE are we?
It's the end of another week and here at MRW we are wrapping up the feature pages that will be in next week's issue of the magazine. We'll be focusing on WEEE (waste electronic and electrical equipment) and, given the recent national spotlight thrown on the UK's WEEE system by Sky News and Greenpeace, it is timely.
While introducing new legislation is never going to be easy, some of the WEEE recyclers who comment in the upcoming issue of MRW raise some interesting points that must be addressed if the industry is to free itself from some of the negative publicity it gets.
Does everyone involved in the WEEE chain really know exactly what happens to the WEEE they have handled? Are they sure it is being treated in a way that meets the environmental aims of the directive? Is there enough enforcement of the regulations to ensure that rogue operators are shut down and those that have invested in environmentally sound operations flourish?
Also, do the public even know about the need to recycle their e-waste? A much-awaited WEEE publicity campaign was announced by BERR and WRAP last December - although MRW didn't see anything other than the initial press release.
We decided to ask WRAP what had happened to this to be told a "pilot project" would be run in "a number of localised areas" throughout the month of March and that the PR activity ahead of Christmas was a "precursor to the main pilot campaign". That wasn't made clear in the initial release but wouldn't it be easier to run a blanket national WEEE awareness campaign? Do we really need a pilot and precursor to a main pilot? Having run campaigns to increase the recycling of materials such as paper, glass and cans, shouldn't we know how to run a recycling publicity campaign by now?
Anyway, MRW is pleased to note that the North London Waste Authority will be running this WEEE campaign in Camden where the MRW office is based - so we will be keeping our eye out for it! In the meantime, if you spot the WEEE campaign where you are let us know!
Andrea Height, Deputy Editor, MRW
While introducing new legislation is never going to be easy, some of the WEEE recyclers who comment in the upcoming issue of MRW raise some interesting points that must be addressed if the industry is to free itself from some of the negative publicity it gets.
Does everyone involved in the WEEE chain really know exactly what happens to the WEEE they have handled? Are they sure it is being treated in a way that meets the environmental aims of the directive? Is there enough enforcement of the regulations to ensure that rogue operators are shut down and those that have invested in environmentally sound operations flourish?
Also, do the public even know about the need to recycle their e-waste? A much-awaited WEEE publicity campaign was announced by BERR and WRAP last December - although MRW didn't see anything other than the initial press release.
We decided to ask WRAP what had happened to this to be told a "pilot project" would be run in "a number of localised areas" throughout the month of March and that the PR activity ahead of Christmas was a "precursor to the main pilot campaign". That wasn't made clear in the initial release but wouldn't it be easier to run a blanket national WEEE awareness campaign? Do we really need a pilot and precursor to a main pilot? Having run campaigns to increase the recycling of materials such as paper, glass and cans, shouldn't we know how to run a recycling publicity campaign by now?
Anyway, MRW is pleased to note that the North London Waste Authority will be running this WEEE campaign in Camden where the MRW office is based - so we will be keeping our eye out for it! In the meantime, if you spot the WEEE campaign where you are let us know!
Andrea Height, Deputy Editor, MRW
Thursday, 26 February 2009
Recycling, waste of time?
Sadly, the furore over whether recycling is a waste of time or not continues. The cover story on the Guardian’s G2 seems to question the veracity of recycling as a green way to deal with waste.
It references recent reports of Nigeria receiving old TVs from the UK in the guise of reuse and the apparent “collapse” in demand for recyclates. It also looks at the option of energy-from-waste (or incineration as the report inaccurately identifies it) as if it is an either or situation. A holistic solution encompasses both.
But wait, the article also gives materials recycling facility operators the chance to discuss their businesses and “bust some myths”.
But there is a certain disdain in tone used by the reporter, with talk of “the stench” and “a loud confusion” of machinery. The article also claims there is a “crisis of confidence” in recycling. Yet this crisis is very much the product of a history of unbalanced media based debate, led in the main by a certain tabloid.
If the article aimed to set the record straight and give a balanced view, then this aim is undermined by the implied negativity in the cover title: “Is recycling a complete waste of time?”
And unfortunately, not everyone will read to the end of the article’s five pages, especially with such unflattering pictures to focus on.
To read the article online go to:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/feb/26/recycling-waste-environment
Claire Churchard, senior reporter, MRW
It references recent reports of Nigeria receiving old TVs from the UK in the guise of reuse and the apparent “collapse” in demand for recyclates. It also looks at the option of energy-from-waste (or incineration as the report inaccurately identifies it) as if it is an either or situation. A holistic solution encompasses both.
But wait, the article also gives materials recycling facility operators the chance to discuss their businesses and “bust some myths”.
But there is a certain disdain in tone used by the reporter, with talk of “the stench” and “a loud confusion” of machinery. The article also claims there is a “crisis of confidence” in recycling. Yet this crisis is very much the product of a history of unbalanced media based debate, led in the main by a certain tabloid.
If the article aimed to set the record straight and give a balanced view, then this aim is undermined by the implied negativity in the cover title: “Is recycling a complete waste of time?”
And unfortunately, not everyone will read to the end of the article’s five pages, especially with such unflattering pictures to focus on.
To read the article online go to:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/feb/26/recycling-waste-environment
Claire Churchard, senior reporter, MRW
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Easter egg packaging
Apparently some Easter egg manufacturers have managed to reduce the amount of packaging on their products by about 50%! Well done! Read about reduced Easter egg packaging here.
Easter egg packaging is never going to be a huge proportion of the waste stream as it is seasonal in nature and therefore volumes aren't high. But it is hugely symbolic of wasteful packaging where most of it is for sales impact rather than protection of the product.
The most environmentally friendly option would probably be to buy a bar of chocolate, but that wouldn't be much fun would it?
Paul Sanderson, Editor, MRW and http://www.mrw.co.uk/
Easter egg packaging is never going to be a huge proportion of the waste stream as it is seasonal in nature and therefore volumes aren't high. But it is hugely symbolic of wasteful packaging where most of it is for sales impact rather than protection of the product.
The most environmentally friendly option would probably be to buy a bar of chocolate, but that wouldn't be much fun would it?
Paul Sanderson, Editor, MRW and http://www.mrw.co.uk/
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