Tag Archives: Waste Management

Europe’s Most Advanced Paper Recycling Plant Opened in UK – Waste Management World

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A recycled paper mill claimed to be the most advanced in Europe has been officially opened by Michael Fallon, the UK’s minister of state for business & energy, at Partington Wharfside, Trafford.

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

SIACA said that the mill will help to some 450,000 tonnes a year of used paper from export by recycling it within the UK – reducing carbon emissions by 84,011 tonnes per year – equivalent to taking 28,000 cars off the road each.

Economic boost

According to the company PM-11 has led to the creation of 94 direct jobs plus opportunities for contractors and other roles.

“This cutting edge facility shows how state of the art technology and innovation can help drive growth. It’s a real boost for the economy and will create new jobs for Partington and the local area,” commented Fallon.

See on www.waste-management-world.com

Plastic Packaging Design Threatens New EU Recycling Targets

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Released: 25/04/2013 10:12:00

The new challenge should be that recyclability becomes a requirement fully equal to the other performance criteria. This will help to divert substantial quantities of plastics away from landfill and

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

Plastic packaging recycling does not begin with collection but design. Packaging design today is focused mainly on maximizing performance. Careless design often leads to incomplete emptying of a package and what about different combinations of polymers/materials which are incompatible for an efficient recycling process?

Plastics Recyclers Europe believe that the introduction of an EU classification system will assist designers in evaluating their creations from a recyclability point of view, in the addition it will help them in choosing the best options to improve their class.

Plastics Recyclers Europe would like to invite all interested parties to join Recy Class™ and increase plastics recycling across Europe.

More info:
www.plasticsrecyclers.eu

See on www.packagingeurope.com

LONDON, April 25, 2013: Energy from Waste: Modern Plants and Increased Revenues to Boost Investments, says Frost & Sullivan

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/PRNewswire/ — Concerns on the growing volumes of municipal solid waste (MSW), the decreasing capacity of landfill sites, and the considerable rise in resource consumption will help sustain investments in the European waste to energy (WTE) plant…

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

“Waste treatment companies are gradually diverting MSW from landfill sites to use in energy generation owing to regulations on limiting landfills and incentives for lower carbon emissions,” said Frost & Sullivan Energy and Environmental Research Analyst Monika Chrusciak. “The conversion of waste to renewable energy through the application of thermal treatment technologies – increasingly viewed as an attractive solution for waste management – reduces operational costs as well.”

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/04/25/4804660/energy-from-waste-modern-plants.html#storylink=cpy

See on www.heraldonline.com

More Major Companies Embrace New Recycling Label | Ethical Consumption

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A dozen major U.S. companies, including General Mills (NYSE:GIS), Kellogg’s (NYSE:K), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and REI, have already joined the labeling scheme. Since launching last January, How2Recycle has established itself as the only labeling system that convey recyclability across all material types and provides explicit directions to consumers to influence their recycling behavior.

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

“Consumers are faced with a confusing landscape of material and recycling messages that are often inconsistent or misleading. We believe this label will help consumers and companies more effectively communicate recyclability and contribute to more successful resource recovery,” said Anne Bedarf, who led the development of the label, at a launch ceremony for How2Recycle last year.

“As we enable consumers to recycle correctly, we ensure more quality recycled material is available for us to use, our consumers send less waste to landfill, and we can reduce the energy needed to create new packages,” added Lorio, whose company was recently named one of the “Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World” by Corporate Knights.

See on www.justmeans.com

Biofuel Used to Make Stronger Building Materials

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Biodiesel Fuel. Image Source: Tomorrow Is Greener Civil engineers have developed a tougher and more resilient form of concrete by using waste material created during the manufacture of biofuel as a proxy for cement.

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

Biofuel manufactured from cellulose materials such as wood and straw creates a residue called lignin, which is generally deemed a waste product and disposed of via burning or burial.

Engineers at the University of Kansas have found that the lignin has immense potential as a green building ingredient. When 20 per cent lignin waste was added to a concrete mix as a replacement for cement, the ensuing chemical reaction created a building material endowed with 30 per cent more strength.

The findings could have tremendous implications for both the biofuel and concrete industries, as well as the carbon footprint of the construction sector, which generates immense CO2 emissions due to cement production.

See on designbuildsource.com.au

Waste and Recycling Industry – Landfill Gas Collection Almost 50% of Renewable Energy Supply USA

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WASHINGTON, April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The waste and recycling industry is continuing to reduce its release of greenhouse gases — even as waste volumes increase, according to the latest greenhouse gas inventory released by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

Despite the fact that we are landfilling 6 percent less than 20 years ago, we have greatly improved our ability to reduce methane emissions. As a result, these emissions declined by 30 percent during the same period. This has happened as a result of converting methane to energy, flaring of methane emissions and oxidation techniques.

There are 594 landfill gas-to-energy sites in the United States that generated 1,813 megawatts (MW) of energy and 312 million standard cubic feet a day (mmscfd) of gas. This is enough energy to directly power 1 million homes and heat 729,000, respectively.

Methane gas collected at landfills is used to power home, businesses and government facilities across the nation. Some of it is even used to fuel garbage trucks. Landfill-gas-to-energy projects and other forms of biomass-derived energy make up the almost half of the nation’s renewable energy supply, almost the same amount as is derived from solar, wind, geothermal and hydropower combined.

See on online.wsj.com

San Jose, Calif., Businesses Embrace Recycling – RT – Recycling Today

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The city’s businesses recycle nearly triple the material in six months.

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

Michael Miller of San José’s Fairmont Hotel says, “The two-container, wet/dry system was quite easy to implement, and we are pleased by how committed and supportive our staff is of this most important initiative. As a result, we are realizing cost savings and proudly increasing the amount we recycle.”

According to San José Councilman Sam Liccardo, the city is on track to achieve an 80 percent waste diversion rate by 2014. “That’s good news for everyone because this helps extend the life of our landfills and reduces associated taxpayer costs, which can be significant,” he says.

“And, with a single, streamlined collection service,” Liccardo adds, “we have reduced the number of garbage trucks driving through busy business districts. These are among the steps that help move San José towards a sustainable future.”

See on www.recyclingtoday.com

Procter & Gamble talks zero manufacturing waste – Plastics Today

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What if waste…isn’t waste?”

That question inspired the company behind the consumer brands including Gillette, Tide and Pampers to embark on an extensive zero manufacturing waste goal.

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

Waste is usually disposed of in four ways: recycling, compost, incineration or landfill. […]

The company recently announced that 45 of their facilities have now achieved zero manufacturing waste to landfill. Over the past five years, P&G’s work to find worth in waste has created over $1 billion in value for the company.

Material that was once sent for disposal is now sold as a raw material to an alternative use partner wherever possible. For instance, excess floss is repurposed in Mexico as the filling in pillows that are used to clean up industrial spills. At a U.S. Pampers site, scrap from the wipe manufacturing process is converted to upholstery filling. And in the UK, waste created in the production of Gillette shaving foam is composted then used to grow turf for commercial uses.

Packaging reduction

“We’re innovating to limit the amount of waste that even has the opportunity to enter a landfill by reducing our packaging,” McDougall said. “In fact, each of our product categories is committed to a 20% packaging reduction by 2020.”

External partnerships are a key part of the company’s packaging efforts to reduce material usage and increase recycled content in its products.

See on www.plasticstoday.com

Whisky distilleries start powering biomass energy plant

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A cluster of Scottish whisky distilleries have started supplying a new biomass energy plant with enough waste to power 9,000 homes.

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

The innovative Helius CoRDe energy plant was opened in Rothes, Speyside, this week to transform the by-products from the local whisky industry into power.

Adrian Bowles, Helius Energy CEO said: “This is renewable energy in action using innovative technology to provide enough power for 9000 homes, and produce animal feed using by-products from local whisky distilleries.

See on www.clickgreen.org.uk

Nuclear Energy Radiating on Capitol Hill – Forbes

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Nuclear energy is back in the hot seat. U.S. lawmakers want to know more about the emergency response plans in place if a nuclear accident were to occur as well as what the game plan is to find radioactive nuclear fuel a permanent home.

Duane Tilden‘s insight:

“A new strategy is needed, not just to address these damages and costs but because this generation has a fundamental ethical obligation to avoid burdening future generations with the entire task of finding a safe permanent solution for managing hazardous nuclear materials they had no part in creating,” says the Energy Department’s blue ribbon panel.

While the report focuses more on finding long-term storage for radioactive waste, it also considered the reprocessing of such fuel. Panelists held out hope for the eventual re-use of those byproducts but concluded that any real solutions are decades away. The U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board concurs, adding that reprocessing may reduce nuclear waste but it does not yet eliminate it.

See on www.forbes.com