The University of Aberdeen has discovered a latest technology for cleaning up contaminated ground and waste water from Scotland’s national drink whiskey which is said to have the potential worth of million pounds. This innovative method is called DRAM technology: Device for the Remediation and Attenuation of Multiple pollutants is suitable for industries having groundwater contamination problem.  According to the UK government report, there are more than 33,000 contaminated sites in UK and £ 1.2billion is spent annually on their clean ups (1). This method promises a lot in terms of the efficiency and cheaper expense.

The DRAM technology removes multiple contaminants simultaneously in a pioneering move that is far quicker and more cost effective than current clean up techniques. This technique has only used a whiskey bi product so far in its operation but experiments demonstrates that this technique can be applied in other products from food and drink production(1). These by-products are enhanced and incorporated into a unique patented device which can be introduced into contaminated waters in a variety of ways.  The DRAM technology is the first of its kind which can remove metal contaminants at the same time as the degrading organic pollutants including pesticides and chlorine pollutants (2). It doesn’t require any interventions to the contaminants as it can utilize the existing infrastructures and remain in place for years which means less expensive. Being a cheaper method the DRAM technology is said to be used in low value land that might not have been regenerated before.

The process of manufacturing beverages gives out many bi products that have been put through strict quality control process and later the material is deployed into manufactured devices. These bespoke devices can then be placed in either wastewater streams or directly into surface waters. The novelty of these devices is not just into the material but also into the design of these devices and the intellectual understanding of their applications (1). Alongside surface water this technique has also been proved tracked tested in groundwater cleanup which in UK is estimated to be a very significant market of £500m. As far as the groundwater goes it may be used as a barrier in a flannel system in which water is channeled through the reaction of the DRAM. Or, it may be applied directly down to boreholes to purify the contaminated water through the devices(2).

As well as being able to utilise contaminated water, it is also important to consider your personal water usage too. Many products and gadgets are available to help you easily reduce your water consumption across the home.

References:

[1] http://www.abdn.ac.uk/ibes/news_archive/apr08.php

[2] http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/sciencetech/waste-from-whisky-cleans-contaminated-water/889

Each year millions of computers, mobile phones and other electrical equipment are sold to homeowners and businesses. However, after a few years most of these end up in landfill or stockpiled. Making sure your old equipment is properly recycled, and does not end up in developing countries, is important. Many electronic items contain toxic substances that can pose a serious risk to human health if not disposed of adequately. Several e-waste ingredients identified by the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition [1] are:

• Lead: Lead is frequently found in older monitors and in soldering on circuit boards, with exposure causing brain and nerve damage, blood disorders and developmental damage to unborn babies.
• Polyvinyl chloride (PVC): Found in printed circuit boards and in components such as cables, plastic covers and connectors. PVC is hard to recycle, and when burnt releases extremely carcinogenic dioxins.
• Mercury: Mercury can be found in LCD screens, switches, thermostats and flat-panel displays, as well as in some batteries. Exposure through inhalation and ingestion can cause chronic damage to the brain and central nervous system.
• Cadmium: A known carcinogenic and classified as toxic, cadmium compounds can accumulate in the body, especially in the kidneys. Cadmium is used in infrared detectors, chip resistors, semiconductors and some plastics.

Start by making sure you purchase the most environmentally sound option whenever possible, and if you lease equipment, speak to your leasing company to find out what their recycling and disposal policies are. You can purchase energy efficient electronics from Energy Saving Warehouse’s range. You can also recycle items such as mobile phones, print cartridges and computers at little or no cost, with a growing number of charities and other organisations providing a variety of services.

Mobile Phone Recycling

Instead of keeping a box of old mobile phones, many companies will now recycle phones for money. While working phones have the highest value, most companies will also take broken phones, either fixing or recycling them. Websites such as Mobile Phone Recycling [2], Simply Drop [3] and Compare My Mobile [4] are among the many options available for those looking to get rid of their old mobile phones in an environmentally friendly way.

Computer Recycling

Many non-profit organisations now exist that collect computer and other electronic equipment, to either reuse, recycle or de-manufacture. Contact details for many of these organisations can be found online [5], with the number growing yearly. Computer Aid International is one of the most prominent charities, refurbishing and supplying over 212,000 computers to developing countries such as Chile, Malawi and Nepal [6]. Donating your old equipment to a charity such as Computer Aid International can reduce your carbon footprint, and help to provide a source of education and access to the outside world to those living in impoverished countries. For even less of an impact on the environment you could purchase an environmentally friendly computer to begin with.

Print Cartridge Recycling

The average household uses 2-3 inkjet cartridges a year, with businesses often using a great deal more. Only a small percentage of these cartridges are recycled, with most ending up in landfill sites, taking decades to decompose. Most cartridge manufacturers now have collection and recycling programs, often paying the cost for the return of the cartridge, meaning users can be environmentally friendly without having to pay extra to do so. Manufacturers such as Epson [7] and Hewlett-Packard [8] have options for home owners, small business owners and larger businesses, to cover all printer users.

References

[1] The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition. Poison PCs and Toxic TVs. 2004. http://svtc.org/wp-content/uploads/ppc-ttv1.pdf

[2] Mobile Phone Recycling. Mobile Phone Recycling. 2013. http://www.simplydrop.co.uk/

[3] Simply Drop. Simply Drop. 2013. http://www.simplydrop.co.uk/

[4] Compare My Mobile. Compare My Mobile. 2013. http://www.comparemymobile.com/

[5] IT for Charities. Recycled PCs. 2013. http://www.itforcharities.co.uk/pcs.htm

[6] Computer Aid International. Our Projects. 2013. http://www.computeraid.org/our-projects.asp

[7] Epson. Epson’s Cartridge Collection and Recycling Program. 2010. http://content.epson-europe.com/environment/collectandrecycle/en/

[8] Hewlett-Packard. HP Supplies recycling program. 2013. https://h30248.www3.hp.com/recycle/ereturns/welcome-cs.asp?__cc=gb&__la=en

Typical tyre compositions found in the EU [3]

Environmental Risks

Heavy metals and pollutants that form only small percentages of the total composition of tyres such as lead and zinc, have the potential to leach into groundwater, the longer a tyre is left to breakdown the greater the chance of toxins being released into the environment. Many tyres at the end of their life are shredded, whilst this may aid various end of life processes such as recycling and transportation, if left exposed the shredded material will more readily leach toxins into the environment due to an increased surface area.

Discarded tyres also have a tendency to collect water which in turn can act as breeding grounds for mosquitoes should the water become stagnant.  The mosquitoes can then act as a transmitter of various vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue fever.

Tyres also pose a fire risk, with the composition meaning tyres will readily combust, the emissions of which pose a distinct threat to human health.  Emissions given off from burning tyres are known to contain toxins and particulate matter that will have a detrimental effect on the human respiratory system [4].

An incident that occurred near Knighton in Powys, Wales in 1989 highlighted the environmental impact tyres can have if managed incorrectly. The landfill site was holding somewhere in the region of 10 million tyres, which at the time was legal. The tyres caught alight and astonishingly continued burning until 2001, lasting a total of 13 years. [5] During this time leachate discharged from the landfill site entered the River Teme, affecting local water supply and freshwater habitats.  The site itself remains heavily contaminated however impermeable barriers and settlement tanks are now in place to contain the leachate and restrict any from entering local watercourses.

Whilst at the time the of the Knighton incident, sending waste tyres to landfill was legal, the practice was outlawed by the European Union in The European Landfill Directive [6] in 2003 who later went on to ban shredded tyres from being and landfilled in 2006. The only exception being ‘bicycle tyres and tyres with an outside diameter above 1400mm’.

Options Available

With EU law now banning the landfilling of tyres, ways of reusing and recycling end of life tyres have been developed over the years.

Before recycling a tyre, some tyres have the option to be retreaded. Retreading tyres will naturally extend the life of a tyre therefore reducing the pressures involved with environmentally reusing and recycling of end of life tyres.  Retreading is already widely used on plane and heavy good vehicle (HGV) tyres, and if the tyre frame stays intact, larger tyres such as those used for plans and HGVs can be retreaded up to four times. However, a car tyre can only be retreaded once.

One of the main techniques used for end of life tyres is shredding or crumbing which reduces the tyre into small enough pieces to fit various applications.  For example, the rubber crumb is used on many sports surfaces to form a synthetic turf, it can be also be used for brake linings, livestock mats, carpet underlay and as an additive to asphalt for road surfacing.  Applications for shredded tyres can also be found in the construction and civil engineering industries.  Tyre derived aggregate as they are known are largely used as a backfill material. End of life tyres have also found applications in the marine environment.  Tyres have been used to create artificial reefs and used for coastal defences. In both cases the tyres are usually compressed together to from a large bonded blocks of tyre material.

Tyres can also be used to fuel kilns in industries such as steel production, and used in cement kilns in the concrete industry.  Using tyres as a carbon source for burning does have its advantages, for example the kilns are capable of consuming whole tyres making them an easy way to reuse end of life tyres, and the tyre material has a calorific value 20% more than coal.  Despite the advantages, there are concerns about the emissions given off when using tyre material as a fuel in such a process.

An alternative method to incineration of waste tyres uses a contained oxygen free environment to heat the material. This process is called pyrolysis and noticeably reduces emissions. The heat breaks down the various compounds in the tyre material in a similar way to the fractional distillation process used when producing petroleum.  The products of tyre pyrolysis include fuel oil, carbon black, steel wire and small amount of non condensable gas. The fuel oil accounts for between 40 and 45% of the final product and can go on to be used in other industrial or commercial processes. Around 35% of output is carbon black which can be reused in numerous applications in rubber product manufacturing. The steel wire totals around 10 to 15% of the product, this can be sent to scrap dealers and recycled elsewhere, whilst the gas accounts for between 10 and 12% and can also be burned to produce energy [7].

It should be noted that a tyre’s main environmental impact comes during its main life where it impacts the vehicles fuel consumption.  Taking into account a tyres fill life cycle, it is estimated the in use fuel consumption accounts for 75.2% of its environmental impact [8].

All major tyre manufacturers are now producing ‘greener’ tyres, with Pirelli claiming their latest eco tyre has a reduced rolling resistance of 20%, reducing overall fuel usage by up to 4%.  The materials used in construction claim to reduce the environmental impact during production, use and end of life, and the overall life of the tyre is meant to average 30% longer.  The industry is clearly making steps forward taking into account the whole life cycle of the tyre. However with growing numbers of vehicles on the road, the tyre recycling industry will have to take further steps forward to keep up.

Find out more ways you can help reduce your environmental impact.

[1]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicle-licensing-statistics-q2-2012

[2]http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/waste/138215.aspx

[3]http://www.etra-eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=77&Itemid=66

[4]http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/environmental-impacts-throwing-away-tires-20116.html

[5]http://www.wao.gov.uk/assets/englishdocuments/Environment_Agency_Wales_Waste_Management_agw_2004.pdf

[6]http://www.central2013.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/Downloads/Document_Centre/OP_Resources/Landfill_Directive_1999_31_EC.pdf

[7]http://www.pyrolysisoil.net/PRODUCTS_SOLUTIONS/Tire_Pyrolysis_Plant/Continuous-Scrap-Tire-Pyrolysis-Plant.html#.UYitr0rcA7Z

[8] http://www.nokiantyres.com/environmental-effects-while-using-a-tyre

General rubbish

Although almost two thirds of UK waste can be recycled, around half is still disposed of as general waste [1]. Every time something is thrown away, all the energy that was used to produce the raw materials, and produce, package, store and transport the finished product goes with it. General waste is disposed of in landfill or by incineration, both of which have environmental impacts. Why not consider using a compost bin to put your food waste in, therefore removing it from your general waste amount?

Tens of millions of tonnes of waste go to landfill each year in England and Wales alone [2]. The UK produces a higher proportion of biodegradable waste than most other European countries – about two thirds of waste going into landfill is this type, which releases the greenhouse gases methane and carbon dioxide as it decomposes [3]. Although some of this gas is captured at some sites to be used to generate energy [3], significant amounts of greenhouses gases are still released from landfill sites. Additionally, chemicals leached from waste can cause pollution, methane is explosive, and if waste is not well managed it can attract vermin [4]. The Landfill Directive states that by 2013, waste going to landfill should be 50% of that sent in 1995, while by 2015 it should 35% [5].

There have been concerns about waste incineration, due to release of toxins when some substances, such as plastics, are burnt and because of the contribution to air pollution [4]. The Environment Agency has found no evidence for risk to human health and only low contribution to background air pollution due to tight emissions regulations [2]. Energy can be produced from burning waste and all UK incinerators recapture some of the heat produced and supply it to the national grid, although Greenpeace consider this an inefficient way to produce energy [6]; Energy from Waste plants producing electricity, according the Environment Agency, are 25% efficient [2]. As there will always be some waste that cannot be reused or recycled, alternatives to landfill such as incineration will increase in use as landfill availability decreases, and incineration is considered preferable to landfill because it presents a higher rate of energy recovery and generates lower greenhouse gas emissions [2]. While the UK only recovered energy from 11% of municipal waste (waste from homes, schools, shops, small businesses and council waste collections) in 2006/07, Denmark were able to recover energy from 54% of theirs [2], so there is potential for improvement. However, incineration is only preferable to landfill for non-recyclable and non-reusable waste. Recycling can and should be increased [2].

Recycling

Materials that can be recycled as part of kerbside collections vary between local authorities, but recyclable items that can’t be collected can often be taken to local recycling points instead, such as those listed by Recycle Now [7]. Recycling items conserves fossil fuels, both as raw materials and through the energy used to make products, and reduces the amount of waste going into landfill. Common household recycled items go through various processes after collection and delivery at a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) [8, 9]:

• Plastic – different types of plastic, of which there are many, are sorted and broken down into flakes, cleaned, melted and then made back into a wide variety of new plastic or plastic-containing items
• Glass – this is sorted by colour, crushed, melted and into new bottles and jars. This is more energy and resource efficient than creating brand new items. Recycled glass can also be used in fibre-glass and road surfacing. Over 80% of the glass collected for recycling is used in the UK
• Cans and aerosols – these are sorted using a magnet and compressed, then melted and rolled out into a sheet. Aluminium is sold back to can makers, where it can be used in a new can within six weeks of its disposal, while steel is recycled in a wide range of way, for example in fridges, new cans, as components of machinery and in the construction industry
• Paper – this is pulped at a mill and inks and staples, etc., are washed out. The pulp is then reduced in thickness between wire meshes, dried and rolled into reels. All of the newsprint in the UK is now made from recycled paper, which can be produced within a week of initial collection
• Food waste – large-scale processing plants heat and sterilise food waste to remove bacteria, and it is then composted, which takes a few months
• Clothing and shoes – these are sorted, then sent to UK charity shops or overseas to wherever they are needed

Much of these recycled materials are used in the UK, while some are exported to other countries such as China which, because they don’t have many raw resources, pay for recycled substances such as plastics – although this means transport of material, it is still preferable to extraction and processing of further raw materials [9].

The image below shows what happens to a plastic bottle, and associated implications, if it is thrown away in general rubbish, and when it is recycled [10].

In terms of which methods of waste reduction and disposal are the most environmentally friendly, Directgov lists five levels in the “waste hierarchy”:

1. Prevention – reducing overall waste production
2. Reuse – finding a new use for items and materials
3. Recycle – making new products out of materials recovered from old products
4. Energy recovery – creating energy from waste, for example by incineration
5. Disposal – usually, burying waste in landfill

where number one, reducing waste production in the first place, is the best option [11].

[1] http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/home-improvements/guides/what-happens-to-your-rubbish/

[2] http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Business/Information_Pack_-_QA_%282%29.pdf

[3] http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/environment-housing-and-planning/waste-and-recycling/about-our-waste-and-recycling-services/what-we-do-with-your-waste-and-recycling/landfill-sites#1

[4] http://www.greenchoices.org/green-living/waste-recycling/environmental-impacts

[5] http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/targets.html

[6] http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/files/pdfs/migrated/MultimediaFiles/Live/FullReport/3766.PDF

[7] http://www.recyclenow.com/

[8] http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/home-improvements/guides/what-happens-to-your-rubbish/recycled-rubbish/

[9] http://www.recyclenow.com/why_recycling_matters/why_it_matters/what_happens_to_our.html

[10] http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/home-improvements/guides/what-happens-to-your-rubbish/what-happens-to-your-recycling/

[11] http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Environmentandgreenerliving/Wasteandrecycling/DG_064365

• Avoidable – food and drink that was edible at some point before disposal (bread, fruit, meat, etc.)
• Possibly avoidable – food and drink that some people eat and others don’t, or food that may or may not be edible depending on how food is prepared (bread crusts, potato skins, etc.)
• Unavoidable – food and drink waste, arising from preparation, that is not edible (eggshells, meat bones, banana skins, pineapple skins, tea bags, etc.)

Obvious ways to cut down on avoidable waste are to only buy and cook as much food as needed, and either use or preserve (for example by freezing) food before it goes off. There are also some other uses for food waste, including some which falls into the unavoidable category, that as well as extending the usefulness of the item can save on the amount of waste going into landfill and perhaps prevent other, additional resources being used instead.

• Food waste can be used to make compost. Some local councils offer food waste collection as part of the general waste collection service, while others will offer it at an extra charge. Alternatively, a home composting system can be set up in various ways [3, 4] and discounts on compost bins offered locally can be checked at getcomposting.com [5]
• Vegetables and some fruits that aren’t going to be used before they go off can cheaply and easily be made into soups, which can then be frozen until needed
• Banana skins have a number of alternative uses. They can be used to polish shoes and leather (test a small area first!), wipe down dusty houseplant leaves, put into mulch as a fertiliser for plants and buried around roses to deter aphids [6, 7]
• Used tea bags can also be put to further use – cold bags can be placed over closed eyes to reduce puffiness, or cloths can be soaked in water containing used tea bags and used to remove old polish from furniture or clean mirrors. Cold, wet tea bags can be applied to sunburned skin to soothe it, or alternatively placed in a bath for the same reason. Similarly, they can be used to soothe irritation from insect bites and stings. They can be used to stain paper and materials to give them an antique effect or dried out and scented with essential oils to make drawer scenters, among other things [8, 9]. Cold tea itself can be used to water plants (there may or may not be added benefits to this, but it saves the tea being wasted)
• Eggshells can be used as slug deterrents around plants, if they are in a complete ring so the slugs can’t cross them and secured so that they don’t get disturbed by the wind [10]. They can also be baked and added to chicken grit, or used to make a mosaic [11]
• Potato skins can be made into crisps by sprinkling with salt, pepper or other flavourings and baking in the oven [12]
• Various foods can be used as bird feed – the RSPB has advice on which leftovers can be given to birds [13]
• The insides of pumpkins that are scraped out to make lanterns at Halloween can be made into soups or pie [14]
• Uneaten bread crusts and bread can be made into breadcrumbs – in fact they are easiest to make with semi-stale bread [15]
• Juicers leave a fruit pulp behind, which can be used in various ways in cooking or even as additions to some animal feed [16]
• Leftover pineapple skins and cores can be made into a Mexican drink (which can be spiced to taste and can also be fermented for longer or have beer added to make it lightly alcoholic) [17]
• Leftovers such as meat bones and vegetable peelings can be used to make homemade stock [18]

Additionally, many leftover ingredients from one meal can be used to make another – Love Food Hate Waste and BBC Good Food [19, 20] have lots of tips and recipe ideas.

[1] http://www.wrap.org.uk/retail_supply_chain/research_tools/research/report_household.html

[2] http://www.wrap.org.uk/document.rm?id=8048

[3] http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/composting/compost_pf.php

[4] http://www.recyclenow.com/home_composting/

[5] http://www.getcomposting.com/

[6] http://www.rd.com/home/9-extraordinary-uses-for-bananas/

[7] http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_7814677_add-banana-skins-rose-bushes.html

[8] http://www.rd.com/home/22-ways-to-use-tea-for-beauty-home-and-garden/

[9] http://gomestic.com/homemaking/extraordinarily-useful-things-to-do-with-used-teabags/

[10] http://cardiff.ac.uk/biosi/staffinfo/wocs2.html

[11] http://www.recycling.co.uk/food-waste

[12] http://england.lovefoodhatewaste.com/content/help-save-environment-simply-wasting-less-food

[13] http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/feeding/whatfood/scraps.aspx

[14] http://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/living/environment/recycling_and_waste/kitchen_waste_recycling/reusing_food/halloween_food_tips.aspx

[15] http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/breadcrumbs

[16] http://www.ehow.com/list_6386372_uses-juicer-scraps.html

[17] http://www.abigailblake.com/sugarapple/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/TepachePDF.pdf

[18] http://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/articles/how-to-make-meat-stock

[19] www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

[20] http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/recipes/favourites/leftovers/

Wormeries can be set up at any time outside, like any compost bin, or somewhere inside with fairly stable temperature and out of direct sunlight, as they are clean and will only produce bad odours if too much food is put in at once [3]. They can be bought from suppliers, or made at home. The worms require very little; they will eat up to half their own body weight every day, double their population every 60-90 days and can be left unattended for up to six weeks [3].

There are many options for building a DIY wormery using recycled materials such as preservative-free wood, an old dustbin or even 3-4 old car tyres lined inside with newspaper [4, 5, 6], but as an example a simple option is to use 3 old plastic crates that will stack onto each other, such as spare recycling boxes:

• Drill lots of small holes around the tops of the boxes and in the lid, for ventilation [7]
• Drill a hole near the base of the box that will be the lowest in the wormery and fit a water butt tap to it to extract the worm tea from. Raise the whole system on bricks or blocks to make the tap easy to access [4, 8]
• Use gauze on the inside of the ventilation holes to prevent flies getting in and worms escaping [5, 8]
• Drill holes in the bases of the upper two boxes, or cut the bases out and replace them with wire mesh [5], for drainage and to allow the worms to move between the layers
• Put a layer of stone chippings or sand in the lowest box, to aid drainage and prevent any worms that get into the bottom layer from drowning [5, 9]
• Then put the middle box on top of the base, and add a layer of bedding. This can be made of materials such as shredded newspaper, corrugated cardboard, leaf mould, compost, sawdust or wood chips, and needs to be damp [10, 11]. A small amount of soil can be added to help the worms adapt to their new environment [3]
• Add at least 100 composting worms to the bedding. These are often called red or tiger worms and can be bought from various sources or taken from another wormery. Never use worms from the garden as they require different conditions [5, 9, 12]
• Put the last box on top of the wormery, cover it with the lid, and leave the worms to acclimatise for a few days [5]
• Then add food to the middle box and allow the worms to compost it – when the middle box is full, start adding waste to the upper box and when the middle box has been composted, remove it, empty it and then put it back on top of the wormery. The worms should have fully composted the bedding material within about 8 weeks [11]

Other styles of wormery will be constructed and operate in a similar way. There are many websites offering plans and advice for building and maintaining wormeries. Common tips include:

• Don’t overfeed the worms [3]
• Drain the system regularly [5]
• Generally the same food guidelines apply as with any compost bin, e.g. avoid meat and dairy foods, plus acidic food waste such as citrus fruits [12]
• Grass cuttings should also be avoided as they heat up to an unsuitable temperature – 12-25 ^oC is the ideal temperature range for worms [12]
• Small pieces of food will be easier for the worms to digest [9]
• The bin should not be allowed to dry out – water can be added if necessary [9]
• If the wormery is kept outside, insulate it during winter (e.g. with bubble wrap, or move it into a shed or garage) [3]
• Dilute worm tea with 10 parts water to use as plant feed [12]

Using compost and plant feed produced by worms increases the amount of nutrients reaching plants and cuts down on resources and energy used to produce, package and transport commercial compost and feeds, as well as reducing pollution from artificial fertilisers. Wormeries can be more convenient than large compost bins, as they produce compost more quickly and don’t require a garden, so are ideal for producing compost and feed for potted plants and window boxes.

[1] http://www.franklincountywastedistrict.org/vermicomposting.html

[2] http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/cms/communications/news/2010/february/diy-wormeries.aspx

[3] http://www.wormcity.co.uk/wormfaq.htm

[4] http://www.letswasteless.com/cms/default.aspx?page=7423

[5] http://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/0F4EC6BC-1F51-453A-949D-5DC1DEEC52BE/0/build_compost_wormery.pdf

[6] http://www.easthants.gov.uk/ehdc/recyclingandwaste.nsf/webpages/Wormeries

[7] http://www.cagoxfordshire.org.uk/downloads/category/2-information-sheets?download=96%3Ahow-to-make-a-diy-wormery

[8] http://www.wormery.co.uk/how-to-make-wormery.htm

[9] http://www.dorsetforyou.com/wormeries

[10] http://gardenwormeryguide.com/how-to-build-a-wormery-part-1/

[11] http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/environment/rubbish-waste-and-recycling/building-your-own-wormery

[12] http://www.letstalklessrubbish.com/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=13674&p=0

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Does a new government develop upon the progress of the departed party? Or is everything thrown out and a fresh approach taken? This article shall briefly present two key documents dictating waste policy in England; Labours “Waste Strategy for England 2007” (WSE) and the Coalitions “Government Review of Waste Policy in England 2011” (RWP).

Recycling rates in England have “nearly quadrupled” to 27% by 2005-06 whilst land-filling of waste fell 9% between 2000-01 and 2004-05 [1] due, according to the WSE to the Landfill tax escalator and Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS, is to be withdrawn after the 2012/2013 year with increasing landfill tax encouraging cleaner, greener waste management practices).

Labours WSE set 5 key objectives:

• Decouple waste growth from economic growth and put more emphasis on prevention and reuse.
• Meet and exceed landfill directive diversion targets for biodegradable municipal waste in 2010, 2013 and 2020.
• Increase diversion from landfill of non-municipal waste and secure better integration of treatment for municipal and non-municipal waste.
• Secure investment in infrastructure needed to divert waste from landfill and for the management of hazardous waste.
• To get the most environmental benefit from that investment through increased recycling of resources and recovery of energy from residual waste using a mix of technologies.

The delivery of this strategy relies upon core proposals which bear heavy attention within the WSE as well as the RWP and shall be compared to explore how government attitudes, ambitions and objectives to each have evolved:

1. Incentivise efforts to: reduce, reuse, recycle and recover energy from waste.
2. Reform regulation to drive the reduction of waste and divert resources from landfill.
3. Develop markets for recovered materials that will maximise the value of materials and energy recovered.

Like the WSE, the RWP cements its ambitions and commitments in adhering with the Waste Hierarchy; aiming to first reduce waste, before reusing, recycling, recovering and finally, disposing of materials. Throughout the review, early contrasts are clear. The current coalition government promote and maintain that “innovation” will boost recycling and success within the markets. It is difficult however, to understand quite what is meant by this “innovation” as scant development of the idea is given – new technology? New thinking? New opportunities? Secondly, the RWP explores the economics of waste (the costs of waste, savings of future policies and the economic privileges to be reaped from newer practices) in greater attention absent from the WSE. It is perhaps a sign of the times – of stringent economic restraint – that a change of focus is now apparent; from the socio-environmental comfortable collaboration of the WSE, to the brutally economically minded foci of the RWP. The article shall take the three intentions for the WSE and contrast the interpretations and visions of the previous Labour government and new Conservative-Liberal coalition.

1 – “Incentivise efforts to: reduce, reuse, recycle and recover energy from waste.”

Waste Strategy: The WSE promotes a strong sense of stakeholder involvement; of conversation and partnership. The government aims to seek common ground in a bid to understand concerns behind the creation of the WSE. Labours commitment to stakeholder involvement has led to provisions of resources to enable stakeholder engagement – adhering with demands set within the EU Waste Framework Directive, Rio Declaration and Aarhus Convention. Plaudits are due on this success and the party committed to furthering the ability of stakeholders to contribute to policy creation. Secondly, challenges are acknowledged early; packaging waste is seen as the key concern to be tackled via: agreements with relevant industries, establishment of a products and materials unit within DEFRA and, finally, the development of schemes to promote producer responsibility.  In short, the WSE appears to promote a sociological “knitting” together of societal comradery and light business responsibility, led by central government towards greener practices and behaviours.

Review of Waste Policy: The review applauds the acceptance of recycling as an everyday “social norm” but emphasises the need for waste reduction. Prevention of waste – to save businesses, consumers and local authorities financial hardship – is deeply embedded throughout the review. The review suggests a radical “production line overhaul” to remove hazardous materials and improve greener efficiency where possible. In addition, the paper places confidence in the claim that awareness changes to purchasing patterns would help drive innovation in the production sectors. The government plans to improve production methods and awareness through; a small waste prevention fund allowing businesses to undertake waste prevention schemes, developing a suite of waste prevention toolkits, promoting sustainable procurement and, finally, to redesign business models to wean firms from high resource dependency. The coalitions review centres deeply upon the economical aspect of sustainable development in delivering a focussed and deeply committed outline to detach responsibility from central government. With a determined eye to implement producer responsibility, the coalition shows unwavering commitment to tighten court proceedings and fines for firms who commit malpractice. Despite a national “tightening of the belts”, current fines for householder misuse of recycling resources are to be scrapped, being replaced by civil penalties. Whilst the coalition seem deeply economically entrenched in their approach, so too do they intend to explore the potential to financially reward high performing households – a very warmly welcomed policy which, it is expected, shall increase recycling significantly. The great emphasis upon the economics of current waste – and future waste management – is open to interpretation and opinion. Many may see it as self-serving moneymaking forsaking the environment, whereas others may applaud the deep attention and realism adopted here in tough economic times.

2 – Reform regulation to drive reduction of waste and divert resources from landfill

Waste Strategy: Labour acknowledge that businesses should take responsibility for the environmental impacts of products they place on the market. In response, the government plans to work with the industry to amend the producer responsibility regulations to minimise packaging, whilst “keeping in mind businesses commercial objectives”. Whilst E.U objectives to recover 60% of packaging and recycle 55% are expected to be met, the Labour government is committed to bringing forth legislative measures to enforce cleaner, greener action from business whilst committing to work in partnership to support and advise when necessary. As discussed previously, the tact of labour appears one of companionship and a progressive partnership, the commitment to enhancing the accountability of producers is a key aspect, however this is given far greater attention within the RWP

Review of Waste Policy: The policy review believes that “better environmental outcomes can, in many circumstances, be delivered in the least burdensome way through a voluntary approach rather than legislation”. Instead the government intends to develop “voluntary business deals” to encourage agreed changes with businesses. It is not stated whether this will be a business-by-business approach or an industry-wide approach, however it clearly presents a detachment from central government with responsibility placed upon business and society; a pre-emptive, preventative approach as opposed to a reactive “tidying up” approach. However, with this in mind, it does show a short contradiction of earlier authoritative guarantees to enhance court proceedings and punishments. Is the vision to work with co-operative businesses but crack down on those who do not comply? Does that short-change the notion of “voluntary”?

3 – Stimulate investment in collection, recycling and recovery infrastructure and develop markets for recovered materials that will maximise the value of materials and energy recovered.

Waste Strategy: Energy recovery from waste is an exceptionally strong theme in both papers and so rightly merits attention. The WSE states that reusing waste for energy production is “essential”, an argument supported by rising energy costs and instability of supplies. However the strategy also acknowledges – or purports – that the public fears over alleged health effects remain a core hindrance to such energy production methods. The need for suitable markets for waste produce and/or energy production is of paramount importance to drive sustainable progress. WRAP – created by the Labour administration – increased prospects by developing profitable applications for recycled materials, investing in the recycling sector and providing analysis for businesses and will undertake consultation with arena stakeholders with further support from the government. Whilst providing greater attention to the issue than the RWP, the WSE seems void of any great detail, vision or substantiated plans which could cause concern, scepticism and a wavering of confidence amongst business leaders and society.

Review of Waste Policy: A green economy is essential to energy security, resource efficiency and resilience to climate change. With an admirable and ambitious vision for a “zero waste economy”, a long term market in waste materials is essential. The recycling market is worth “£11billion and forecast to grow by approximately 3-4% a year for at least the next few years”, offering immense wealth with the industry expected to grow by 37% by 2020. In this respect, we can see where the commitment to “innovation” could find a footing to develop effective, efficient and sustainable energy recovery markets. The coalition government make a commitment to invest in, and communicate, the range of technologies available to seek commercially viable business plans and markets whilst working collaboratively with authorities and businesses to overcome barriers or promote the aspirations of the Anaerobic Digestion Strategy (a policy aiming to overcome barriers and maximise the potential of energy recovery initiatives). The RWP provide brief – but credibly detailed – discussion on both the current and potential future for energy production, providing a mix of realistic – and fascinating – visions and solutions to existing and potential problems.

Conclusion

This article has sought to provide a brief comparison between the vision and strategy of a previous labour government, with that of the current conservative-liberal coalition. There is indeed common ground beyond these points above, for example, both are deeply committed to public awareness campaigns with each acknowledging the importance of a well informed public. However as suggested here, there is variation in the interpretation, vision and strategy each paper adopts. Regardless of the direction in which each seeks to travel, or when or how it shall come about, one thing is clear; Both are committed to the same outcome; A cleaner, greener Britain that can benefit from a new “Green Economy”.

References:

Waste Strategy for England 2007: http://archive.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/strategy/strategy07/documents/waste07-strategy.pdf

Government Review of Waste Policy in England 2011: http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13540-waste-policy-review110614.pdf

]]> http://www.energysavingwarehouse.co.uk/learning-portal/waste-policy-for-england-when-new-governments-inherit-old-policies/feed/ 0 http://www.energysavingwarehouse.co.uk/learning-portal/breaking-down-barriers/ http://www.energysavingwarehouse.co.uk/learning-portal/breaking-down-barriers/#comments Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:04:00 +0000 http://www.energysavingwarehouse.co.uk/learning-portal/?p=352 Continue reading →]]> More and more people are recycling and it is becoming easier to recycle more materials but still there will always be some residual waste that has not been sent for recycling. However, there are technologies whereby this ‘waste’ can be converted into energy, for example electricity, which can be fed into the national grid or heat, which local industries can use. In the recent Waste Policy Review 2011, the government stated that it wants to break down the barriers to further development of anaerobic digestion, which is one of the technologies which can produce energy from waste. This is part of the coalition government’s wider commitment of working towards a ‘zero waste’ economy.

Defra has recently announced that funding will become available to boost investor confidence in new anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities. This funding will amount to £10 million and it will be made available in a special loan fund [1]. The fund was announced as part of Defra’s Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan which was published to help overcome the barriers to adopting the technology [1]. Even though anaerobic digestion is not a new technology – for the past 100 years sewage sludge has been treated using the technology – what is new is the fact that it is used for treating other waste with purpose-grown crops [2].

What is anaerobic digestion?

Anaerobic digestion is the break down of organic matter by micro-organisms in the absence of oxygen [2]. The resultant products of the process are biogas and digestate (a nitrogen rich fertiliser) and these are what can be harnessed to produce energy.

The biogas which is produced can be used to power Combined Heat and Power plants or burned to produce heat [2]. The digestate can be used as a renewable fertiliser or soil conditioner [2]. Below is a diagram of an anaerobic digestion plant, explaining how it is configured to produce energy [2].

http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/anaerobic-digestion-strat-action-plan.pdf

Not only does anaerobic digestion result in less waste being diverted to landfill, it also means that we can create energy from it. By creating more plants such as these, the UK become more self reliant in terms of its energy supply. With the price of fossil fuels increasing, the UK needs to address issues of our energy security and technologies such as the above will help to provide the answer. However, work does need to be done to educate people more about the technology and break down the common ideas that such plants are purely burning waste. Yes, they are not always the most attractive features, but in times of increasing energy insecurity they provide a means for a home grown energy supply.

Anaerobic digestion uses organic waste which would otherwise be sent to landfill and release potent greenhouse gases such as methane. Another advantage is that anaerobic digestion provides a much more reliable source of energy compared with other renewable technologies such as wind and solar power [2].

While there is growth in anaerobic digestion plants, the government has recognised that it needs to do more to break down the barriers to such growth. This means not only providing funding but also addressing the public perception of such technology. There is no doubt that the UK is lagging behind other European countries in its take up of renewable technology and part of this is down to consumer perception. Government and society need to address the issues, otherwise the UK will be left lagging in a world where energy security is becoming an ever increasing concern.

References

[1] Sustainable Business Magazine (July 2011, issue 174) [Digital Edition].

[2] Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan: A commitment to increasing energy from waste through Anaerobic Digestion (2011). Department of Energy and Climate Change and Defra

It’s not too often that you may consider your government over-ambitious. Perhaps even less often you expect they shall live up to your expectations. It is exemplary then, that the Welsh Assembly can lay claim to being both ambitious in its objectives and commendable in exceeding expectations.

Ten years ago, in 2002, waste within Wales was a contentious issue. The Welsh Assembly openly admitted that waste was a problem [1]. In 2000-2001, recycling of municipal waste stood at just 6.4%, by 2002 over 4 millions tonnes of materials were sent to landfill [2]. The newly-formed “Waste in Wales” national strategy sought to remedy the situation and determined that, by just 2009/2010, recycling should increase six-fold to 40% [1]; an extraordinarily bold ambition. Furthermore, the 2002 national strategy also aspired to:

• Establish 3-4 exemplar local authorities to develop good practice models
• Set-up the first permit system to restrict the bio-degradable municipal waste going to landfill, from local authorities
• Design and disperse effective environmental education materials for all the community

Here, this article shall briefly present the gradual annual progress made by a nation towards its targets.

In 2000-2001, Wales recycled just 6.4% of household waste [2]. The newly formed “Wise About Waste” plan, in 2002, granted newfound focus and attention to both the problems and opportunities of adequate waste management. This was the starting block of a change. The plan explores – in great detail – an array of waste minimisation and treatment targets, objectives and strategies.

In the immediate shadow of the Wise About Waste plan, Wales acted with speed and determination.  In 2002-2003 – just a year after the introduction of the new plan – recycling increased from 154,000 tonnes to 212,000 tonnes whilst land-filled waste dropped from 1,547,000 tonnes to 1,497,000 tonnes [3].

Whilst an early commendable success, the overall amount of municipal waste created crawled upwards to 1,820,000 tonnes in 2003-2004 [3].  Indeed the Assembly found itself battling a continuous increase in waste generation – reaching a height of 1,928,000 tonnes in 2004-2005 despite recycling also hitting a new high of 280,000 tonnes in 2004-2005 [3]. It was becoming apparent that services and strategies were not sufficient on their own, instead the very attitudes and behaviours of Welsh citizens had to change; a new environmental paradigm needed to be communicated and embedded throughout welsh society. Awareness materials, campaign messages and the implanting of both sustainable development and interdisciplinary cross-bordering thinking amongst policies embedded the idea and vision of a cleaner, greener Wales throughout Government and Society.

In 2005/2006, waste accumulation took a significant drop, down to 1,898,000 tonnes of municipal waste [3]. With a new recycling high of 347,000 tonnes – 21.5% compared to 6.4 just five years earlier.  This stage, this year, was a significant signal to Wales. As the “halfway” point toward the 2010 40% target, it was clear that indeed, successes were evident, but more needed doing; more opportunity needed to be exploited, more energy required to enhance current participation rates and more efforts to commit to objectives.

In a bid to expose opportunities and threats, the government undertook a national survey to ascertain behaviours and attitudes. The “Living in Wales” survey of 2007 disclosed that 96% of respondents reported having participated in at least one environmental activity (A narrow increase from 95% in 2005) [4]. The range of activities considered “environmental” are broad and include common everyday issues such as using public transport to recycling waste, despite this, a positive response rate of 96% would perhaps have made the Assembly both ecstatic at the achievement, but perhaps distressed in wondering what more could now be done to ensure the achievement of the looming 2010 target.

Closer inspection of the results provides clear answers to the Assembly’s concerns; Improvements could, perhaps, still be made. It was found that those living in (i) older households (ii) households with higher incomes (iii) detached/semi detached homes, were found to participate noticeably more than those in younger households, those with lower incomes and those living within flatted accommodation. Two of those points were worth consideration. Older households significantly outperformed younger households in stating that they participated in all of the environmental activities offered within the 2007 survey. Secondly, those in flatted accommodation recycled significantly less in comparison to those within detached, semi-detached and terraced homes. These two aspects alone, allow for significantly large opportunities to reach out to householders and further the recycling agenda.

Renewed and re-energised efforts provided rich rewards. In 2009-2010, Wales topped the 40% recycling target in achieving a 40.5% success rate [3]. Such an extraordinary achievement illustrated the efforts and commitments to the residents of Wales towards a cleaner and greener nation, illustrating a collective ambition and drive toward the common goal. Whilst a laudable achievement, it must be pointed out that landfill at this stage still remained the main method of waste management, however, for the first time, landfill waste volumes dropped below 1,000,000 tonnes threshold to 931,000 tonnes [3].

Having merited such successes and credibility, the Welsh Assembly set new targets for recycling; to commit to 70% of municipal waste being recycled by 2025 – and matching an equal target to their Scottish counterparts in Holyrood. In early 2011, a snapshot shows us recycling in Wales has risen again, up to 43%. Whilst municipal waste increased from 367,000 tonnes to 378,000 tonnes between the January – March period of 2010 to January – March 2011 [5], the Assembly states this to be an anomaly caused by weather-induced disruption to collection services. In addition, the Assembly released new data showing the estimated waste accumulated by each resident of Wales, showing an estimated drop from 95kg each in Jan-March 2007 to 65kg in January – March 2011; a drop of almost a third per individual! [5]

As always though, there is space for improvement to further push Wales onto the road of reaching their new targets. In the regional dissection of data, Bridgend increased recycling between 2010 and 2011 by 11%, reaching 34% and Ceredigion outperformed all others with 41% of waste recycled [5]. In contrast however – and offering scope for potential – Flintshire recycling rates dropped 8% in the 2010-2011 year to 24% whilst Gwynedd remains the community with the greatest challenge, currently recycling 23% of waste in 2011, followed closely by Flintshire and Cardiff on 24% [5].

This brief snapshot at recycling in Wales shows a country grasping its full potential and making drastic improvements to its recycling efforts. Having exceeded previous targets, Wales is a country with determination and commitment. Indeed – and perhaps in its favour – there are communities and aspects which offer scope for improvement. Hopefully these communities are not facing cumbersome problems and can offer Wales, overall, a chance to further enhance their recycling achievements.

[1] http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/epq/waste_recycling /publication/wiseaboutwaste/

[2] http://wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/environment2010/0121/?lang=en

[3] http://wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/environment2010/101116/?lang=en

[4] http://wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/social2008/hdw20081212/?lang=en

[5] http://wales.gov.uk/topics/statistics/headlines/environment2011/110628/?lang=en

Of interest:

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/environmentcountryside/epq/waste_recycling/ publication/wiseaboutwaste

]]> http://www.energysavingwarehouse.co.uk/learning-portal/recycling-with-wales/feed/ 0 http://www.energysavingwarehouse.co.uk/learning-portal/introduction-to-the-waste-framework-directive/ http://www.energysavingwarehouse.co.uk/learning-portal/introduction-to-the-waste-framework-directive/#comments Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:03:05 +0000 http://www.energysavingwarehouse.co.uk/learning-portal/?p=341 Continue reading →]]>

The Waste Framework Directive (WFD) is an integral piece of legislation reinvigorating current policies and inspiring new practices to protect the health of society and of our environment. But what is this directive and what is it about?

What is the directive?

Well, it is the newer, shinier and all better directive to replace the old version – Directive 2006/12/EC. This new directive repeals out-dated commitments and provides the foundation for localised waste minimisation strategies. In its immediacy, the WFD offers greater clarity on broad terminology, determining a consistent definition of what “waste” is; what its place is in the European Community and, finally, what future is envisioned for waste and waste management.

What is the directive about?

Put simply; the directive commits member states to work towards the objective of becoming a “recycling society” for the protection of the environment and human health. The WFD commits member-states to vigorously assess their current efforts and to grasp potential options for further progress.

This guide shall present an overview of the WFD looking at (i) the key terminology (ii) the role of the WFD in promoting the waste hierarchy within member states via Waste Plans and finally (iii) enforcement options to encourage success.

Key terminology

The WFD sets clear definitions of key waste terms (see article 3):

• Waste: “any substance or object which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard.”
• Hazardous waste: “waste which displays one or more of the hazardous properties listed in annex II”
• Waste Producer: “anyone whose activities produce waste (original waste producer) or anyone who carries out pre-processing, mixing, or other operations resulting in a change in the nature or composition of this waste.”
• Waste Management: “the collection, transport, recovery and disposal of waste, including the supervision of such operations and the after-care of disposal sites including actions taken as a dealer or broker”
• Recycling: “any recovery operation by which waste materials are reprocessed into products, materials or substances whether for the original or other purposes. It includes the reprocessing of organic material but does not include energy recovery and the reprocessing into materials that are to be used as fuels or for backfilling operations.”

Waste Hierarchy

The WFD seeks to re-invigorate efforts within member-states to understand and adopt the waste hierarchy (shown below). The waste hierarchy illustrates the hierarchy of processes that should be sought before waste is ultimately disposed (via landfill or other means).

1. As shown above, the first aspiration of any producer or member-state should be to reduce waste at the source; that is to eliminate waste through careful planning and strategic selection of materials and processes. Article 9 requests member states to produce action plans on how to implement waste reduction strategies with a set deadline of 2014.
2. Beyond reduction, waste should be reused as a resource – an example in the household could be to re-use jam jars for other means. The WFD requires member states to implement strategic “instruments and policies” to allow such networks to emerge and grow – such as deterring disposal or promoting greener efforts.
3. Thirdly; if waste cannot be reduced or reused, it should then be recycled to allow value to be recaptured in the re-use of the materials. The Directive dictates that member states should initiate separate waste collection schemes to collect at least 50% of recyclable waste through the introduction of segregated waste collections for at least paper, metal, plastic and glass materials by 2020.
4. Fourthly; recovery. We aim to find energy or material value from the waste through the use of “necessary measures”. In this aspect, the directive seems vague and broad; little information is given regarding expectations, targets or limitations. However what is meant here is the treatment of waste to recover energy such as through incineration or biomass treatment facilities.
5. The final option – and least favoured – is disposal, such as land-filling. Land-filling is a final resort when no value or alternative solution is possible. When disposing of waste, member states are required to ensure the safe treatment and disposal of waste by allocating permits to authorised and competent agents (permits are highlighted at a later stage).

Waste Plans

Member states are obliged to devise Waste Plans to tackle waste throughout the entirety of their geographical boundaries. These plans analyse the current waste management policies and strategies in their jurisdictions with measurable and comparable assessments. Member states must clearly demonstrate current efforts and propose commitments to reduce, reuse and recycle waste to deliver upon WFD ambitions demonstrating what new materials or facilities are necessary to meet targets. Should new facilities be required, detailed Environmental Impact Assessments and Strategic Environmental Assessments are must be provided to the European Union Parliament.

To enhance the potential for the success of waste plans, member-states must also illustrate the organisational structure responsible for dealing with waste to illustrate where responsibilities lie. An important aspect of Waste Plans worth attention is the encouragement of initiatives to support positive action; member states are encouraged to devise economic instruments to encourage positive action and deter counterproductive behaviours or attitudes. Similarly, sufficient awareness campaigns are a core requirement to educate and encourage the public to participate in such recycling schemes (under section 31).

Enforcement

To enforce local Waste Plans to achieve the requirements of the WFD, member-states are permitted to instigate all necessary economic and legislative measures to achieve the aims of the directive (see section 36). In doing so, states are encouraged to instil effective punishment criteria – befitting crime – upon those impeding progress or posing harm to the environment or to human health. In a bid to avert such outcomes however, member states are encouraged to promote the polluter pays principle (PPP) and to instigate and disperse authoritative permits as preventative measures;

Polluter Pays Principle (PPP)

The Polluter Pays Principle seeks to encourage member states to seek damages and remediation costs from polluters (article 14). Member states are encouraged to provide adequate economic and legislative conditions that (i) recoup costs from polluters and (ii) allow producers to explore and instil environmentally conscious practices and materials into their business streams. Further information on the PPP can be found here:

http://www.energysavingwarehouse.co.uk/news/314/20/A-Quick-Guide-The-Polluter-Pays-Principle.html

Tradable Permits

Tradable permits allow member-states to disperse “licenses” to agents responsible for undertaking waste management, waste transportation or waste disposal activities. The WFD reiterates the importance that member states record comprehensive and contemporary information on permit-holders. This information must include, without exception:

• Specific types of waste permitted
• Specific quantities of waste permitted
• Safety and precautionary measures to be taken
• Methods of operations
• Monitoring and control operations as required
• Closure and after-care plans if applicable.

This guide had provided a brief overview of the Waste Framework Directive. The Directive was instigated to replace the out-dated Directive 2006/12/EC and provide clarity and detail on terminology and direction. The directive is ambitious in committing member-states to undertake comprehensive and detailed assessments of current initiatives before then committing to targeted waste plans toward ambitious objectives.

For further information, the directive can be found here:

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32008L0098:EN:NOT

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