BBC Countryfile: "How much of our rubbish into landfill is actually 'waste'?"

Tom Heap investigates alternatives to the plastic packaging which surrounds our food. (BBC Countryfile. October 24, 2010)

London School of Economics: "Local Action on Climate Change" report for Friends of the Earth

Link to PDF file of the report

"In the past 12 months, Britain has seen a change of government and a move towards far greater clarity about the future pattern of public expenditure. The Coalition Government has made clear its commitment to maintain the previous administration’s policies towards the reduction of carbon emissions.

"Local government, although expected to face significant expenditure reductions, will also be offered new powers as a result of the Government’s determination to pursue 'localism'. There are both threats and opportunities facing councils, as they decide the future path of their policies towards the environment."

A REPORT BY PROFESSOR TONY TRAVERS, LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS, FOR FRIENDS OF THE EARTH ENGLAND, WALES & NORTHERN IRELAND

Defra: "Plans for a zero waste economy launched" (although that includes incineration, so not really - they mean 'zero waste to landfill')

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
'Government Review of Waste Policy in England'
14 July 2011 (click image)

"Plans to help people to do the right thing by reducing waste and increase recycling at home, on the move, or as part of their business have been unveiled today as the Government announced the results of its comprehensive review of waste.

"Speaking at the Chartered Institute of Waste Management (CIWM) conference, Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said:

"People want to do the right thing by reducing waste and recycling at home or out and about and we want to help them. This means making sure communities are getting the collection services they want and not penalising hard-working households who make minor mistakes by putting bins out on the wrong day or leaving a plastic tub in the wrong recycling box.

"For too long, we’ve lagged behind the rest of Europe, although we are catching up fast. Communities and businesses can help us become a first-class zero-waste economy and unlock the real value in the goods that people no longer want."

"Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said:

"It's time to consign the failed policies of unfair bin taxes, bin fines and bin cuts to the dustbin of history. Families pay £120 a month in council tax. Both Whitehall and the town hall need to raise their game, to deliver more frequent and better rubbish and recycling collections in return."

"The Government’s waste review sets out the following priorities:

• Consult next year on introducing a landfill restriction on wood waste, review the case for introducing landfill bans on other materials, such as metals, textiles and all biodegradable waste. The Government will work with industry, to drive innovation in reuse and recycling in these products, before the start of any bans;
• Accelerate recycling and reducing waste creation in the first place by providing incentives for householders, recycling-on-the-go schemes, better services for businesses and voluntary responsibility deals focussing on the hospitality industry, paper, direct mail, textiles, and construction waste;
• Scrap unfair bin fines and taxes, while bringing in powers to deal with repeat fly-tipping offenders, and genuine nuisance neighbours;
• Crack down on illegal fly-tippers, who persistently and recklessly pollute the environment and countryside. We will introduce appropriate powers to seize vehicles, and look at penalties that might include offenders clearing up items they have dumped; and
• Consult on increased recycling targets to 2017 for plastic, steel, aluminium and glass. Targets will be consulted on and agreed in time for the 2012 Budget.

"Driving innovation in the £11 billion waste and recycling sector, which employs up to 150,000 people, is expected to push growth by three to four percent over the next few years.

"Waste going to landfill has nearly halved since 2000, with household recycling rates now at 40 per cent and business rates at more than 50 per cent. But more needs to be done, which is why the Government will publish a follow-up zero-waste action plan on waste prevention in December 2013, to check progress and address further developments under any new EU regulation.

"The Anaerobic Digestion strategy and action plan has also been published today, which will enable a thriving industry to grow in England over the next few years, delivering new green jobs, as well as new green energy.

"Key actions in the Government’s Anaerobic Digestion (AD) strategy and action plan include:

• guidance on the cost and benefits of AD to developers and local authorities, 
• evidence on the value of digestates, 
• developing skills and training for AD operators, and 
• highlighting ‘best practice’ projects that deliver community benefits. 

However, neither the AD strategy nor the waste Review dictates to local authorities the best method of organic waste collections. It is up to councils to decide if they wish to run a separate collection scheme for organic waste.

"AD offers a local, environmentally sound option for waste management, which helps us divert waste from landfill, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and produce renewable energy which could be used to power our homes and vehicles. Farmers and gardeners can also benefit from the fertiliser produced, returning valuable nutrients to the land.

"Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker said:

"Letting rubbish and waste rot in landfill is madness, when we can use it to power our homes and cars. We are already making it financially attractive to turn waste into electricity under the Feed-in Tariffs scheme, and soon there’ll be similar incentives to generate heat too. The Anaerobic Digestion Strategy and Action Plan will help us unlock the potential to get more energy from waste, to reduce emissions in the fight against climate change."

Friends of the Earth: "Victory over the Hull incinerator"

Link to web site

"Plans for a proposed incinerator in Hull have been scrapped.

"Owners of the waste contract for the incinerator - Waste Recycling Group (WRG) - wanted local tax payers to finance the incinerator over 25 years.

"In addition, they'd be forcing the council to supply large amounts of waste - completely undermining reuse and recycling efforts."
(our emphasis)

The Guardian: "Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth hit back over 'out-of-touch' criticism"

Link to The Guardian

"The green movement is 'out-of-touch, ineffective and bureaucratic', according Charles Secrett, a campaigner who spent a decade leading 'Friends of the Earth' in the UK, which celebrates its 40th anniversary on Wednesday.

"He later told the Guardian:

"The evidence of failure is there for all to see, as environmental problems are getting worse, not better. Previous dips during recessions have seen the movement bounce back stronger than before, [but] it is very tough now. There is no time left, as the degradation of the environment has reached a tipping point."

BBC: "Global warming since 1995 'now significant'."

Link to BBC web site

"Climate warming since 1995 is now statistically significant, according to Phil Jones, the UK scientist targeted in the 'ClimateGate' affair.

"Last year, he told BBC News that post-1995 warming was not significant; a statement still seen often on blogs critical of man-made climate change.

"But another year of data has pushed the trend past the the standard 95% level threshold usually used to assess whether trends are 'real'."

Video made by Nottinghamshire campaigners

A video about waste incineration in the UK

BBC: "Facebook bin of shame encourages students to recycle"

Link to BBC web site

"Everything the students throw into their bin is caught on camera and automatically uploaded to Facebook as part of an environmental challenge.

"If there is anything in there that could be recycled, they will lose points and slide down the league table of participants. Worse still, they could be shamed by their friends. Student Alice Morley explained:

"Sometimes we get caught out. If you're really tired, you think, oh well, it doesn't matter."

"One of the university's psychologists, Dr Rob Comber said,

"When we turn 18, we haven't got those people around us who guide us into making the right decisions on issues like sustainability. BinCam helps to change the behaviour of a group, which might otherwise be unaware of the consequences of their actions."

Evening Standard: "We'll create green spaces for all Londoners, says minister"

Link to Evening Standard

"Communities in London were today promised powers to protect or restore green spaces for recreation and wildlife.

"Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said:

"We want children to get out into the natural world. It's good for their health, and it helps them to learn. So we'll be removing the barriers to schools taking children on school trips and teaching them outdoors."

"Today's White Paper is the first on the natural environment in 20 years. But critics will argue that the plans come as councils are slashing funding for parks, and some introduce charging for recreation areas."

Review of Mechanical and Biological Treatment (which rather ignores incineration issues of the residual waste)

Waste Management World
"MBT in Europe: There’s life in the old dog yet"

Link to 'Waste Management World'

"For decades, mechanical-biological waste treatment (MBT) has competed with incineration in the more industrialized countries of the world. Although incineration has generally been favoured by the politicians, uptake of MBT in these developed countries nevertheless continues. For example, in the UK at present, more MBT than conventional thermal treatment capacity is being installed.

"In Britain, responsibility for waste disposal is vested primarily at county level. Local authorities decide which residual waste treatment method shall be adopted, and they are also in charge of accomplishing the mandatory targets of the EU Landfill Directive - in this, Britain drastically differs from the other 24 EU Member States, where national legislation is paramount. As a result, in Britain, the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme (LATS), similar to the concept of ‘carbon trading’, has been implemented. The outcomes are awaited with great interest on the continent. 

"A dozen high-grade MBT systems are under construction and in the pipeline in England, most of them using aerobic decomposition technology."

8 June, Radio 4: "Dust, soil, refuse, filth, sleaze, slime, smut!" (No, it's not 'The Archers')

Thinking Allowed

Wednesday 8 June

4.00-4.30pm, BBC RADIO 4

"Laurie Taylor presents a special edition of 'Thinking Allowed', recorded with an audience of the public at the Wellcome Collection's exhibition on dirt.

"Dirt is dust, soil, refuse, excrement, bacteria, filth, sleaze, slime, smut – how easily the word changes its meaning, from the physical to the moral. It is this fascinating relationship and threat, which dirt seems to pose, that is explored in the Wellcome Collection's exhibition, Dirt: The Filthy Reality Of Everyday Life.

"Laurie and a panel of experts explore the meaning of dirt, its relationship to order, and how hygiene and the mass generation of dirt have become such potent symbols of civilisation. He is joined by anthropologist Adam Kuper, writer and cartoonist Martin Rowson, and historian Amanda Vickery, to discuss dirt and why it provokes such fear, loathing and, occasionally, desire."

Link to video and exhibition details

("Caroline, is that David up to his neck in the slurry tank? Oh no, Joe Grundy's slipped in as well.)

Channel 5: "How Do They Produce Compost from Domestic Waste?"

This plant near Poole in Dorset takes in 30,000 tonnes/year of 'black-bag' waste. The organic component is separated and then composted. 

The Poole plant also takes 20,000 tonnes/year of food waste. In total, about 25,000 tonnes/year of compost in produced.

Link to Channel 5 video
(item starts just after 6 minutes in)

"Robert dons protective clothing and breathing gear to visit a recycling centre in Canford, near Bournemouth. This state-of-the-art facility transforms 30,000 tonnes of rubbish into rich compost every year. Compost normally takes a long time to prepare, but this facility speeds up the process. After just eight days, the compost is ready to be turned over – using a gigantic tractor with spinning blades. A few weeks later, the compost is ready to serve as ordinary garden mulch."