2011-07-28

The Guardian: "Plastic bag use on the rise after years of decline"

Link to The Guardian

British consumers are packing away their green credentials, along with their weekly shop, as last year an increasing number of us bundled our purchases into single-use plastic carrier bags, instead of seeking out environmentally friendly alternatives.

In Wales, the imminent charge may have helped to cut bag use – the total was down by 7% last year, compared with the rise in England and Scotland. John Griffiths, Welsh environment minister, said a charge was the best way to drive down carrier use, as voluntary agreements with retailers would not achieve enough. He said: 
"These figures show a real difference between carrier bag use in Wales, and that in other parts of the UK, where no mandatory charge is planned. This proves that the carrier bag charge, which is due to be introduced in Wales on 1 October, is the only way to ensure a real and lasting reduction in the use of carrier bags."

2011-07-26

English Heritage: "Listing of London Underground Stations"

Link to English Heritage

"16 London Underground stations have today been listed at Grade ll by Tourism and Heritage Minister John Penrose, on the advice of English Heritage.

"They include several of the tube stations designed by Leslie Green whose 'ox-blood' red tile facades pioneered the use of a strong and consistent corporate image which is recognised around the world. All the stations have historic and architectural significance, illustrating the development of the capital's Underground system.

"Three other stations - Arnos Grove, Oakwood, and Sudbury Town - have been upgraded from Grade II to Grade II*. These stations were designed by the distinguished modernist architect Charles Holden, for the Piccadilly Line extension in the 1930s."



2011-07-24

'Observer' article: "Are single-use paper cups evil?"

Link to The Observer

"Billions of single-use cups are thrown into landfill sites every year and, according to the WWF, to produce a single latte requires 200 litres of water, including the materials and manufacture of the paper cup and cardboard sleeve.

"But is that stained ceramic novelty cup really so superior? In 1994 Professor Martin B Hocking of the University of Victoria in Canada carried out an analysis of the life cycles of beverage cups, pitching the reusable – ceramic, plastic and glass – against the disposable – paper and foam – also factoring in the energy use in manufacturing materials and cleaning of a reusable cup."

2011-07-22

Carey's (Seneca's) Hannah Close, Neasden waste site

Near the North Circular Road girder bridge, Neasden,
 with Metropolitan and Jubilee Lines behind - MAP

From Carey Newsletter, December 2010


"Waste not…"
"In October 2010, the Carey Group received planning permission from Brent Council to build a ‘Super Materials Recycling Facility’ at Hannah Close in Neasden, a few hundred yards from Carey House."
For some time Careys have been working to provide clients with the best possible solutions for their site waste. However, it became clear to John Carey Jnr very early on that the only acceptable solution was to set up our own waste management company.
No other company shared our strength of feeling. We wanted to be transparent in how waste is dealt with, and offer the best possible solution for the environment – and therefore our customers. We looked at partnering but felt unsatisfied with the answers we got.” John Carey Jnr.
"Headed by John Jnr, Seneca Environmental Solutions, has been set up by the Carey Group to build and manage this new venture. Seneca aims to deliver environmental management solutions to clients, starting with recycling and waste management services to Carey Group sites across London and the south east.

"In November [2010], we began construction of phase one of the new facility which will have the capacity to process over 1.1 million tonnes of construction and demolition, business and household waste each year.

"We will separate materials such as paper fibre, wood, metals and plastics which will then be sent for reprocessing into new products, as well as soils and other waste streams.

"We aim to have the facility up and running as soon as February but we will continue to develop our operations after that, including building a wood biomass facility that will be operational in 2013 and will generate renewable energy, leaving the site energy positive.

"Seneca shares the Carey Group ethos of ‘we care’ along with a focus on health and safety, quality and the environment. The new facility is designed with environmental features such as rainwater harvesting and landscaping to improve the biodiversity of the site allowing the project to achieve BREEAM excellent

"We have recruited Michael McLarnon, who has extensive experience in the waste industry, to assist John to set up Seneca. His input has been on everything from assisting the in-house design team in the development of the processing plant to how we engage with the local community.

"Over the next 12 to 18 months, there will be a number of job opportunities at Seneca including administration, accounts, sales and marketing, and operational roles.

"For more information about Seneca, visit www.seneca.co." [This is not a misprint.]



From Carey Newsletter, April 2011

"No More Wasted Opportunities"

"Seneca have been awarded a major two-year waste management contract by the West London Waste Authority (WLWA) to process 70,000 tonnes of mixed waste per year.

"Winning this contract was especially rewarding. Our head office has been in Wembley for many years and establishing Seneca here was an obvious choice. To then secure our local council as our first client, which has generated over 50 new local jobs, is even more satisfying.

"As a company looking to promote greater reuse and recycling of materials, we were also delighted that this contract initiated a new set of evaluation criteria for waste management contracts in West London – where the winning contractor was the one who guaranteed the highest recycling rates as well as the most commercially beneficial.

"The contract is Seneca’s first and, at a contract value of around £7 million per annum, it is a great way for the company to open its gates.

John Carey Jnr – Managing Director, Seneca



From Seneca's web site:

"SENECA: Our Facilities"

Link to web site

"Seneca’s super Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is located in west London, just off the North Circular (A406), and is situated right next to the main rail track. [The Marylebone-to Aylesbury Line with an enclosed siding, on one side, and the Marylebone-to-Birmingham Line on the other side.] With its own covered rail siding, the facility has multi-functional road and rail access.

"We practise what we preach, and support reuse over recycling, and energy recovery. This is particularly evident in our new state-of-the-art facility which is a refurbished light industrial unit. The refurbishment, as opposed to demolition and new build, created a substantial saving in materials and construction energy costs. The refurbished building has a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, utilises rainwater harvesting and has been landscaped with biodiversity in mind, something often missed in such industrial areas and therefore of even greater importance.

"The surrounding area is, in the main, light industrial and commercial thus providing our neighbouring clients the opportunity to lower their carbon emissions when dealing with their waste by minimising transport costs, in both monetary and carbon costs. This also provides us with potential clients for the recycled raw materials that we will be generating for production and remanufacturing in the future."

Link to Seneca main page and video


Critique of Carey and Seneca: 'Wembley Matters' web site.

2011-07-21

Recycling in Ealing



"The London Borough of Ealing has a recycling rate of 37.6%. Many residents recycle much more than this, by living more sustainably. This household of two adults and six children has a recycling rate of 76%. Ealing currently spends £3,228,995 a year on landfill tax, which will increase to £5,381,658 by 2014, if the recycling rate stays the same."

2011-07-18

Wembley Matters: "Proposed Park Royal Waste Sites Under Attack"

Link to 'Wembley Matters'

"The West London Waste Authority has published the results of its consultation on the West London Waste Plan.

"Perhaps the most important thing to note is the low number of responses: 374. This for a Plan covering six West London boroughs including Brent with a combined population of one and a half million. In addition a petition against Park Royal waste management sites was signed by 193 people and 2237 signed one against the Tavistock Road site in West Drayton."

2011-07-15

Wales: Single use bags (not just plastic!)

The single use carrier bag charge starts on 01 October 2011

Link to 'Single-use carrier bags'

The carrier bag charge is being introduced to dramatically reduce the number of carrier bags used in Wales. This charge will affect all retailers in Wales, not just those who sell groceries.

The Assembly Government has consulted on the charge, and there have been some changes after feedback from businesses, organisations and individuals.

The Assembly Government is proposing:
  • A 5p minimum charge on all bags (including paper bags); and
  • That the charge will start on 1 October 2011.
The 5p charge should be enough to influence consumer behaviour, and reduce the number of bags given out, without putting an unnecessary burden on shoppers, or preventing impulse shopping.

Link to main web page
(Neat logo, eh?)


2011-07-14

Completing the 'London Overground' circle around London



Link to 'London Reconnections'

Work is underway to build the final phase of the orbital London Overground railway around London. The new section will be from Surrey Quays to Clapham Junction, opening by the end of 2012.

The relaid track here passes under the railway viaduct into London Bridge station, near the south-east London domestic waste incinerator (top).

2011-07-09

The Independent: "King of technicolour tourism: A new exhibition celebrates John Hinde's postcards"

Link to the Independent

"The gaudily-coloured postcards are the work of the John Hinde Studio, a company set up in 1956 by its namesake, a failed circus entrepreneur, and the great-grandson of the founder of Clarks shoes. The company would go on to shift 50 million cards a year. It is only recently that its output has been seen as much more than cheesy, throwaway holiday souvenirs.

"... He sent his transparencies to Italy, where technology was more advanced. Not only could images be produced in far lusher shades than was possible over here, they also got additional help with extensive retouching. This would turn insipid sweaters, mousey heads of hair, faded sun-loungers, and dull skies into dazzling points of interest."

2011-07-06

Daily Telegraph: "Recycling dumped in landfill"

Link to Daily Telegraph

"Nearly 200,000 tons of "contaminated" recycling painstakingly collected by householders was dumped in landfill or sent to incinerators last year, according to official figures.

"Gary Porter, the chairman of the Local Government Association Environment Board, said councils are improving recycling rates, but admitted that collection systems must improve:
"It's not just how much recycling we do that's important, it's also how we do it."