The Department of Health‘‘s new consultation document “Safe Management of Healthcare Waste” has been produced as a best practice guide to the management of healthcare waste taking into consideration the requirements of Waste, Health & Safety and Carriage (Transport) Regulation. The guidance builds on existing guidance and is intended to …
Mais »UK – Britain should use biomass to generate heat, Biomass Task Force tells Government
The Task Force concludes that biomass (fuel from forestry, crops and waste) could reduce the nation‘‘s carbon emissions by almost three million tonnes a year if used to provide heating. The carbon saving would be the equivalent of taking 3.25 million cars off the road. The Chairman of the Task …
Mais »Europe – Parliament favours tougher controls on waste shipments
A new European Regulation aiming to control waste shipments should enter into force by the beginning of 2007 at the latest. EIS reports that the final version of the report on this draft Regulation, presented by Johannes Blokland (IND/DEM, Netherlands) and adopted by the European Parliament on October 25, includes …
Mais »Europe – stakeholders disappointed that Commission backs down on biowaste legislation
Despite numerous calls from EU Member States, the European Parliament and a broad range of stakeholders, the European Commission has recently confirmed its decision to abandon the idea of an independent directive on biowaste. A group of interested parties had been lobbying for such a directive, maintaining that it would …
Mais »UK – Boots and Coca-Cola Enterprises join trial to close the plastic packaging recycling loop
A trial aimed at boosting the use of recycled PET (rPET) in the UK packaging industry has taken an exciting step forward with products from Boots and Cola-Cola Enterprises Ltd (CCE) now hitting shelves throughout the UK. Funded by WRAP (the Waste & Resources Action Programme), the rPET project has …
Mais »Sweden – research indicates potential for ecofriendly plastics to protect food
Xylan is one of the most common carbohydrates in nature present in both hardwood and annual plants such as barley, rye, wheat and maize. Chalmers University of Technology reports that soon xylan will be able to replace aluminium and polymers in packing. Despite the fact that xylan exists in these …
Mais »China – waste management in China: issues and recommendations
No country has ever experienced as large or as fast an increase in solid waste quantities that China is now facing. China recently surpassed the United States as the world‘‘s largest municipal solid waste (MSW) generator. A study from the World Bank puts this major global power‘‘s waste management system …
Mais »Australia – attack on waste: recycling top of agenda
Recycling will be top of the Australian Government‘‘s agenda when Environment Ministers meet in Launceston this Wednesday for the Environment Protection and Heritage Council meeting. Australian Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, said Australia already led the world in recycling products like newsprint, but could do more …
Mais »UK – aerobic organics collection bin trial yields fine results
A groundbreaking trial, collecting organic waste from householders in the London Borough of Bexley using aerobic bins, is set to revolutionise collections across the UK. A study, funded by SITA Environmental Trust has been published. “If you can eat it and it grows, it goes in the aerobic bin” was …
Mais »Australia – industrial residues: development of a national approach
The Australian Government has issued a consultation paper on industrial residues. Some industrial residues are valuable for their soil conditioning and fertiliser properties, and by using them in this way they can contribute to the reduction of waste going to landfill. If appropriate reuse occurs, it may also facilitate government …
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