The UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has issued a consultation document (deadline = February 3, 2003) on the treatment of catering waste containing meat in composting and biogas plants. The composting of kitchen waste is set to be allowed as long as it meets specific …
Mais »Japanese local re-use/recycling scheme
A tenants association in Yamatotakada, Nara Prefecture, has opened a secondhand shop to revitalize the quiet shopping district and reduce waste. The Daily Yomiuri in Japan reports that the association, comprising 30 tenants in the Tenjinbashisuji shopping district, opened Recycle Shop Sazanka after renting an empty store in the district. …
Mais »100 Canadian municipalities take protective climate action
Canada’s Ministers of the Environment and Natural Resources congratulated the city of Iqaluit and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Friday as the capital city of the Nunavut Territory became the 100th Canadian municipal government to participate in a national effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions – the Partners for Climate …
Mais »Cultural & ethnic diversity may be key to waste diversion
Here is an interesting item from the California Integrated Waste Management Board, addressing the issues of cultural diversity and resource recovery, sometimes a sensitive issue for waste planners. Understanding California’s growing cultural diversity and the impact increasingly diverse communities may have on waste stream reduction and diversion programs could be …
Mais »Beyond RCRA: prospects for waste & materials management in the year 2020; Final White Paper
Coming hard on the heels of Biffa’s book Future Perfect, the US EPA are also casting their minds forward to 2020. Beyond RCRA: Prospects for Waste & Materials Management in the Year 2020 is a discussion paper which was developed jointly by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state …
Mais »Rubbish trading scheme to cut waste at landfill sites
‘Rubbish trading’ is the Government’s latest response to Britain’s waste crisis. Local councils will now have to buy and sell permits among themselves if they want to dump rubbish. The UK newspaper the Independent reports that this will provide an incentive to cut waste councils send to landfill: Council A …
Mais »WasteWise update Global Warming…Is A Waste!
Waste reduction presents opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at every stage of a product’s life cycle. This document from the US EPA’s WasteWise programme provides an overview of the climate change and waste link and highlights WasteWise partners that have achieved GHG reductions by reusing products, recycling, and …
Mais »EU ecolabels for mattresses, lights, paint and paper
New criteria for eco-labelled products have been approved by the European Commission. Mattresses The product group definition has been extended to the latex and polyurethane foams for use in bed mattresses when they constitute more than five per cent of its weight. The new criteria will be valid until 31 …
Mais »Australia – plastic bag action
Australia’s Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Dr David Kemp, has welcomed progress being made to develop a national response to plastic bag waste. Following separate meetings of the national plastic bags working group and the National Packaging Covenant Council in Canberra, Dr Kemp said it was pleasing to see …
Mais »International ecolabelling report
Proposed amendments to the European Packaging directive, the new waste electronics directives, and new mercury laws passed in US states will make package labeling more complex, according to a new report Green Labeling: Global Guide for Marketers in the New Millennium from US consultants Raymond Communications. The report finds, for …
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