Recycling Roundup 24th July

Recycling Roundup 24^th July

Veolia, the private waste contractor hired by Sheffield Council to manage recycling services, are at the centre of a recycling scandal, after a leaked email allegedly showed that the company diverted material intended for recycling to its incinerator in the city.

The company apparently made the decision in 2011 to divert recyclable waste from household waste recycling centres to their energy from waste incinerator.

However, this has led to falling recycling rates in Sheffield, and Veolia has failed to create enough energy to heat the city, as was their commitment as part of their waste management contract.

The Environment Agency’s regulations state that companies recycle as much as they can possibly achieve, and this doesn’t appear to be happening.

Some critics say that the waste is being diverted as the company gets a bonus for meeting recycling targets, and they feel that the people of Sheffield are recycling in good faith, yet all they are doing is helping Veolia boost their profits. They also add that incineration creates more pollution, which is exactly the opposite of what the recycling scheme was intended to achieve.

Holiday makers in Manitoba in Canada queued up to get free reusable blue bags to dispose of their drinks containers. The giveaway, at Falcon Lake, was part of the Canadian Beverage Container Recycling Association’s Recycle Everywhere initiative, after it was realised that many holiday makers didn’t have anywhere convenient to recycle drinks containers while they were away.

The bags were also given as an alternative to standard blue recycling bins, which used to attract bears and other wildlife in remote areas.

Since April, the beverage recycling association has given out more than 16,000 of the bags, and the aim is to provide them to 98% of holiday cottages and campsites.

There are between 25,000 and 30,000 cottages and campsites in Manitoba alone, so this could potentially amount to a lot of recycling.

The recycling associated has been set a target by the government to recover 75% of drinks containers in the province for recycling.

4 people were taken to hospital, and more than 150 homes were evacuated, as firefighters attempted to tackle a huge blaze at a recycling plant in Melbourne.

Conservative estimates by the fire service were that it would take them around 3 days to contain the blaze, which was emitting toxic fumes.

This is the 3^rd time that the plant has caught fire, and it was due for an inspection by the fire authorities, due to concerns over how it is managed. It is not yet known what caused the latest fire.

The blaze was reported to be the size of a sports field, and the fire service said it was likely that more people would be evacuated from their homes. People who aren’t keen to leave their properties have been told that emergency service might not be able to assist them if they stay. A relief centre has been set up at a local leisure centre, and the nearby hospital has been dealing with several cases of respiratory distress from smoke inhalation.

Residents who haven’t yet been evacuated have been advised to stay indoors, close all doors, windows, and vents.

Firefighters are attempting to control the amount of smoke that is blowing across the suburbs of Melbourne, and they say that the fire is more complex than they thought, as large, embedded piles of plastic and cardboard are burning.

Nearby businesses sent staff home and have temporarily closed their premises.