It was with great sadness that we received the news this week that former member of the LARAC Executive, Mandy Pile, died at the weekend. Mandy collapsed while on holiday and despite the best efforts of the emergency services she could not be revived.
Mandy worked for Dover District Council who she joined in 1991. Regionally she played an active role in the Kent Resource Partnership, particularly in relation to the delivery of the East Kent contract on behalf of Dover DC and Folkestone & Hythe DC
On 16th October there was a £20m investment in cutting edge recycling technology to reduce landfill and incineration of plastics. Four new cutting-edge recycling plants will benefit from the £20m input from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund. The plants will be built in Teesside, The West Midlands and Perth.
The new facilities will increase the available recycling capacity in the UK and expand the range of plastics being recycled, meaning they will not be sent to landfill or incineration, or exported overseas for disposal.
On the 21st September Defra issued the following guidance: Straws, cotton buds and drink stirrers ban: rules for businesses in England.
The crux of it is that businesses must stop supplying single-use plastic straws, cotton buds, and drink stirrers in England from 1 October, except for exempt uses (see below). And if they fail in that they could be fined. Local authorities are tasked with inspections, enforcement and setting the fines. Local authorities must publish details of fine levels and when it will impose them, on their websites.
In this most singular year, we are more delighted than ever to reveal our shortlist for the 2020 LARAC Celebration Awards. We are proud to be able to showcase our members incredible work during this most testing of years - they all deserve recognition.
The Environment Agency have announced they are temporarily closing the Agency’s Definition of Waste Service to new submissions while they support their National Permitting Service by helping to deal with the permit application backlog.
They say that while the suspension will be kept under review, it is likely that it will be in place until the New Year.
What does it mean for EA customers?