Three researchers at the University of Exeter are calling for action to cut down on the five and a half million tonnes of plastic being generated globally in the course of scientific research.
In a Correspondence article entitled ‘Labs should cut plastic waste too’ published in the journal Nature this week, they estimate that bio scientific research is responsible for 1.8 per cent of total global plastic production, waste which weighs the equivalent of 67 cruise ships a year.
Drs Mauricio Urbina, Andrew Watts and Erin Reardon estimated that the 280 scientists in their own...
UK councils are continuing to count the cost of contamination this Christmas. That was the message from Chris Jonas, Director of Business Development at Viridor - one of the UK's largest recyclers.
Against a backdrop of local authority consultations on responses to austerity, Viridor has called on councils to act, following best practice in the UK's top performing authorities to avoid unnecessary and undesirable public sector spending on contamination.
Mr Jonas spoke following the announcement by DEFRA on 1st December of England's top ten recycling authorities.
Westpoint Arena opened its doors to 1,400 primary school pupils from across Devon for the third annual Farm Wise event. As part of this hands-on learning approach to agriculture, the children donned wellington boots and rolled up their sleeves to discover how Coastal Recycling transforms ordinary garden waste into free organic compost for farmers. This nutrient rich compost fortifies soil, promoting a fertile environment for crops and therefore plays a vital role in our food chain. Coastal Recycling creates more than 35,000 tonnes of compost each year, which farmers can then spread free of...
People are being urged not to overfill their rubbish bins and avoid putting out extra bin bags full of waste.
Overfilled bins are prone to litter spillage and can cause injury to the refuse crews when top-heavy bins are tipped into the truck.
Cllr Keith Owen, Lead Councillor for the Environment, said: "In Exeter we want to do the best for our city and the environment by reducing the waste we throw away and recycling as much as we can. If people are recycling their household plastics, cans and tins, paper and card, by putting it all in their green wheelie-bin, most will find...
Information about Teignbridge’s improved waste and recycling service will be dropping through the letterboxes of the district’s homes over the coming months.
Teignbridge is changing its waste and recycling service to make it easier for people to recycle more. The scheme is being rolled out across the district in three phases and will start in September and end in November.
Ahead of roll-out in each area, a four-page leaflet is being delivered to homes. It gives people information about when their new recycling service starts and how they can subscribe to a new optional...
Exeter Green Party says that if new rules adopted by the European Parliament are agreed by the European Commission, sending food waste to the Exeter’s energy from waste plant could become illegal.
The Parliament last week voted to end the incineration of all recyclable and biodegradable waste. http://www.greens-efa.eu/circular-economy-14330.html
Currently, food waste in the city makes up around 35% of ‘black bin’ waste and is incinerated at the £46m Marsh Barton energy from waste plant site.
Greens have long campaigned for food waste to be collected and processed...
Only 38 per cent of food and drink cans are being recycled by Exeter households, it has been revealed.
The shocking statistics have been released by Exeter City Council in an attempt to encourage people to recycle more as part of National Recycle Week 2015 (22-28 June).
In Exeter, on average, 20 per cent of waste that goes in the city's grey rubbish bins could have been placed in green recycling bins. Research carried out last year showed that of all waste and recycling collected in the city, only 38 per cent of tins and cans were being recycled.
Change of collection day for council’s waste and recycling services to affect half of Cranbrook’s households
All residents to receive letters and bin hangers confirming collection days and dates
In the course of its planned development, East Devon’s newest town, Cranbrook has already grown significantly, which not surprisingly has an impact on the services that we provide, such as the waste and recycling collections. Maintaining the efficiency of this service is one of our priorities – our objective is to keep Cranbrook looking good and to meet our customers’ requirements....
Devon County Council is launching a consultation on Friday (1 May) on its draft guidance for the implementation of the county’s new Waste Plan.
The draft guidance contained in the Supplementary Planning Document has been prepared following a consultation earlier this year on its structure and contents. The feedback from this initial consultation has been used to help shape the draft document, and the County Council is inviting comments by Friday 12 June 2015. Devon’s Waste Plan, which was adopted in December, now forms part of the Development Plan for Devon and is to be considered...
Bids are being invited from innovative schemes which can reduce household waste and increase recycling across Devon.
The Devon Authorities Waste Reduction and Recycling Committee (DAWRRC), which represents a partnership between the seven District Councils, Exeter City Council, Torbay Council and Devon County Council, is offering the Innovation Fund to stimulate new approaches to reducing, reusing or recycling household waste in Devon. From today (13 April) selected schemes have the opportunity to share in a £4,000 fund.
The fund is open to all, including individuals,...
