UK - Finalist

The judges were really impressed with Hackney’s Give or Take days, which give residents the opportunity to give away unwanted items and take others they might want or need, so reducing waste. “There is a great community angle to it,” commented the judges.

Building on the Give or Take concept, Hackney decided to use the events to raise awareness of recycling and waste prevention. The judges praised Hackney’s initiative in arranging for furniture reuse and nappy laundry organisations to attend the events and further promote reuse and waste minimisation.

“They decided to take a little idea and make it into a big event. It works really well and looks very professional.”

Oh well, next year!!!

More about the night winners in here


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London - Hackney, Real Nappies 2005/06

Enlarge picture to read article
This is the story advertised in the Hackney Today on 21 August, 2006. Showing the results of a years worth of real nappy usage in Hackneys waste tonnage.

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London - Freecycle yahoo group

The Freecycle worldwide movement arrived in Hackney in 2006. Although there are many groups within London, I am promoting the Hackney one to help increase the number of members, so more is reused. It ties well with my Give or Takes. They are basically an online site where to give stuff away for free and more, read the add my team added in the Hackney Today local paper.

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International - Survey of Zero Waste initiatives

Extracted from Green Alliance

Can countries, cities or businesses really eliminate waste completely? Is ‘zero waste’ an achievable absolute goal, or more a framing concept within which to develop progressive waste and resource management initiatives? With these questions in mind Green Alliance examined nine international examples where ‘zero waste’ goals or similar objectives have been set to explore the concept and the achievements of the approach in a little more detai.

A number of countries, cities and businesses around the world have adopted a ‘zero waste’ goal. Green Alliance examined a range of these initiatives at the local, regional and national scales with the aim of identifying international practices that are relevant to the ‘closed loop’ vision of transformed resource use. The survey assesses the coherence of the case studies’ objectives, identifies the policy measures put in place to achieve them, evaluates experiences to date and identifies lessons for the UK. The findings and recommendations from this work are given in the paper An international survey of zero waste initiatives (pdf format - 52KB).

A diverse range of approaches were considered: from the high-tech, large-scale waste management systems of consumerist San Francisco; to the locally based, small-scale initiatives in the Philippines. Purely voluntary schemes such as that rolled out in the town of Kamikatsu, Japan were assessed along side the more legislatively based examples such as the region of Flanders, Belgium.

International surveys yield ideas and demonstrate the art of the possible yet can always be dismissed as culturally specific. However, good ideas can always be imported, perhaps with adaptation, if there is the will to change. The case studies highlight that whilst there are some inherent problems with ‘zero waste’ as a concept and as a policy objective, there are nevertheless lessons to be learnt by critically considering the achievements of existing practice, wherever in the world that may be found.

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Shorlisted for The National Recycling Awards!

My birthday has arrived a week early, I have been told that my Give or Take project, has been shortlisted for The National Recycling Awards! Very happy! I am now competing for the best waste minimisation project of the year with:

• Bovis Lend Lease
• CRISP
• Hitech Equipment Ltd
• London Borough of Hackney (My team)

From www.nationalrecyclingawards.com

The awards are now widely recognised as the stamp of excellence in the Recycling Industry. Symbolising success and innovation a National Recycling Award will help generate publicity and increase the status of your business or organisation within the industry and wider business community.

JOIN US ON THE 15TH OF NOVEMBER TO FIND OUT WHO HAS WON! National Recycling Award winners will be presented with their awards at a glittering ceremony to be held at the Bournemouth International Centre on the 15th November 2006. This event is the industry's most glamorous awards event and the audience a who's who of the industry.

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Denmark - Industrial Waste Minimisation working

Using financial support from the Danish EPA, the engineering works and iron foundry Vald. Birn A/S has launched work to minimise waste volumes, by analysing where to find the potential savings and improvements. Efforts to reduce waste volumes resulted in savings of 3,222 tonnes of waste, representing an amount of DKK 2.5 mill.. The project may inspire other companies in the foundry and machine industry. These are great savings - of money as well as other resources.

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London - Hackney, Real Nappy Network

The newsletter for Autumn 2006 from the Hackney Real Nappy Network is out. Check out their website. Also, the Islington Real Nappy Network is forming!

Technorati Tags: waste minimisation Hackney prevention real nappies www.wasteminimisation.com reuse cotton nappies

Europe - Why does the strategy opt for national waste prevention programmes?

One of the findings from the analysis conducted for the strategy is that there is no single waste prevention measure that could work in all Member States, due to the variety of cultural and geographical conditions. Prevention can only be achieved through a basket of measures that are most effective when designed and applied at a national or even regional or local level. The Commission therefore concluded that it would be most effective to require Member States to develop waste prevention programmes, at the same time leaving them the freedom to determine which measures will be most effective. The national waste prevention programmes would be mandatory and would have to be developed within three years of the entry into force of the revised Waste Framework Directive. These programmes must aim at breaking the link between economic growth and the environmental impacts associated to the generation of waste. The Member States must take into consideration the measures listed in Annex four to the proposed Directive and are required to determine targets and indicators for the measures they include in their national programmes. This will be the best way of achieving cost effective waste prevention.

From "Thematic Strategy on the prevention and recycling of waste and the proposal for the revision of the Waste Framework Directive" Look for question 13 to find European headline waste statistics with a single clear reference. A useful FAQ document from the European Commission arms you with statements and a reference

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Ireland- Waste generation problem

Ireland has the highest level of municipal waste generation per capita of all the benchmark countries and manufacturing waste generation per employee is also relatively high. By not generating waste, we can eliminate the need to handle, transport, treat and dispose of waste. We can also avoid having to pay for waste management services. Investing resources in waste prevention and minimisation offers potential long-term benefits for the competitiveness of enterprises of all types. It is imperative for Ireland's future economic growth and environmental sustainability that the necessary resources and commitment to implement the National Waste Prevention Programme 2004-2008 are provided.

From RRF news

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London, Hackney - Give or Take IV

Hackney will be having its fourth Give or Take of the year. This one will take place on 23 September in Queensbridge Sports and Community Centre, Activity Room 1 and Café Room, 30 Holly Street, Dalston, E8 3XW

Since the start of my first event, many other councils in London have held these events, as they are been included in the waste prevention strategies. This will conclude my yearly Give or Take events, I will be writing a short report concluding its success and recommendations to carry on or offer a group to do them for us. Anyway, Give or Take days are a community waste exchange event – an opportunity for residents to give unwanted items like furniture, bikes, toys, tools, books, kitchenware and bric-a-brac, and then take something they might like or need. As well as providing residents with the opportunity to Give or Take unwanted items, the event also helps reduce the amount of waste that builds up in Hackney. It will be a fun, activity-packed community based day with a bouncy castle for kids. I will be posting photos of the goods and the actual tonnages reused by the four events held in the last year.

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MSc Thesis -Mobile phone eco-design

The title of my MSc thesis was: "The effect of WEEE & RoHS Directives upon the eco-design of mobile phones marketed within the European Union" Finished in 2003. This is the abstract plus some graphs.

The obligations set by the waste of electrical and electric equipment directive (WEEE) and the restriction of hazardous substances in electrical and electric equipment directive (RoHS) are looked up upon the ecodesign of mobile phones. The WEEE directive sets a requirement of recyclability target of 65% at least. Various alternatives are examined to enable mobile phone manufacturers achieved this target. The disassembly of the printed wiring board and the liquid crystal display of the mobile phones are also required. Manual disassembly is currently the main cost in the recycling process, for this reason automatic mechanisms alternatives are also examined. Producers are required to provide information to recycling processes on hazardous substances location and disassembly procedures. Bard codes and smart tagging are proposed as possible alternatives. Lead and brominated flame retardants are to be phased out from mobile phones by August 2006. The surveyed companies considered lead which is used for soldering process the most challenging restricted substance in the RoHS directive. Alternatives lead solders are already being used by leading companies. Almost all of the contacted companies use a diverse range of methods in order to meet the requirements. Design changes need to be applied early in the phone development process. Ecodesign tools aid producers into achieving this at an early stage of the phones life cycle.

National mobile subscribers/penetration, 1991-2007

The mobile phone manufacturers that were contacted have mainly over a decade of experience in the production field. They mainly considered themselves to be somewhat above other companies of the same sector in environmental issues. All of them have been researching for design changes for more than two years to date. The public in general is interested in environmental friendly mobile phones, however many would not buy it if prices were slightly higher. Peoples’ awareness on the existence of the directives is totally non existent. Recommendation is suggested for information campaigns awareness to start as soon as is possible.

My methodology was based on literature review, email questionnaires to the public (150 answers) and email/post questionnaires to global mobile phone manufacturers.

Ecodesign is also known as Design for the Environment (DfE) or lifecycle design, see graph below. In most cases an average of 80% of the environmental inputs are fixed during the research and development stage.



These are some of the pie charts for the 150 answers-questionnaire to the general European population.


There is a large difference in responses, showing that Europeans have limits and wont be paying more for a commodity that they already can have without looking further in their pockets. You will always get a niche for an eco product, but the market is reduced. The higher prices should be added compulsory, payed by manufacturers and the public. This is everyones' problem and must be tackled by everyone.

Email me at ander80@gmail.com you want the thesis.doc. Thanks.

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London, Hackney - Furniture reuse birthday

Morph and Hackney Recycling team are getting together to celebrate Morph's first year anniversary. The shop opened on 14 April, 2005. It has been collecting reusable furniture around Hackney since then, and is now expanding even more! The collected furniture is refurbished and sent to the shop. Residents in low income can benefit with the 30% discount priviledge card, however the prices are already low.

Attendance only by confirmation from RSPV (in picture above)

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London, Hackney - No Junk Mail trial

After many events around Hackney and after promoting "No Junk Mail" stickers to residents, I have had different answers to the efficiency of these stickers in letterboxes to stop junk mail getting into houses. I decided to recruit 30 volunteers within the Hackney area to carry out my trial:

• 4 September - 1 October: Start date & 1st phase of trial. We will provide you with 2 cotton bags to collect your junk mail. Collect all junk mail received beginning on September 4. Put it all into the green cotton bag. Let everyone in your household know, so nothing is accidentally thrown away or recycled.

• 2 -7 October: Collection of junk mail. The recycling team will be collecting the green bag with the junk mail. We will contact you to arrange collection.

• 2 October – 29 October: 2nd phase begins. Put your Sticker on your letterbox! On the evening of the 1st of October or very early morning on the 2nd, please stick your ‘no junk mail’ sticker on your letterbox, and get your second green bag out ready to use to collect any junk mail.

• 30 October – 5 November: Collection of junk mail. The recycling team will be collecting the second green bag with the junk mail you collected. We will contact you to arrange collection.

• After 5 November: £20 M&S voucher & green bags returned. After we have successfully collected both bags from the two separate phases we will give you a £20 M&S voucher, and your green cotton recycling bags will be returned!

This is the timetable I sent to those participating to check for the efficiency of the stickers in reducing junk mail. The data will be ready by November. I have been calling every single participant to remind them about the trial start date and clarifying other points to make sure the results is as accurate as possible.

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UK - IKEA against plastic bags

On the 5th of June, IKEA UK will make a pledge to reduce plastic bag usage from 32 million per year to 12 million per year. We will achieve this by encouraging our customers to refrain from using plastic bags by charging 5p per bag. We will reduce the price of the Blue bag to 25p to encourage customers to switch to a re-useable bag. IKEA will not make any profits from this. The profits will be donated to local community forests.

Click here to read their press release. It is very informative. Very proactice like Lidl


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Japan - burger chain abolishes plastic takeout bags

Japanese Mos Food Services, Inc., owner of the Japanese Mos Burger chain, has announced it will stop using plastic takeout bags and introduce transparent corn-based takeout drink cups at all stores in July.

Japan for Sustainability reports that this is the first major fast-food restaurant chain in Japan to introduce biodegradable drink cups at all its stores. Mos Burger expects that the use of such containers will reduce around 130 tons a year of consumption of plastic raw materials, and abandoning plastic bags will reduce oil consumption by around 352 kiloliters (about 1,760 barrels) a year, estimated from the company's use of plastic products in 2005.

Meanwhile, the company has introduced paper takeout bags and reviewed its use of package materials. The new paper bags are made of unbleached paper and cost more than plastic bags, but the company plans to offset the rise in cost by efforts to reduce the number of bags and other packaging used.

Mos Burger also started selling the "Mos My Bag," a new original cotton bag, to encourage customers to use their own takeout bags rather than paper bags. The bag is sold for 700 yen (about US$6) including tax. The company plans to continue shifting to renewable materials from petroleum-based products for its packaging and containers.

From RRF news

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Denmark - Reuse by promoting repairs

The Organic Council (Det Økologiske Råd - DØR) has initiated a project on waste prevention through promotion of repairs. International Waste News from Denmark reports (No. 3, June 2006) that the project will among other investigate whether local repair shops can be established in two locations in Copenhagen. The project will be carried out in cooperation between two agenda centres:

• Agenda centre SundbyØster
• Bispebjerg Environmental Centre.

The starting point of the project is the increasing waste amounts.

Although amounts of waste for landfilling have been reduced, it has not been possible to stop the increase in waste amounts. The project shall test two product groups - electronics and furniture. These have been selected because there is a potential for increased repairs, since a lot is scrapped today when people see no benefit in repairing things. On the other hand there exists a relatively well functioning network of repairmen of e.g. bicycles, cars and white goods. For furniture and electronics with a new price above app. 2000 DKK it must also be assumed that it would be repaired if the item is not totally written-off or outdated. With white goods it must also be taken into consideration that older machines should rather be written-off than repaired, because their power consumption is too high and they may contain CFCs.

Existing internet guides

Already today there exists the site www.repairationsguiden.dk, operated by the Environment and Energy Centre in HØje Tåstrup but which covers the whole country. It is sponsored by several municipalities, including Copenhagen. This site is recommended because it gives an overview of existing groups of goods and municipalities and the connecting repair shops. However it does have shortcomings. One of the barriers of repairs is that most repairmen operate with a starting fee. For electronics it is often e.g. 800 DKK to even examine the problem. Therefore most people will abstain from this solution unless the new price is well over 1000 DKK. The problem is connected to the fact that mostly the retail shop receives the broken electronic item from the customer but do not carry out the repairs themselves. They send the goods somewhere else and hereby the bear considerable costs before even starting to do any repair work. The guide gives the impression that there are already quite a few repairmen in Copenhagen municipality but also that there are areas with very few of them. In terms of furniture repairs there are several in the municipality but must of them do upholstering and do not repair antique furniture.

Only few can do joinery and are able to repair e.g. broken chairs and tables. Extended warranty Another way of securing goods for longer time is to extend the warranty period. This exists today for instance in the radio and television sector, for MP3 recorders etc. where it is possible to get a four year warranty by paying extra. But the Consumer Council is sceptical of these arrangements because there are cases where retailers have not respected these warranties. The project will review whether it is possible to improve these warranty arrangements. The project is implemented in the period 15 May - 31 December 2006

From RRF news

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UK- London, Hackney - Give or Take III

On Saturday 8 July at Daubeney Primary School, the Hackney council recycling team will be holding the 3rd Give or Take Day for local Hackney residents.

Give or Take days are a community waste exchange event – an opportunity for residents to give unwanted items like furniture, bikes, toys, tools, books, kitchenware and bric-a-brac, and then take something they might like or need. As well as providing residents with the opportunity to give or take unwanted items, the event also helps reduce the amount of waste that builds up in Hackney.

I am aiming to get as many people to this event as possible so if you would like to send this post, please click below on the letter caption to "Email post" to friends or relatives. It will be a fun, activity-packed community based day.

Check previous goods from the 2nd Give or Take we held in Woodberry Down, N4.

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UK- London, Hackney - Be Recreative

Hackney council celebrated The Big Recycle 2006 at Hackney Council's BIG Recycle Day on Saturday 3rd June at London Fields Park. This year Hackney hosted a family fun day with the Reuse theme on mind, including mini reuse workshops, face painting, bouncy castle and stalls with participation from organisations including ecoACTIVE, Morph. In addition to these activities, the day also showcased artwork from children from four local schools- Hackney Free and Parochial, Mossbourne Community Academy, London Fields Primary and St John the Baptist Primary. This exhibition was the culmination of the BeReCreative project, which aimed to get children thinking creatively within the framework of "reduce and "reuse" by making use of materials that would have been discarded.

Two local artists have been working with two schools each to help design and create artowrks, useful household items, musical instruments or any other concept using recyclable materials. Prizes were awarded to all four schools. The best innovative work was based on sustainability, the amount of material used, aesthetics and functionality.

The weather on that saturday really helped and people created pledges and sticked them on 30 green boxes laid out in the field. These are some of the photos of the day:








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USA - Waste Free lunches

Lunches are known to create an incredible amount of waste, originated from packaging. The site Waste Free Lunch dedicated to this problem. Their data is based in USA statistics, however any developed countries will be able to use their information to apply similar projects, for schools or offices.

Most parents pack lunch items in single-use plastic bags, aluminum foil, or wax paper, or they purchase single-serving items that come in their own disposable package. Admittedly, these products are extremely convenient, but what is the environmental cost to a country that relies so heavily on them? Landfills are full and overflowing. Incinerators pump contaminants into the air.

Much of the trash we generate comes from the packaging on the food we buy, and lunch foods are no exception. In fact, it has been estimated that on average a school-age child using a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds (30kg) of waste per school year. That equates to 18,760 pounds (8,500 Kg) of lunch waste for just one average-size elementary school.

What can we do to reduce lunch waste? Start local! Start a waste-free lunch program at your school. Many schools across USA have begun to do so, and they're truly making a difference!

A waste-free lunch program is a process of educating students, parents, and school staff about where our trash ends up and how we, as individuals, can reduce the amount of trash we generate. Waste-free lunch programs favor the use of reusable food containers, drink containers, utensils, and napkins. They discourage the use of disposable packaging, such as prepackaged foods, plastic bags, juice boxes and pouches, paper napkins, and disposable utensils.

What does a waste-free lunch look like?

*With this type of lunch, lunch food items can be bought in larger quantities. The packaging can be left at home for reuse or recycling. Waste-free lunches are not only a wise environmental choice, but they are less expensive as well.


What does it cost to pack a waste-free lunch?

A Disposable Lunch, 1 egg salad sandwich, ($1.25), 1 yogurt (.85), 1 granola bar, (.45), 1 apple (.30), 1 package of carrots and dip (.65), 3 plastic bags (.12), 1 juice pouch (.35), 1 plastic spoon (.04), 1 paper napkin (.01)
TOTAL: $4.02

A Waste-free Lunch, 1 egg salad sandwich ($1.25), 1 serving of yogurt (.50), 1 serving of granola (.35), 1 apple (.30), 1 serving of carrots and dip (.25), water (0), cloth napkin (0), stainless steel spoon (0), packaging (0)
TOTAL: $2.65

723.60 - 477.00 = $246.60 savings per school year per kid

For more information and valuable literature go to www.wastefreelunches.org

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International - Bulletproof Packaging Punishes Consumers

The problem with the increasing use of packaging in electronic goods, annoys every kind of customer.
We're fed up with impenetrable packaging. We've all experienced those oyster-like packing materials, where even the sharpest knife in the drawer won't put a dent in them. Then you get out the industrial-strength pruning shears, make a few cuts, and the result? Shards of plastic that are sharper than a scalpel. The folks at Wired have put together a diatribe about the status of consumer electronics packaging today, and it's a satisfying read:

From Psyclone electronics cables encased in impenetrable layers of thick plastic to DigiPower camera batteries coated with packaging several times the size of the item itself, the hardest part of buying electronics these days is opening the products when you get them home. In many cases, it makes solving Halo 2 seem like a kindergarten project.

In honor of this packaging nightmare, Consumer Reports has created the annual Oyster Awards, shaming the creators of the hardest-to-open packages. It's no wonder hospital emergency rooms report significant increases in deep lacerations from product packaging during the week after Christmas. Sure, product manufactures want to make it so that products are hard to shoplift, but this is getting ridiculous. Commenters, any packaging horror stories?

Extracted from Gizmodo

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Australia - 3 billion plastic bags cut

The Australian Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, today praised supermarket shoppers and operators for cutting three billion plastic bags from circulation during the past two years. He said a report compiled by the Australian National Retailers Association, representing major supermarkets, showed that by the end of last year supermarkets had reduced their annual use of lightweight, single-use bags by 45 per cent compared with 2002.

"This is an enormous achievement by shoppers and supermarket management and a clear demonstration of a behavioural change by thousands of Australians," Senator Campbell said. "The cutback means fewer bags in the litter stream. The goal must be to stop plastic bags getting into the litter stream and spoiling Australia's environment. The initiatives introduced by supermarkets to cut back on the number of bags issued, the eagerness of shoppers to be part of the campaign and the take-up of re-usable bags have all contributed to this win for the environment. It is important to bear in mind that this outstanding result came from entirely voluntary action - no regulations, no levies or additional costs to shoppers. There will be some predictable complaints that the 50% reduction goal was missed and therefore the campaign failed. While 50% would have been better, 45% is still an outstanding result and it would be nonsense to portray it otherwise. I am delighted that the major supermarkets are committed to achieving the 50% goal by the end of this year".

From RRF news

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US - Wired article

The computer magazine WIRED, has an article on "The Next Green Revolution", read it, is interesting to see how the green issue is going to all sectors. One of the paragraphs mentions the efficiency of resource and wasting less:

"Efficiency creates value. The number one US industrial product is waste. Waste is worse than stupid; it's costly, which is why we're seeing businesspeople in every sector getting a jump on the competition by consuming less water, power, and materials. What's true for industry is true at home, too: Think well-insulated houses full of natural light, cars that sip instead of guzzle, appliances that pay for themselves in energy savings."

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Internaltional - Compost Awareness Week 2006

Compost Awareness Week 2006 is an annual showcase for composting in the UK. Organised by the Composting Association, it aims to raise the profile of compost and composting amongst the public and the media. This years the compost week is between the 7th to the 13th of May, 2006.

The initiative came to England from Canada six years ago and is an international education initiative to showcase the production of compost and demonstrate its uses. During the week, all kinds of organisations involved with compost - from manufacturers to local authorities and retailers - are encouraged to get involved and hold events to promote the use and benefits of compost in their local area.

Hackney and many other boroughs in London and UK wide are raising the benefits of composting through various events and workshops. Above an image of the poster which will be around Hackney soon.

This is a graphic extracted from WRAPs compost website (pdf file)



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Hackney Real Nappy Network

They just released their 1st newsletter. This group of mums are really setting an example in London! Click the image


They got together thanks to the efforts of Nappy Ever After, Hackney Council (Recycling) and above all Hackney mums on 22 June 2005. The same day Hackney launched their £51 subsidy to help cut the cost of purchasing real nappies.

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UK- Real Nappy Week approaching

Why use real nappies?

Around 3% of waste in the UK comes from disposable nappies. This is equivalent to the weight of nearly 70,000 double decker buses each year. Real cotton nappies are easy to use, soft on the skin and don’t contain absorbent gels. Real nappies are cheaper. You could save around £500 per baby if your wash your own nappies. Hackney Council and its neighbouring boroughs (Camden, Islington, Enfield , Waltham Forest , Haringey & Barnet ) offers a £54 subsidy for you to start using real nappies, whether you choose a nappy laundry service or to home launder them. Fully funded by the North London Waste Authority.

Laundry Services operating in North London:
• Nappy Ever After
• Number One for Nappies

This is the leaflet our team produced for the events in Hackney Real Nappy Week, come along!





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USA - San Francisco group resists new purchases

The power of the internet harvest the potential of the Compactors from the group The Compact set up in San Francisco.

The question is What would happen if you gave up shopping for a year? The Guardian reports that a group in San Francisco, calling themselves the Compactors, have agreed not to buy anything new (apart from items related to food, health and work) for the whole of 2006. It's not even as easy as it sounds.

What about underwear? (All other clothing must be bought second-hand, but underwear has been exempted.) Is the carbon footprint of a bought can of beans greater or smaller than making them yourself at home?

The Yahoo group set up by the Compactors has become an interesting documentation of the questions that beset many consumers, but it also offers helpful suggestions (and has a links page that illustrates just how hard many people are thinking about these things - for example, every month San Francisco holds the Really Really Free market where everything is swapped). There are ways of crocheting bath rugs out of plastic bags, recipes for making paper, eulogies about growing your own food and spats about whether religion plays a part in this mindset. This is very similar to the Give or Take events taking place around Europe and in London, Hackney.

The Compact has several aims (more or less prioritized below):

We are a group of individuals committed to a 12-month flight from the consumer grid (calendar year 2006).

To go beyond recycling in trying to counteract the negative global environmental and socioeconomic impacts of disposable consumer culture and to support local businesses, farms, etc. -- a step that, we hope, inherits the revolutionary impulse of the Mayflower Compact.
To reduce clutter and waste in our homes (as in trash Compact-er).
To simplify our lives (as in Calm-pact)

Their blog, click here
Their Yahoo Group, click here


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UK - paint scheme diverts 151,000 litres from landfill

Research published by environmental consultancy SWAP shows that the paint reuse scheme Community RePaint increased the amount of paint it diverted from landfill by 15 per cent last year. Between August 2004 and July 2005, 151,500 litres of paint were redistributed by the network's 62 schemes, an increase of 19,000 litres on the previous year.
The paint was donated by members of the public at household waste recycling centres, DIY retailers and to the schemes directly. It has been used in a variety of innovative ways from decorating a lighthouse in Cardiff to painting murals. The Community RePaint network also provides additional social benefits through the creation of employment and volunteering opportunities, supporting 72 part time and full time jobs and 138 voluntary positions.

From: Resource Recovery Forum

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USA - Pay-As-You-Throw Programs (PAYT)

Traditionally, municipal solid waste collection and disposal services have been financed through property taxes or by fixed annual fees charged to households. At the same time, households are charged according to their rate of use for other utilities such as water and sewer service or electricity. As a result, residents often mistakenly perceive that solid waste services are free because of the separation between cost of services and how they pay for them. Citizens have little direct financial incentive to reduce the amount of waste they produce. Also, because each household is generally charged the same amount, small generators subsidize garbage services for those who throw away more.

Many local governments are adopting Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) programs for both curbside and drop-off collection systems. With PAYT, also known as “variable rate financing” or “unit pricing,” customers are charged by weight, by volume, or by a combination of the two per unit of garbage disposed. Market-based approaches such as these are proving to be important tools for dealing with environmental issues. With only a dozen PAYT programs in the late 1980s, the United States now has more than 4,000 communities with such programs.1 PAYT programs have been mandated in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. More than 30 North Carolina communities are using or are part of larger (county-run) PAYT programs.

Benefits of PAYT: These programs offer a myriad of benefits for local governments. Furthermore, PAYT programs can be structured to maximize particular benefits. Some benefits of PAYT are:

• Economic Incentives to Reduce – PAYT creates a direct link between waste disposal and cost resulting in a true economic incentive to reduce the amount of waste generated and recycle as much as possible.

• Reduced Solid Waste Tonnage – In most communities, the realization of costs associated with waste management results in a decreased tonnage of waste to be disposed. This decrease is attributable to both source reduction and increased recycling. A reduction in the tonnage of waste disposed generally results in savings from reduced tipping fees.

• Increased Recycling – The easiest way system users can save money is through increasing recycling. Increases will vary in size based on public education programs and the level of services available. Communities that receive revenues from recycling will see an increase in recycling revenues, however, these revenue increases may be quickly off-set by increased recycling hauling costs.

To read more go to this pdf link

EPA's website is very comprehensive, read the FAQ page to learn more. It's worth reading this website to case studies. This map was extracted from this website



Technorati Tags: ander waste minimisation PAYT recycling waste prevention www.wasteminimisation.com EPA

Japan - Bring your own cup

Japan - Trade Ministry tests "bring your own cup" vending machines

The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry has installed a vending machine that allows consumers to use their own cups when they purchase drinks in the elevator lobby of the ministry building. Japan for Sustainability reports that the aim is to conduct research on consumer behaviour and convenience. This experiment, the first of its kind undertaken by a government or other public office, started on November 1, 2005.

There are about 160,000 paper cup vending machines in Japan, and it is estimated that about 2 billion paper cups are consumed every year. Should "Bring Your Own Cup" vending machines come into common use, consumption of paper cups is expected to decrease by 20 to 50% .The ministry pins high hopes on the spread of BYO cup vending machines as an effective way to reduce consumption of containers and packaging.


From: RRF news

Technorati Tags: ander waste minimisation Japan vending cups recycling waste prevention www.wasteminimisation.com

Waste of packaging finalist from Treehugger

Here a Treehugger article from their blog

"For those of us who still think a good peanut butter and jelly sandwhich is manna from the heavens, Kathleen Robinson's entry into the contest is especially heartbreaking - individually wrapped peanut butter slices. Obviously, individually wrapping each "slice" of peanut butter creates quite a bit more packaging than a simple jar would. However, Kathleen thinks she may have an even better idea, "It seems to me the inventor of this "unsticky" peanut butter could have simply sold his peanut butter in blocks, like cheese, that could be sliced with a cheese cutter (creating even less waste than a regular peanut butter jar?). Consumers could maybe even use a cheese grater on a block of peanut butter, creating shredded peanut butter, which I imagine would be good for cookies, or icecream." We're still not sold on "unsticky" peanut butter, however Kathleen's block o' peanut butter looks much better than a pile of plastic any day. Check out the picture after the jump..."

The different comments from Gizmondo and Treehugger blogs are obviuos, the Gizmondo ones are more happy to find out where they are sold, caring zero to nothing about the whole idea of the packaging waste headache(not all though!) and Treehuggers are criticizing more the packaging problem in our shops and bins.

Technorati tags: waste prevention rubbish recycling peanut gizmondo butter treehuggers packaging peanut butter

Zero Waste - Introduction

Zero Waste is a movement to emulate natural cyclical processes where no waste exists. It will require to re-design our resource-use system. Every stage of any resource-use process must be so designed as to ensure that nothing is generated as an output, deliberately or otherwise, that does not become a useful input into another process. Any output that is destined for land, sea or air should not be a threat to planetary, animal or plant health. It seeks replace waste management with resource management.

While this is a laudible aspiration it is difficult to see how the transition from our current consumerist society could be managed as many items have been designed for a limited lifespan and will require disposal. However, this initiative provides a solution to pollution and depleting natural resources.

The movement gained publicity and reached a peak in 1998-2002, and since then has been moving from "theory into action" by focusing on how a "Zero Waste Community" is structured and behaves. The website of the Zero Waste International Alliance has a listing of communities across the globe that have created public policy to promote Zero Waste practices. See also the Eco-Cycle website for examples of how this large nonprofit is leading Boulder County, Colorado on a Zero Waste path and watch a 6-minute video about the Zero Waste big picture. Finally, there is a USA Zero Waste organization named the GrassRoots Recycling Network that puts on workshops and conferences about Zero Waste activities.

Extracted from Wikipedia

Tehcnorati Tags: Zero Waste wikipedia environment reuse Eco-Cycle GrassRoots

England - Government consults on waste strategy

England - Government consults on waste strategy

New targets to recycle up to half of all household waste is just one of a number of proposals in a major consultation on the Government's strategy for waste in England.

Launching the consultation, Minister for Local Environment Quality, Ben Bradshaw said "We've made some really positive progress since 2000: recycling and composting of household waste has doubled, nearly 50 per cent of packaging waste is being recycled and less waste is being sent to landfill. We need to put more effort into producing less waste in the first place, before considering how to make more use of the waste which is left by reusing, recycling, composting or using it as a fuel".

In a YouGov survey for Defra, only 3% of people always think about how they are going to get rid of the everyday items they buy when they no longer need or want it, half of people admitted that it never crosses their minds. Indeed, many people thought they were paying more for waste collection, treatment and disposal than they actually were. Most people (38%) think that it currently costs local authorities £10 per week to collect and deal with their household waste, in fact it is on average just £2 per household.

Among the measures being proposed are:

*Greater focus on producing less waste in the first place by:
• developing a greater emphasis on eco-design
• increased engagement with businesses and householders on waste prevention
• more agreements with businesses to take greater responsibility for their products at the end of their life

*New recycling and composting targets for household waste are proposed:
• 40% in 2010
• 45% by 2015
• 50% by 2020

Recovering more resources from businesses waste with new targets for a reduction in the proportion of commercial and industrial waste landfilled, more help for small businesses and a more joined up approach in managing waste from different sources facilitated by local authorities and regional bodies.

Making proper use of new investment to recover energy from waste as an alternative to landfill, but not at the expense of practical waste prevention and recycling by seeing a more modest growth than original estimates. It is proposed to set a target for 67% recovery of waste by 2015 by recycling, composting, energy from waste (incineration, pyrolysis and gasification) and digestion with at least 45% composting and recycling.

The consultation paper Review of England's Waste Strategy A Consultation Document February 2006 (0.8MB) is available from Defra's website

On leave

I will be on leave until monday the 20th. Thanks

Give or Take - Hackney

...leaflet to promote the event...

The Give or Take that I organized for the 21 January in Woodberry Down area, Hackney, London was another success. We had plenty of stuff! From bric-a-brac to large furniture, including 15 chairs, that were all taken! Hackney residents are happy to have these kind of events happening in the borough. 1 tonne of goods were reused and hardly any was disposed.

I read this article "Give and take": People flock to Freecycle.org to find new homes for unwanted goods in the NCTimes, from North San Diego and Southwest Riverside County News, USA. It says "an exploding online community of creative recyclers: The Freecycle Network, where thousands of San Diegans are coming together to give and take free stuff. " There is also a UK version as well as other many other countries.

These are some of the goods that came and left on that day:

A very old radio, no FM, but still nice looking vintage

Some of the furniture that was given but also, lets remember "Taken"!

There were also plenty of soft toys and games for kids to take home, which is great for those parents that cant afford it

Stickers are put on top of large furniture/goods so is known that it has been taken

...also books are a major given goods in the day, some very old, others only days new. Some of them are given to charity if they are not taken

Tehcnorati Tags: freecycle hackney environment reuse San Diego
california Give or Take

Scotland waste is growing at an alarming rate !

The Scottish Executive Environment Group Preventing Household Waste in Scotland A Consultation Paper

The amount of household waste produced in Scotland is growing at an alarming rate and if changes aren't made it may double within 20 years. The average Scottish consumer wastes £1597 per year on goods and services that they don't use, £438 of this is uneaten food.

In a bid to stem this disturbing growth in waste, the Scottish Executive and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) have published a consultation paper detailing actions which could be taken by everyone. Questions are being asked of designers, retailers, consumers and local authorities and include;

• What more can be done to promote ecodesign in Scotland, and what can be done to lengthen the lifespan of products?
• What further action could be taken to minimise packaging waste and would deposit-refund schemes be the answer?
• What information on products should be used to help people choose low waste alternatives?
• Should we look further at charging households for the amount of waste they produce?
• What could be done to reduce the amount of junk mail we all receive, and the numbers of plastic bags that we consume?

What is waste prevention?

There are a number of definitions of waste prevention. The consultation document takes it to mean:
• Strict avoidance - the complete prevention of waste generation by, for example, reducing unnecessary consumption
• Reduction - reducing waste by designing and consuming products which generate less waste
• Product re-use - re-using a product in its original form, for its original purpose or for an alternative use
• Qualitative waste prevention - reducing the hazardousness of waste.

What policy tools are available to tackle waste prevention?

There are a range of policy instruments to tackle waste prevention, including:

• Economic instruments. e.g. taxes. Fiscal measures are a reserved matter for HM
Treasury, although local taxation is a devolved matter.
• Incentives e.g. deposit-refund schemes.
• Legislation e.g. producer responsibility legislation, bans on certain hazardous
materials and on certain materials going to landfill, direct and variable charging for
the collection of household waste.
• Education and awareness raising, to change values/attitudes and then behaviour, e.g.
‘resource efficient shopping’, home composting, real nappies.
• Voluntary agreements and partnerships such as supply chain and community
partnerships, e.g. on product design and packaging, take back/reuse, and direct
marketing.

“Local authorities are well placed to take a lead on waste prevention and are key in engaging local communities to take part in waste prevention activities.” Women’s Environmental Network.

Page 25 discusses Local Authorities role on waste prevention measures

You can download this file (pdf) in here

Europe - top priority to waste prevention

The EU waste strategy gives top priority to waste prevention, followed by treatment measures such as recycling, re-use, incineration (with energy recovery), and as a last resort, landfilling. Precluding the increasing quantities of municipal waste from landfilling is forecasted to lead to an increase in the volume of incinerated waste across the EU and expand the related recycling market.

So lets remember whats coming, or what needs to be done to improve the current situation within prevention/minimisation schemes.

Australia report shows 27.7% reduction in plastic bag use likely in 2005

Good news from Australia!

Consultants Nolan-ITU have published an update report providing estimates on the use of single-use lightweight plastic carry bags in the period January to June 2005, and compares these figures against the December 2002 baseline.

The report draws the following conclusions:

There is clear evidence from bag import data and Australian bag manufacturers that there has been a reduction in bag usage in Australia between 2002 and 2004, which has continued into 2005.

It is estimated the reduction in lightweight HDPE bags from 2002 to the end of 2005 will be 27.7% or 1.65 billion bags per year.

The reduction in the supermarket sector is estimated to be higher than other retail sectors reflecting a higher level of activity by companies and community organisations in these stores. It is estimated that the 2002-2005 reduction in the supermarket sector is 33% or higher if adjusted for store growth.

The reduction in LDPE shopping bags has been more significant in 2005, with imports dropping an estimated 68.5% from 2002 imports. Industry observations are that the reductions in bag use over the past two years are the result of increased consumer awareness, better staff training and the more widespread availability and use of heavier duty reusable carry bags.

In 2003, the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) challenged Australian retailers to establish a National Code of Practice for the Management of Plastic Bags which included a range of targets relating to the reduction and recycling of retail carry bags. These targets included a 25% reduction in the number of HDPE bags issued by end of 2004 against the base of December 2002 and a 50% reduction by the end of 2005.

In response to this challenge, the Australian Retailers' Association (ARA) developed a Code of Practice for the Management of Plastic Bags. This included a commitment to the EPHC targets. The ARA Code focuses on HDPE carry bags. (It was estimated in 2002 that HDPE bags account for over 85% of total carry bags by number.) The ARA submitted a report to the EPHC on the progress of activity (including progress against the target of 25% bag reduction by the end of 2004).

A further report in early 2005 reported progress to end of 2004. The ARA has submitted a further report to the EPHC on the progress of activity in September 2005. In August 2005 the Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH) engaged Nolan-ITU to undertake a study to report on bag usage over the period January to June 2005. The aim of the study is to identify the level of bag use across all retail sectors and to compare this to data presented in December 2002.

The methodology utilised in the study is therefore focussed primarily on data obtained at a bag manufacturers' and import level. Where possible, supporting data has also been obtained from retailers across many retail sectors.

Copies of the interim report Plastic Retail Carry Bag Use 2002 - 2005 Consumption (0.2 MB)
Download the pdf from the DEH's website

Info provided by RRF email subscription

Canada - Quebec's Bill 390 to ban plastic bags "a step backward for the environment"

The bag debate is an open one, here we can find an anti-biodegradable bag views:

Quebec. A private member's bill introduced in the Quebec National Assembly is an intervention in search of a 'problem'. Bill 390 would prohibit plastic shopping bags that are non-biodegradable. What is the rationale? Is it a concern over litter? The amount of residential waste going to landfill?

Here are the facts:

Independent audit studies have shown that plastic shopping bags account for less than half of one per cent of litter - Plastic shopping bags account for less than 1% of residential solid waste in landfill sites

More than half of all plastic shopping bags are re-used

The domestic plastics industry was the first in the world to work with government to implement curbside collection programs for plastic shopping bags, and Quebec has been a major supporter of these recycling programs. More importantly, Bill 390 likely would have negative consequences for the environment. If only biodegradable plastic shopping bags are permitted, those bags that do go to landfill will decompose - releasing leachates into the groundwater and methane gas into the atmosphere. That's why countries around the world are moving to reduce biodegradable materials in landfill. For example, the European Union has set out statutory diversion targets to reduce the amount of biodegradables in landfill by 65% over the next 15 years. Bill 390 flies in the face of modern landfill management practices, and would move Quebec backward - not forward - in protecting the environment. This bill could also create other problems. Some municipalities in the province have already publicly expressed their concerns about the potential negative impact of biodegradable plastic shopping bags on their recycling programs - for example, contaminating the recycling stream, causing sorting problems, and increasing costs.

Plastic bag manufacturers take seriously their commitment to product stewardship. The industry works with retailers to promote the proper packing and use of bags. It works with municipalities to expand curbside recycling. It helps to develop viable markets for recycled plastic bags. It provides consumer information about re-use and recycling."Our goal is to keep as many plastic shopping bags as possible out of landfill," said Denis Cloutier, Chair of the Canadian Plastics Industry Association (CPIA). "But for those bags that do go to landfill, biodegradability is not the answer. Bill 390 would do more harm than good. It would hamper efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and meet our Kyoto commitments. It could disrupt existing recycling efforts.""The bill shows a lack of understanding of the facts," Cloutier added. "For all of these reasons, we expect it will be defeated."The Canadian Plastics Industry Association represents the broad plastics sector, including resin suppliers, mold and machinery equipment manufacturers, processors, reprocessors, brokers and recyclers.

In Canada, plastic bag manufacturers employ more than 3,000 people.

Well, my opinion, plastic bags wont desintegrate easily, but when do they after many years or even centuries, it will decompose into harmful chemicals, which end up in the water streams. How many people does the biodegrabable bag manufactures employ? and the recycling sector?

We need more credit, less rubbish.

South Korea - rubbish bag prices to rise 40%

The government of South Korea has decided to raise the prices of plastic garbage bags by some 40% over the next three years to encourage businesses and households to generate less waste.The Korea Times reports that the Ministry of Environment said on that the price of a 20-litre plastic garbage bag for household use would increase to an average of 540 won (55 cents) by 2008 from the current 384 won. Korean households and businesses are required to purchase and use specific garbage bags issued by their respective municipal governments when disposing waste. They also need to separate recyclable items from conventional waste that are put into the garbage bags and buried in landfills.

Local governments set their own prices for garbage bags whose colors and designs are different from one municipality to another. The bags issued by a certain municipal government cannot be used in other cities and provinces. Meanwhile, the ministry said South Korea has saved a total of 7.7 trillion won on waste disposal costs over the past decade when the government introduced the current volume-rate garbage disposal system. The country has also earned 311 billion won from recycling various items over the same period, according to the ministry. It said Korea's daily per-capita waste generation decreased 23 percent to 1.03 kilograms in 2004 from 1.33 kilograms in 1994, while the amount of recycling rose 175 percent.The per-capita figure is less than the average of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) member nations as citizens in 30 countries generated a daily average of 1.56 kilograms of waste per person. The ministry says the majority of Koreans are satisfied with the effectiveness of the volume-rate garbage disposal system in reducing the amount of waste. In a survey of 700 respondents nationwide, about 85 percent gave positive responses on the system, while 10 percent disapproved of it.The ministry says a substantial number of households, particularly in rural areas, still illegally incinerate and dump garbage to avoid paying for the garbage bags. It plans to improve the current reward system for those who report illegal activities regarding waste disposal, and encourage municipal governments to computerize garbage collection and disposal procedures.

From ResourceNotWaste

Waste Implementation Programme: Waste Minimisation

The U.K. Government set out its vision for sustainable waste management in Waste Strategy 2000, the national waste strategy. They are also committed to reducing the amount of biodegradable municipal waste landfilled, in accordance with European Directives.

The Waste Implementation Programme responds to measures recommended by the Strategy Unit report "Waste Not, Want Not" on local authority support; R&D; and waste minimisation, awareness and kerbside collection.

The Waste Minimisation programme began in 2003 and will work to stem the growth of household waste, as a vital part of the package of measures needed to enable the UK to meet the requirements of the Landfill Directive and move towards sustainable waste management

Their objective aims to support the UK’s objectives by achieving household waste reduction equivalent to deflecting the annual rate of waste increase from 3% to 2% by fiscal end 2006

A major retailers initiative, seeking to work with the top five supermarket chains - both challenging them and supporting them to play their part in the key objective set for reduction of growth of household waste. These are the three key programmes:

• The WRAP Home Composting Scheme (Compost)
• Retailer Initiative & Innovation Fund (Supermarket packaging)
• The WRAP Real Nappy programme (Washable or Real Nappies)

Very interesting document!

International waste minimisation initiatives - Defra commissioned Enviros Consulting to look at the waste minimisation initiatives in other countries. Enviros published its report International waste prevention and reduction practice in October 2004. Please note that although this report was produced for Defra, it is only for information and does not reflect Government policy. N.B. The copyright in this report belongs to Enviros Consulting Ltd.

International waste prevention and reduction practice: final report (358 KB)

Mr Paper - Reuse scrap paper in the office

I started a Mr Paper scheme within the office. Reuse scrap paper and print less.

Follow these points:

*First of all make sure what you printing is really necessary, don’t just print to make yourself feel better, remember this is a resource that comes from trees, in our case recycled paper.
*If you DO print, check out some simple printing steps:

o Double sided: Print double sided if you have got a large document. (Ask me if you don’t know how to)
o For small number of pages

* Reduce the font
* Delete spaces so that there isn’t a single sentence on just one page
* “2 sheets per paper”: Go to “Print” check the Zoom section, click sheets per paper and choose “2 sheets per paper”
* Keep sheets with a blank side and put it in the Scrap Paper tray next to the printer
* The printer should have scrap paper as default. If you need to print in plain paper, load it yourself, remember to take any left plain paper out of the tray when you finish.

It is vital staff know about it, so if they dont know go one by one and show them what you mean by the above instructions

Results

Mr Paper was first launched in April 2005. It took several weeks for the office to get used to the scheme. Once everyone was aware the team has saved an estimated minimum of 1 ream of 500 sheets a month = 4,500 sheets in 9 months, therefore saving around £115.

April-Nov’05

Plain Paper: 25 reams (13,000 sheets)
Scrap paper: 9 ream* (4,500 sh.)
Money Saved: ~£115
Money Spent: ~£315
Total paper used: 34 reams (17,500 sh)
Total money saved: 35%

Notes:
*Minimum one ream a month
Our paper is sometimes used for the photocopier as well

Summary

* Scrap paper amounts to a quarter of current printing/copying practices. Mr paper believes scrap paper amounts to at least half of our current printing within the recycling team. Most of the plain paper goes to the copy machine used by others in the same floor
* We have saved £115 in 9 months
* The green champion rescues scrap paper from the internal recycling bins when emptying them for the weekly collection. Needs more scrap paper to come from the officers
* Envirowise stated that the average office worker consumes 3 reams (1,500 sheets) a month. We use around 4 reams per month between 6 staff
* Fax machine: This can not be loaded with scrap paper as for unknown reasons it keeps jamming. Unwanted fax prints are still deposited in the scrap tray. Try anyway first