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New report highlights problem of oxo-degradable plastics in recycling
12.03.2010 - It is "unreasonable" to claim that oxo-degradable plastics can be processed in existing recycling streams, states a new study funded by the British Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). After reviewing the existing literature and interviewing 
more - It is "unreasonable" to claim that oxo-degradable plastics can be processed in existing recycling streams, states a new study funded by the British Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). After reviewing the existing literature and interviewing stakeholders along the product life-cycle, researchers at Loughborough University said, "The uncertainties surrounding the effect of oxo-degradable plastics on the conventional plastics recycling process means that the safest solution is to keep oxo-degradable plastics out of mainstream plastics recycling processes." The report, entitled, "Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Oxo-degradable Plastics Across Their Life Cycle", said incineration was the best means of disposal for oxo-degradable plastics, followed by landfill as the degradability of the material made it unsuitable for reuse.
More waste glass collected in Austria
11.03.2010 - According to figures released by Glas Recycling GmbH (AGR), 226,000 tonnes of waste glass packaging were collected last year in Austria. Compared with 2008, this represented an increase of 1,700 tonnes. "With this volume, Austria cements its position as one more - According to figures released by Austria Glas Recycling GmbH (AGR), 226,000 tonnes of waste glass packaging were collected last year in Austria. Compared with 2008, this represented an increase of 1,700 tonnes. "With this volume, Austria cements its position as one of the Europe's leading recycling nations and has achieved a recycling rate of over 80 per cent," said AGR's managing director Gerhard Lacher. Some 204,920 tonnes of waste glass were sourced from households. An average of 25.5m kg of glass per capita were recycled.
WEEE Forum members collected more than 2m tonnes of WEEE
10.03.2010 - The 39 European producer responsibility organisations represented in the WEEE Forum collected and properly treated and reported more than 2m tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in the year 2009. The umbrella organisation, more - The 39 European producer responsibility organisations represented in the WEEE Forum collected and properly treated and reported more than 2m tonnes of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) in the year 2009. The umbrella organisation, which announced these figures on Monday, reported that this represented a share of almost two thirds of all recorded WEEE collection in Europe. In 2008, the WEEE Forum members collected about 1.5m tonnes of scrap equipment.
Shanks ends takeover talks with Carlyle Group
09.03.2010 - The British waste company Shanks Group plc has ended buy-out discussions with a fund managed by the US investment house The Carlyle Group. According a 9 March statement by Shanks, the decision to discontinue talks came after the private equity firm had proposed a final more - The British waste company Shanks Group plc has ended buy-out discussions with a fund managed by the US investment house The Carlyle Group. According a Wednesday statement by Shanks, the decision to discontinue talks came after the private equity firm had proposed a final price indication of 120 pence per share on Monday. Carlyle's Monday offer was 12.5 per cent less than initially offered late last year. On 7 December 2009, Shanks reported that Carlyle had made an unsolicited offer of around GBP536m (ca. €590m, 135 pence per share) for the waste management company. Shank's management had responded at that time that "a cash offer of 150 pence per share or more would deliver an appropriate value to shareholders."
Veolia’s waste operations record 9 per cent drop in turnover
05.03.2010 - The waste management and environmental services division of French group Veolia Environnement recorded generated revenues of EUR 9.055bn in 2009. Compared with the previous year’s sales of EUR 9.972bn, this is a 9 per cent drop. Announcing the past more - The waste management and environmental services division of French group Veolia Environnement recorded generated revenues of EUR 9.055bn in 2009. Compared with the previous year’s sales of EUR 9.972bn, this is a 9 per cent drop. Announcing the past year’s results in Paris on Friday, Veolia attributed the decline to lower waste and the drop in secondary raw materials prices and volumes. While sales grew as a result of price increases for services, achieved mainly in the UK and North America, they were offset by unfavourable exchange rate movements.
ECJ rules against Italy over Campania waste crisis
04.03.2010 - In a judgment issued on Thursday, the European Court of Justice confirmed that the waste management crisis in Naples and the surrounding Campania region constituted a breach of EU environmental law and endangered human health and the environment. more - In a judgment issued on Thursday, the European Court of Justice confirmed that the waste management crisis in Naples and the surrounding Campania region constituted a breach of EU environmental law and endangered human health and the environment. The Court found that the considerable amount of waste which piled up in temporary storage and along roadsides in 2007 and 2008 revealed a structural deficit in the region’s waste management’s infrastructure. The Court also rejected the argumentation of Italy’s government that factors such as local opposition to new waste management plants, the failure of contractors to build new facilities in time and the presence of criminal activity constitute force majeure, which would have meant that the country could not be held responsible for the breach of EU law.
Tight supplies buoy recovered paper prices in Italy
03.03.2010 - Recovered paper buyers again had to swallow price increases for ordinary and medium recovered paper grades in Italy in February. As a rule, prices for these grades climbed up to €10 per tonne compared with January, although higher prices had apparently been asked and paid in some places. Prices for higher grades also moved up during the month of February, more - Recovered paper buyers again had to swallow price increases for ordinary and medium recovered paper grades in Italy in February. As a rule, prices for these grades climbed up to €10 per tonne compared with January, although higher prices had apparently been asked and paid in some places. Prices for higher grades also moved up during the month of February, although these mark-ups were nowhere near as common as those for ordinary and medium grades. EUWID sources mainly voiced concern about the supply situation in February. The downturn in collection volumes, which was primarily consumer-driven, had been compounded by poor weather conditions over the past two to three months and had led to a further tightening in availability, sources told EUWID. Snowfall, continuous rain and flooding had not only hampered and slowed the collection process itself, but had also substantially reduced the quality of the recovered paper that was collected.
Waste activities damp sales growth for Suez Environnement
25.02.2010 - French environmental services giant Suez Environnement saw revenues from its European waste division weaken in 2009 on the back of lower industrial production and demand for secondary raw materials. Softer demand and pricing brought sorting and recovery operations to more - French environmental services giant Suez Environnement saw revenues from its European waste division weaken in 2009 on the back of lower industrial production and demand for secondary raw materials. Softer demand and pricing brought sorting and recovery operations to "an historic low", said Suez Environnement. Across its operations the concern posted consolidated revenues of €12.296bn, half a per cent lower than during the prior year. In annual comparison, Ebitda fell 2 per cent from €2.10bn to €2.06bn. The net group result came to €403m for 2009, down 24 per cent as a result of a one time deferral of tax assets, which positively affected net profits a year earlier.
Recovered paper prices in France nudged higher by low collections
24.02.2010 - In the French recovered paper market, February prices are still seen to be on a slight upward trend thanks to unchanged overall conditions. Although some merchants reported that they sold recovered paper at the previous month’s prices in February, prices more - In the French recovered paper market, February prices are still seen to be on a slight upward trend thanks to unchanged overall conditions. Although some merchants reported that they sold recovered paper at the previous month’s prices in February, prices quoted for the domestic market were generally often higher than in January. Paper mills are repeatedly forced to accept slightly higher prices to be able to cover their recovered paper demand. Consequently, in some cases prices for ordinary recovered paper grades in the domestic market in recent weeks have been close to export prices or even on the same level.
Developing countries need to prepare for e-waste surge
23.02.2010 - Arisings of waste electrical and electronic equipment are forecast to grow sharply in many developing countries over the next years as a result of increasing sales. Unless action is stepped up to properly collect and recycle scrap equipment, many of these countries more - Arisings of waste electrical and electronic equipment are forecast to grow sharply in many developing countries over the next years as a result of increasing sales. Unless action is stepped up to properly collect and recycle scrap equipment, many of these countries "face the spectre of hazardous e-waste mountains with serious consequences for the environment and public health", according to a report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on the Indonesian Island of Bali this week. The "Recycling – from E-Waste to Resources" document predicts that the number of end-of-life TV sets will nearly double in China and India by 2020; the amount of scrap fridges and freezers arising in India could even triple.
Source: Euwid
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