Oct
16

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Second life for airliner’s promotional posters

Category: International Tags: ,

Switzerland: Airline Emirates has produced shopping bags made from mega posters used for the company’s promotional purposes. The 20-metre-high eye-catchers had been covering the façade of the terminal building at Zurich airport since 2007.

According to the airline, 10 jobless people spent 16 days transforming the PVC posters into 600 bags. ‘With this project we can contribute to society,’ says Jörg Müller, regional manager for Emirates Switzerland.

Emirates claims to be an active recycler on board its airplanes too. For instance, left-over newspapers and magazines are being collected for recycling. Another success story is glass recycling which increased rapidly after Emirates’ catering department began collecting used bottles. Between 2010 and 2013, the airline recycled in total more than 423 tonnes of materials.

For more information, visit: www.emirates.com

Oct
4

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Recycling industry wins equal-footing status

Category: International Tags:

Global: The recycling industry last week won the right to play a full part in a Basel Convention group designated to discuss cross-border transport rules for non-functional, used electrical and electronic equipment that is not normally considered waste.

At the ninth meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group of the Basel Convention (OEWG-9) in Geneva, BIR’s environmental & technical director Ross Bartley demanded that the recycling industry was put on an equal footing with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in those discussions.

The text for parity was then negotiated by the US Institute of Scrap Recycling Industry’s associate counsel, director of government and international affairs, Eric Harris. Regarding these rules, the OEWG agreed in Geneva on a two-step approach: on the one hand, all countries agree on the list of seven conditions to be met for export; or alternatively, conditions are set on a country-by-country basis.

More work on this agreement will be undertaken before the next Basel Conference of the Parties (COP), set for 2015 in Switzerland. The OEWG considers scientific and technical issues in preparation for the COP gatherings. ‘Discussions in this forum are very important for the recycling industries as these provide the groundwork for COP decisions that have wide-ranging effects as countries implement and enforce the UN-EP Basel Convention Controls on Transboundary Movements of Wastes and used equipment,’ Bartley states.

In Geneva, the OEWG’s Technical Group discussed the specific technical guidelines for wastes consisting of, containing or contaminated with 11 persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including PCBs, PBBs and PBDEs. Proposals were made to set the low threshold level of POPs in materials, which will affect what materials recyclers may in future recycle given that, above this threshold, POPs in materials will have to be irreversibly transformed or destroyed.

In addition, the OEWG’s Legal Clarity Group proposed a glossary of terms which could have far-reaching consequences in the writing of new Basel Convention guidelines, as well as in the revision of existing ones. ‘When tested against the range of wastes listed in the Basel Convention, it was clear more work was required to get a quality document,’ says Bartley. ‘It was decided to continue the work of providing definitions for certain terms and explanations for others.’

For more information, visit: bir@bir.org

Oct
2

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Council dumps rubbish in square to highlight recycling ignorance

Category: Auckland Tags: ,

A truckload of household rubbish was tipped at the foot of Auckland Town Hall yesterday to show not all residents are doing their bit to cut the amount of household refuse being buried in a landfill.

Auckland Council arranged for the contents of 35 recycling bins to go on display in Aotea Square to back up its claims that 10 per cent of material put in recycling bins is rubbish.

Councillor George Wood said the public airing in Aotea Square showed that many people did not know what should be put out for recycling. Mixed rubbish and material for recycling went to the dump and was costing the council more than $1 million a year in charges, said Mr Wood, who is chairman of the regional strategy and policy committee.

It has approved an education campaign to try to stop plastic bags, meat trays, food waste, clothing and batteries being mixed with glass, plastics, paper and cans, which can be processed.

Many thought polystyrene meat trays were recyclable, when they were not.

Solid waste manager Ian Stupple said the council planned to spread “pay as you throw” across the region over the next few years.

Under the plan, all residents would pay per lift according to the volume of the refuse receptacle used, while the cost of collecting true recyclable items and organic waste would come out of council rates.

On the web: makethemostofwaste.co.nz

– NZ Herald

Oct
1

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Calling for entries to ReTree Festival

Category: Hutt City Tags: , ,

ReTree Festival, a Recycled and Crafted Christmas Tree Exhibition

Hutt City Council has teamed up with Te Omanga Hospice to bring the first Recycled Christmas Tree exhibition to the region.

Entries are now open for the exhibition, which invites people to make a Christmas tree from recycled materials. It will raise money for charity through a display of the trees in Lower Hutt’s CBD.

“We’re calling for local artists, children, outside-the-box thinkers and everyone with a passion for recycling, Christmas, or both to bring this year’s most extraordinary tree competition alive, says Natalie Hormann, Project Coordinator.

“The Re-Tree exhibition celebrates recycling and creativity in our city and aims to bring some peace, enjoyment and fun into the busy pre-Christmas period.”

As well as raising money through donations at the exhibition, ReTree Festival raises awareness about environmental issues and things we can do to help, in particular re-purposing objects that would otherwise end up in the landfill.

“Artificial trees are usually made of petrochemicals, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), metals, and sometimes even lead. They are not fire-resistant; they can’t be recycled and are used for a short period before ending up in the landfill. By making one from recycled or natural materials you are helping to protect and promote a sustainable city,” says Natalie.

There are two categories for the event: Recycled, Natural/Crafters and a separate schools section.

The full criteria for the event and online registration is available athuttcity.govt.nz/ReTree

The Christmas trees will be exhibited through December starting with a special launch being planned for 30 November in the Lower Hutt CBD.

For further information contact Natalie Hormann, Environmental Sustainability Advisor on 04 570 6666 or email Natalie.Hormann@huttcity.govt.nz

 

Source: Hutt City Council