Starting on Monday businesses and battery manufacturers are looking at a range of new laws which aim to increase the battery recycling rates in the United Kingdom.  The government decided to put the responsibility for recycling batteries on the shoulders of those who produce them.  Currently the United Kingdom only recycled about three percent of its batteries which means that most of them end up in landfills.  Not only does this take up a huge amount of space in landfills, but batteries can leak harmful chemicals which can then contaminate water supplies.  A recent study aimed to find out exactly ... Full Story

Over the last year the European Union has gotten serious about setting regulations for its member nations when it comes to recycling and waste management.   The EU laid out its directives which included lowering the amount of waste sent to landfills and increasing recycling rates.  This set things in motion as some countries, specifically the United Kingdom, were well behind where they needed to be in terms of recycling and were still sending far too much rubbish to landfills.  As the new year comes in there are going to be even more laws concerning recycling, as the EU responds to ... Full Story

Although most people in the United Kingdom have done better at recycling household waste there are still some areas in which people are falling behind.  One of these areas is battery recycling, in which the United Kingdom ranks near the bottom of the European Union.  Battery recycling is important for many reasons but mostly because batteries contain corrosive chemicals which eventually leak out of the battery casing.  These chemicals leech into soil and eventually end up in drinking water where they can poison the supply and pose a range of health issues to human beings.  The European Recycling Platform is ... Full Story

When people think of recycling they usually think about paper, plastic, and aluminum, but one of the biggest threats to the environment may be in your hand right now.  Batteries are piling into landfills by the ton which creates many unique environmental threats.  Some are unsure how to recycle batteries while others didn't know it was possible or simply don't care.  Either way millions of tons of batteries are getting dumped into the landfills around the world.  Local councils around the United Kingdom are stepping up their efforts to increase battery recycling and awareness. Most people wouldn't think that a few ... Full Story

Pending the results of an investigation by The Environment Agency, a waste management company in the United Kingdom will no longer be allowed to put its industrial waste in the sewage system.  The ban came after the Agency was notified of a dire pollution incident in the River Trent.  The Agency is accusing the company, Red Industries Ltd. of possibly being responsible for a discharge of cyanide into the local sewer system.  This system eventually ends up in the River Trent, which is one of the largest rivers in the United Kingdom. Currently the water system treats sewage with organisms which ... Full Story

A recent report features seven companies who have developed solutions that will eliminate the need to use brominated and chlorinated chemicals in their products.  The report was part of a joint venture between ChemSec and Clean Production Action and hopes to illustrate that there are less harmful methods available which will still allow companies to become cost effective.  Of the seven companies featured in the report, Apple and Sony were shown to be industry leaders in ridding the world of harmful chemicals which are either brominated or chlorinated. Brominated and chlorinated chemicals gained notoriety when it was discovered that there was ... Full Story

The Environmental Agency has announced its approval of seven new battery compliance schemes in the United Kingdom.  Out of the eight applicants for approval, seven schemes were found to meet the needs of the United Kingdom under the battery recycling laws which will go into effect in the year 2010 in the UK.  The Environmental Agency hopes that the new schemes will help the United Kingdom meet the recycling and waste management goals outlined by the European Union for each of its member countries. The seven schemes which were approved by the Environmental Agency were all ones which met the strict ... Full Story

A recent move by Maylarch Recycling Ltd. has caused a stir in one town in the United Kingdom.  It was announced during a city council meeting that Andoversford could become a site for storage of asbestos and other hazardous waste material.   Maylarch has already applied to the Gloucestershire Council to use Andoversford as what it deems a waste transfer site.  Maylarch, which is an asbestos removal company, hopes to use the site in Andoversford to house the waste before it is permanently transferred to Wingmoor Farm, near Bishop's Cleeve. Although many in the town were not happy about the announcement, Maylarch ... Full Story

One supermarket in the United Kingdom is trying to promote both recycling and composting to young children in a variety of ways.  Morrison's supermarkets, which are a chain based in Bradford, has launched a scheme which will encourage local youth to recycle, as well as contribute to composting.  Youngsters will be encouraged to grow things as well as recycle things like batteries, as the UK tries to clean up its image as a nation which doesn't do its part in the recycling community. The United Kingdom has come under fire lately due to reports which claim it will not reach the ... Full Story

According to a study published by the European Battery Recycling Association, the rates of portable battery recycling have only risen by one percent over the last year.  This minor rise is not even close to the targets that were hoped to be reached in the European Union, which underscores how battery recycling may be one segments of the recycling industry that is largely overlooked.  When batteries leach and burst they allow for harmful chemicals to be released into the environment, which can cause a variety of problems and potential health issues. The EU Batteries Directive set specific targets for battery recycling, ... Full Story

The OSS Group, a UK waste oil recycling company, is protesting a new tax on recycled fuel oil scheduled to be introduced into law in November. Up until now, there has been no tax on recycled fuel oil but the government is seeking to add a tax of 9.29p for each litre. This is the same tax that is applied to virgin fuel oil. The OSS Group estimates that approximately 800,000 tonnes of waste oil is produced annually in the UK. The OSS Group collects waste lubricating oil which is collected from service centres and garages, to create clean fuel oil, ... Full Story

People in Bucks County, Pennsylvania flocked recently to the Middle Bucks Institute of Technology to drop off recyclable items that are often thrown into the landfill. Residents brought everything from car batteries to PCs as well as other regulated waste. The hazardous-waste management company Clean Venture sees the Household Hazardous Waste and Computer Recycling Program as a chance to educate while offering recycling opportunities. The firm has sponsored such drives in the area for ten years and runs a total of about 200 similar drives each year. Bucks County will have six such drives in 2008. All waste collected ... Full Story