ESA, the Environmental Services Association, has called on Chancellor George Osbourne to introduce tax relief for all companies developing waste management infrastructure with his forthcoming Budget. The ESA, the trade body for the UK's waste sector, is making specific calls for the introduction of ‘Green Infrastructure Investment Allowances’ which can be used for offsetting financing costs of maintaining recycling and energy recovery sites by reducing the rate of corporation taxes they must pay. It was explained by ESA that the industrial building allowances which formerly supported waste infrastructure have been phased out in the last few years, which has resulted in ... Full Story

The prosecution of four men and two companies that stand accused of exporting waste to Brazil illegally is to be heard at London's Old Bailey in April, after Magistrates this morning committed the case for trial. Mr Jonathan Coombe, aged 41, of Romford, Mr Simon Edwards, aged 46, of Loughton, Essex, Mr Julio Da Costa, aged 51, and Mr Juliano Da Costa, aged 27, of Swindon, stand accused of contravening 2007's Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Act by exporting household waste to Brazil in 2008 and 2009. The two companies, which are namely Companies Edwards Waste Paper Litmited and Edwards Recycling Ltd, the ... Full Story

Weekly food and organic waste collections can qualify for support from the Weekly Collection Support Scheme, which was put together by Eric Pickles and cost £250 million, according to the Department for Communities and Local Government. The scheme will support councils wishing to retain, reduce or reinstate collections of residual waste  - but only wherever they are supplemented by separate recyclable collections at least once every two weeks. Communities Secretary Eric Pickles announced that the fund of £250 million, which was first revealed in September 2010, is now open for any other applications. Councils have until March 16 2012 for submitting an expression of ... Full Story

Opponents of the plans to develop a number of waste incinerators across Wales have welcomed the news that they will be allowed to have their arguments heard in person by assembly members. After three separate petitions, the National Assembly's petitions committee finally  decided to conduct an inquiry. The petitions all oppose energy from waste plants that have been planned for sites in southeastern Wales and north Wales. Members of the committee have said that they are to call on every side to give evidence, with those that are for and against the proposed plans to give oral evidence on any disadvantages or ... Full Story

A Northern Irish firm secured a £100 million waste contract to design and construct a large nuclear waste facility in Caithness. Graham Construction, which has offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh, became the top-bidder after a competitive tendering from a five-company strong short-list. The deal is expected to create 100 jobs as the low-level radioactive waste building is constructed. It is expected that a quarter of the work is to be sub-contracted to local companies. The full contract still remains subject to regulatory approval, however, but it should be awarded to Grahame by March. Construction should begin ... Full Story

The US Environmental Protection Agency’s Pacific Southwest Region has proposed settlements for the 275 small parties – de minimis parties – at the Operating Industries, Inc. Superfund Site. The Oil Site comprises a 190-acre facility in California, just 10 miles east from Los Angeles. The Oil Site ran as a landfill between 1948 and 1984, accepting waste from commercial, residential and industrial sectors. Each of the over 200 parties sent hazardous liquid waste to the Oil Site while it operated. Collectively, these parties are required to pay more than $17 million to help cover cleanup costs at the site. ... Full Story

Cheshire’s councils are looking to take legal action against the government’s decision to remove funding for an £850m waste treatment plan for the county. The authorities were set to move forward with a 25-year waste management contract with Viridor, when the government withdrew the £100m it had promised under its Private Finance Initiative (PFI). According to officials, however, the proposal had serious flaws in its assessments. The councils will file a High Court application next week. Both Cheshire West and Cheshire East along with Chester (CWAC) councils hinted earlier last year that it would challenge the decision. ... Full Story

Unions representing Birmingham bin collectors said their will be two half day walkouts. The news comes as some roads in the city enter their second or third week of continuous days of no collections. The combination of ongoing industrial action and severe weather leaving lorries unable to reach residences as exacerbated a growing waste problem. Council refuse collectors said they will only work 50 per cent of their scheduled eight-hour shifts for 13 and 14 January. The GMB union announced the strike action and said it stands behind its members’ decision. Council waste workers began working to ... Full Story

New plans have been submitted to build a £400m energy-from-waste facility near Merthyr Tydfil. The Brig y Cwm plant will now go before the Infrastructure Planning Commission for approval. Developers say, if approved, the new plant could create nearly 650 construction jobs. Covanta Energy is spearheading the project and hopes the centre will generate enough power for Merthyr Tydfil and Caerphilly homes. Yet, energy-from-waste plants, which use incineration as their primary method of handling waste, have met with widespread controversy from nimbys and environmental groups. Friends of the Earth said the move would ‘completely undermine’ local efforts ... Full Story

Councils are being urged to take more “initiative” after refuse collections fell out across the board over Christmas. Local Government Minister Bob Neill said that waste collections throughout the Christmas holidays had proved “disappointing”. It emerged over the weekend that many households had gone nearly four weeks without any services and bins had been filled to maximum capacity during the festive holiday. Research from the Daily Telegraph revealed that, just before the Christmas holiday, which typically sees limited collection services, rubbish collections had been halted altogether because of safety concerns over the heavy snowfall. Yet, Mr Neill ... Full Story

A grassroots revolt has been brewing since a new generation of controversial incinerator proposals has swept the UK. The planned incinerators, if built, would see more than double the current amount of household waste burned. But with a growing waste crisis, councils and waste management firms are pushing for cost effect and energy saving alternatives such as rubbish burning. Dubbed by opposition groups as the ‘dash for ash’, the Coalition will be forced to decide this summer whether to allow the £10bn worth of incinerator projects to move forward or scrap the widely opposed schemes. Concern over ... Full Story

A 39-year old worker has died after an incident at the waste plant in Liverpool where he worked. Emergency services arrived at Gaskells Waste Services on Foster Street, Kirkdale around 1100GMT, after receiving reports of an injury on site. The man, who lives in the city, was rushed to the hospital, but pronounced dead shortly after arriving. According to a spokeswoman from Merseyside Police, the worker did not survive long at the hospital and passed away shortly after arriving from the waste site. Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have already begun investigating the ... Full Story