Calderdale Recycle

4 March 2004, Real Nappy Week gets underway in March

Real Nappy Week, 29th March - 4th April 2004 is the annual focus of the nappy waste prevention campaign. The Week brings together local authorities, local groups, members of the NHS and individuals in a national campaign to promote cloth nappies as a practical alternative to wasteful disposable nappy products.

Nappy waste prevention has been identified by the government as one of two initial strands to spearhead waste minimisation in the UK. Now in its 8th year, Real Nappy Week aims to raise awareness of the environmental impacts of nappies and to inform parents about modern, shaped and fitted cloth nappies and laundry services. For more information on the impact of nappies and using real nappies, click here.

28 January 2004, Tesco goes "green" with its shopping bags

Tesco has announced that it will be making biodegradable shopping carrier bags available to its customers. The bags, which Tesco have been trialling in stores in the south-east of England, have been developed by EPI Environmental Products and will start to break down in as little as 60 days, leaving biomass, carbon dioxide, water and a small amount of mineral matter. For more information, visit http://www.iema.net/article.php?sid=3030

25 November 2003, Commission propose collection and recycling of all batteries

The European Commission has adopted a Proposal for a new Battery Directive, which will require the collection and recycling of all batteries placed on the EU market. It aims to prevent spent batteries ending up in incinerators or landfills and therefore to recover the various metals used in batteries. Due to the metals they contain, batteries pose environmental concerns when they are incinerated or landfilled. Since thousands of tonnes of different metals are used in battery production, their collection and recycling will also contribute substantially to saving natural resources.

The proposed Directive aims to create an EU-wide framework for national battery collection and recycling schemes and will enhance the proper functioning of the internal market. An Extended Impact Assessment, carried out by the Commission in the preparation of this Proposal, has identified the proposed measures as the most sustainable policy options from environmental, economic and social points of view.

For more information, visit: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/waste/batteries/index.htm

12 November 2003, Household Waste Recycling Bill Gets Royal Assent

The Household Waste Recycling Bill has received Royal Assent to become an Act. The Private Member's Bill, put forward by Joan Ruddock MP, was supported by Government in its passage through Parliament. The Bill provides that where English waste collection authorities have a duty to collect waste they shall ensure, except in some circumstances, that by the end of 2010 they collect at least two recyclates separate from the remainder of the waste. According to the Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment, "The Bill seeks to establish that WCAs arrange for a minimum kerbside collection service of recyclable materials in England by the end of 2010. The service, which will be for at least 2 recyclates, could help provide local authorities with relatively 'clean' sources of recyclable waste which could help their efforts towards attaining their statutory recycling targets for 2005 / 06." The Bill also provides that the Secretary of State must report to Parliament on progress towards meeting this requirement, and local authority performance on meeting their recycling and composting standards, by the end of October 2004. Defra will prepare guidance for local authorities on implementing the Bill and aim to consult on that guidance early in 2004. Read more.

27 October 2003, See Green Not Red - Composting, Recycling and Organic Gardening Extravaganza!

The weekend of 25 & 26 October 2003 saw Calderdale Sustainability Forum join forces with Calderdale Council to host a promotional event aimed at getting Calderdale residents to compost and recycle more of their household waste. The event, which was held at the Manor Heath Park and Jungle Experience in Halifax, included a compost bin sale on the Sunday which proved highly popular. Children's events and activities were provided throughout the weekend, and included visits from Eureka's Captain Eco and Miss Tree, balloon modelling and circus tricks by Professor Fiddlesticks, junk modelling with staff from Play Lab, and an interactive performance about composting by members of the Coyote Dream Theatre Alliance entitled "The Tale of Two Cabbage Leaves".

Visitors to the venue were not only able to purchase compost bins at a subsidised rate, but were also handed a variety of freebies, including recycled pens and pencils, marigold and sunflower seeds, durable shopping bags, magnets for sorting steel from aluminium cans and leaflets containing information about composting, recycling and organic gardening in Calderdale. For pictures of the event, visit the CSF's website www.sustainablecalderdale.org.uk

15 September 2003, Creosote Ban

On 30th June 2003, a ban on the sale and use of creosote came into full effect.

The European Union ban is based on evidence from research carried out at the Fraunhoffer Institute which demonstrated that creosote, which is obtained from the distillation of coal tar, poses a more significant cancer risk than previously thought.

As a result of the Europe-wide ban, the UK's Health and Safety Executive has now prohibited the sale, use and storage of creosote. Householders with timber that was treated before 30 June 2003 can continue to be use the timber in their gardens as long as ‘frequent skin contact’ with the treated timber is avoided. However, the sale of timber treated with creosote is subject to regulation. Wood that has been treated with creosote at any time in the past and is placed on the second-hand market for re-use or recycling will be subject to restrictions. Anyone found to be contravening the ban faces a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £5000.

A ban on the supply or storage of creosote for the purposes of disposal only comes into effect next year, on June 30, 2004.

Creosote must not be poured down drains, lavatories, sinks etc and must not be poured in or near to ditches, watercourses, wildlife areas etc. Malcolm Ackroyd from Calderdale Council's Waste Management Department says that householders wanting to dispose of any creosote products should hand them in at the local household waste site where they will be disposed of according to regulations.

For more information on this and a ban on pesticides, visit www.nhhwf.org.uk/CPadvice.htm

10 August 2003, Clean up marks start of Keep Britain Tidy initiative in Halifax

A group of dedicated volunteers hit the streets of West Central Halifax on Sunday, 10 August 2003, to clean up the streets as part of the Keep Britain Tidy campaign.

The clean up happened as part of the preparations for the local People's Park Festival on 17 August 2003, and saw some of the local residents coming out to help the volunteers remove litter from the streets. The children were particularly helpful, enjoying using the litter pickers and competing with each other over how much rubbish they could collect.

The clean up was organised by the Halifax Opportunities Trust, and a number of organisations were represented on the day, including: Calderdale Communities Against Drugs, Voluntary Action Calderdale, Calderdale Street Wardens, Calderdale Sustainability Forum and the Rhodes Street Mosque.

Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped out on the day.

5 June 2003, Waste Awareness Campaign launches in Calderdale

On Thursday 5 June 2003 a new waste awareness campaign was launched in Calderdale. The event, which coincided with World Environment Day, was held at the Woolshops Shopping Centre in Halifax.

Activities included children’s workshops and face-painting. There was also an information exchange point with displays and examples of recycled goods; information leaflets and free pens and pencils made from recycled materials.

The campaign, which is being co-ordinated by the Calderdale Sustainability Forum (CSF), and supported by Calderdale Council’s Sustainable Development Unit, aims to encourage the public to reduce, reuse and recycle more of their household waste.

The event also marked the launch of a new website, www.calderdalerecycle.org.uk which provides information on various waste-related services available to Calderdale residents, including where to recycle, collection points for the ‘Kerbside’ recycling scheme, a real nappy laundering service and furniture reuse organisations.

Cathy Riley, Project Officer for the CSF, said “Over the next six months the campaign will be drawing attention to the amount of waste that households in Calderdale produce and the fact that up to 60% of it can be recycled. We will be encouraging residents to rethink their rubbish habits.”

The campaign is part of the national waste awareness campaign Reth!nk Rubbish which is supported by celebrities Alistair McGowan and Sharron Davies.

4 March 2004, Real Nappy Week gets underway in March
Real Nappy Week, 29th March - 4th April 2004 is the annual focus of the nappy waste prevention campaign. The Week brings together local authorities, local groups, members of the NHS and individuals in a national campaign to promote cloth nappies as a practical alternative to wasteful disposable nappy products. Nappy waste prevention has been identified by the government as one of two initial strands to spearhead waste minimisation in the UK. Now in its 8th year, Real Nappy Week aims to raise awareness of the environmental impacts of nappies and to inform parents about modern, shaped and fitted cloth nappies and laundry services. For more information on the impact of nappies and using real nappies, click here.
28 January 2004, Tesco goes "green" with its shopping bags
Tesco has announced that it will be making biodegradable shopping carrier bags available to its customers. The bags, which Tesco have been trialling in stores in the south-east of England, have been developed by EPI Environmental Products and will start to break down in as little as 60 days, leaving biomass, carbon dioxide, water and a small amount of mineral matter. For more information, visit http://www.iema.net/article.php?sid=3030
25 November 2003, Commission propose collection and recycling of all batteries
The European Commission has adopted a Proposal for a new Battery Directive, which will require the collection and recycling of all batteries placed on the EU market. It aims to prevent spent batteries ending up in incinerators or landfills and therefore to recover the various metals used in batteries. Due to the metals they contain, batteries pose environmental concerns when they are incinerated or landfilled. Since thousands of tonnes of different metals are used in battery production, their collection and recycling will also contribute substantially to saving natural resources. The proposed Directive aims to create an EU-wide framework for national battery collection and recycling schemes and will enhance the proper functioning of the internal market. An Extended Impact Assessment, carried out by the Commission in the preparation of this Proposal, has identified the proposed measures as the most sustainable policy options from environmental, economic and social points of view. For more information, visit: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/waste/batteries/index.htm
12 November 2003, Household Waste Recycling Bill Gets Royal Assent
The Household Waste Recycling Bill has received Royal Assent to become an Act. The Private Member's Bill, put forward by Joan Ruddock MP, was supported by Government in its passage through Parliament. The Bill provides that where English waste collection authorities have a duty to collect waste they shall ensure, except in some circumstances, that by the end of 2010 they collect at least two recyclates separate from the remainder of the waste. According to the Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment, "The Bill seeks to establish that WCAs arrange for a minimum kerbside collection service of recyclable materials in England by the end of 2010. The service, which will be for at least 2 recyclates, could help provide local authorities with relatively 'clean' sources of recyclable waste which could help their efforts towards attaining their statutory recycling targets for 2005 / 06." The Bill also provides that the Secretary of State must report to Parliament on progress towards meeting this requirement, and local authority performance on meeting their recycling and composting standards, by the end of October 2004. Defra will prepare guidance for local authorities on implementing the Bill and aim to consult on that guidance early in 2004. Read more.
27 October 2003, See Green Not Red - Composting, Recycling and Organic Gardening Extravaganza!
The weekend of 25 & 26 October 2003 saw Calderdale Sustainability Forum join forces with Calderdale Council to host a promotional event aimed at getting Calderdale residents to compost and recycle more of their household waste. The event, which was held at the Manor Heath Park and Jungle Experience in Halifax, included a compost bin sale on the Sunday which proved highly popular. Children's events and activities were provided throughout the weekend, and included visits from Eureka's Captain Eco and Miss Tree, balloon modelling and circus tricks by Professor Fiddlesticks, junk modelling with staff from Play Lab, and an interactive performance about composting by members of the Coyote Dream Theatre Alliance entitled "The Tale of Two Cabbage Leaves". Visitors to the venue were not only able to purchase compost bins at a subsidised rate, but were also handed a variety of freebies, including recycled pens and pencils, marigold and sunflower seeds, durable shopping bags, magnets for sorting steel from aluminium cans and leaflets containing information about composting, recycling and organic gardening in Calderdale. For pictures of the event, visit the CSF's website www.sustainablecalderdale.org.uk
15 September 2003, Creosote Ban
On 30th June 2003, a ban on the sale and use of creosote came into full effect. The European Union ban is based on evidence from research carried out at the Fraunhoffer Institute which demonstrated that creosote, which is obtained from the distillation of coal tar, poses a more significant cancer risk than previously thought. As a result of the Europe-wide ban, the UK's Health and Safety Executive has now prohibited the sale, use and storage of creosote. Householders with timber that was treated before 30 June 2003 can continue to be use the timber in their gardens as long as ‘frequent skin contact’ with the treated timber is avoided. However, the sale of timber treated with creosote is subject to regulation. Wood that has been treated with creosote at any time in the past and is placed on the second-hand market for re-use or recycling will be subject to restrictions. Anyone found to be contravening the ban faces a maximum penalty of six months imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £5000. A ban on the supply or storage of creosote for the purposes of disposal only comes into effect next year, on June 30, 2004. Creosote must not be poured down drains, lavatories, sinks etc and must not be poured in or near to ditches, watercourses, wildlife areas etc. Malcolm Ackroyd from Calderdale Council's Waste Management Department says that householders wanting to dispose of any creosote products should hand them in at the local household waste site where they will be disposed of according to regulations. For more information on this and a ban on pesticides, visit www.nhhwf.org.uk/CPadvice.htm

10 August 2003, Clean up marks start of Keep Britain Tidy initiative in Halifax
A group of dedicated volunteers hit the streets of West Central Halifax on Sunday, 10 August 2003, to clean up the streets as part of the Keep Britain Tidy campaign. The clean up happened as part of the preparations for the local People's Park Festival on 17 August 2003, and saw some of the local residents coming out to help the volunteers remove litter from the streets. The children were particularly helpful, enjoying using the litter pickers and competing with each other over how much rubbish they could collect. The clean up was organised by the Halifax Opportunities Trust, and a number of organisations were represented on the day, including: Calderdale Communities Against Drugs, Voluntary Action Calderdale, Calderdale Street Wardens, Calderdale Sustainability Forum and the Rhodes Street Mosque. Many thanks to all the volunteers who helped out on the day.

5 June 2003, Waste Awareness Campaign launches in Calderdale
On Thursday 5 June 2003 a new waste awareness campaign was launched in Calderdale. The event, which coincided with World Environment Day, was held at the Woolshops Shopping Centre in Halifax. Activities included children’s workshops and face-painting. There was also an information exchange point with displays and examples of recycled goods; information leaflets and free pens and pencils made from recycled materials. The campaign, which is being co-ordinated by the Calderdale Sustainability Forum (CSF), and supported by Calderdale Council’s Sustainable Development Unit, aims to encourage the public to reduce, reuse and recycle more of their household waste. The event also marked the launch of a new website, www.calderdalerecycle.org.uk which provides information on various waste-related services available to Calderdale residents, including where to recycle, collection points for the ‘Kerbside’ recycling scheme, a real nappy laundering service and furniture reuse organisations. Cathy Riley, Project Officer for the CSF, said “Over the next six months the campaign will be drawing attention to the amount of waste that households in Calderdale produce and the fact that up to 60% of it can be recycled. We will be encouraging residents to rethink their rubbish habits.” The campaign is part of the national waste awareness campaign Reth!nk Rubbish which is supported by celebrities Alistair McGowan and Sharron Davies.