waste management


Council warns against bin restraints after accident 04/06/2025 A bin lorry accident in the Scottish Borders last week resulted in the hospitalisation of a refuse worker.
Police investigate fatal bin lorry accident in Torquay 29/05/2025 A bin lorry accident in Torquay has resulted in the death of an employee of the council’s waste management partners, SWISCo.
Time for big city eRCVs? 04/04/2025 Rob Bailey, APSE Principal Advisor, asks whether now is the time to consider electric refuse collection vehicles (eRCVs) for urban areas.
Brum council declares ‘major incident’ amid bin strikes 01/04/2025 Birmingham City Council has declared a major incident to address the impact of the long-running bin strikes in a move branded by Unite as ‘disgraceful strike breaking’.
First wave of Medway’s new fleet arrive 28/03/2025 The first wave of a major order of 46 new Dennis Eagle trucks has arrived in Medway joining the local authority’s fleet.
Brum council threatens redundancies to end bin strike 28/03/2025 Birmingham City Council will begin a consultation on compulsory redundancies next week in an effort to end the ongoing bin strike, a move Unite describes as ‘bully boy tactics’.
Preventing a national waste communications crisis 14/03/2025 Alex Fyans, Account Director at Copper Consultancy, makes the case for improved communications and engagement in waste management.
Veolia Southwark electrifies operations with zero-emission forklifts 12/03/2025 Southwark Council has taken another step in their journey to become a carbon neutral borough by 2030 by securing new lithium-ion powered forklifts.
Business Time: Collecting business recycling and food waste 07/02/2025 Cathy Cook, chair of the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC), looks at the challenges local authorities face when it comes to collecting business recycling and food waste.
Digital waste tracking postponed one year 07/02/2025 The implementation of digital waste tracking is to be delayed until April 2026 due to the ‘complexities of the project’, according to the Government.
Campaigners warn of ‘vapocalypse’ 20/12/2024 The number of vape products being thrown out or recycled incorrectly every week has risen from five million last year to an estimated 8.2 million this year, new research has revealed.
Waste staff ‘furious’ as Veolia accused of backing out of deal 13/12/2024 Trade union Unite has accused Veolia of backing out of a recognition deal for its refuse workers in Sheffield ‘at the 11th hour’.
Birmingham signs contract for 151 Dennis Eagle trucks 03/12/2024 Birmingham City Council has signed a contract with vehicle manufacturer Dennis Eagle for the purchase of 151 new refuse, recycling and food waste vehicles.
Simpler Recycling: Households to be issued with four bins 29/11/2024 Local authorities are set to issue households with up to four bins as a default to separate their waste and recycling.
Croydon signs £21.5m contract with Veolia 28/10/2024 Croydon Council has signed a new £21.5m environmental services contract with resource management firm Veolia.
Kingston signs £9.4m deal with Veolia 27/09/2024 Kingston Council has reappointed Veolia as its waste and recycling collection, street cleansing and winter gritting contractor in an eight-year deal worth £9.4m.
First Mile acquires Redbridge Council's commercial waste collection arm 06/09/2024 First Mile, a UK-based waste company, has acquired the commercial waste collection arm of Redbridge Council.
Council plea for landfill ban funding 28/06/2024 The Scottish Government has been asked for funding to implement a looming ban on sending biodegradable waste to landfill.
EXCLUSIVE: Councils consider legal advice over waste guidance 13/06/2024 Councils are considering seeking legal advice over statutory guidance that will tell local authorities to collect residual waste at least every two weeks, The MJ understands.
Biffa buys Renewi business 31/05/2024 Biffa has today entered into an agreement to acquire Renewi’s municipal business in the UK.
Sutton council appoints Veolia to deliver waste and street cleansing services 24/05/2024 The London Borough of Sutton has appointed resource management experts Veolia to deliver waste and street cleansing services as part of a new eight-year contract starting in April 2025.
Biffa sues Scottish Government for £55m over DRS 16/05/2024 Waste management company Biffa has confirmed it is taking legal action against the Scottish Government for losses incurred after the scrapping of the deposit return scheme (DRS).
Swansea plans to trial kerbside collections of plastic film 02/05/2024
A world-class waste sector 12/04/2024
NTM-GB: Navigating the changing refuse collection landscape 12/04/2024
Portsmouth takes delivery of 21 RCVs for new in-house service 20/03/2024
Veolia launches safe treatment of nitrous oxide canisters 01/03/2024 The first process lines for the safe treatment of nitrous oxide canisters in the UK have been launched by waste management company Veolia.
Cumberland looks to ‘streamline’ waste collections 22/02/2024 Cumberland Council has launched a consultation on the future of its waste collection service following the reorganisation of Cumbria’s authorities.
Birmingham CC renews Veolia contract 09/02/2024 Birmingham City Council has appointed Veolia UK to treat the city's waste and recycling and operate the recycling centres.
Veolia awarded Haringey contract for ‘ecological transformation’ 25/01/2024 Veolia has been awarded a two-year contract extension to continue its waste management work in the London Borough of Haringey.
Councils renew ‘most successful’ contract with Biffa 11/01/2024 South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils have agreed to keep their joint contract with Biffa until June 2026.
Simpler Recycling: The implications for local authorities 08/12/2023 Lee Marshall, policy and external affairs director, CIWM looks at the Government’s recycling reforms and what they mean for local authorities.
Keeping waste glass local 04/12/2023 Dave Dalton, CEO of British Glass, the UK’s trade body for glass manufacturers, explains why councils should consider the destination of their waste glass.
'Lack of clarity' puts recycling reforms at risk 01/12/2023 A ‘lack of clarity’ around the Government’s recycling reforms is preventing councils from preparing for the upcoming changes, according to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
‘Toxic’ environment at council waste service 17/11/2023 A report that describes a ‘toxic’ working environment at Brighton and Hove City Council’s waste service includes accounts of staff bringing weapons into the depot.
‘Little meaningful change’ to recycling rates 03/11/2023 The proportion of waste that is recycled has remained almost unchanged, meaning the Government has still not met its target to recycle 50% of household waste, a report has found.
Council scoops UK first for recycling and waste trial 06/10/2023 North Somerset Council has trialled a recycling and waste system never before seen in the UK. LAPV looks at how they got on.
Biffa places order with Lunaz to convert 10 diesel trucks 08/09/2023 Waste management company Biffa has placed an initial order with Lunaz to convert 10 of its diesel refuse trucks to clean-air electric powertrains.
Horsham coffee pod recycling scheme reaches half million milestone 03/08/2023 A scheme in Horsham has seen half a million coffee pods collected and recycled in its first six months of operation.
Councils call for urgent clarity after further EPR delay 25/07/2023 Local authority leaders have called for ‘clear, realistic timelines’ on waste policy after the Government announced a further delay to extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging.
Grundon unveils first eRCVs powered by waste 07/07/2023 Grundon Waste Management has unveiled its first electric waste collection vehicles powered directly by electricity generated from customer waste.
Watchdog warns councils still in dark on waste reforms 30/06/2023 The Government ‘still lacks effective long-term plans to reduce waste,’ according to a watchdog’s new report.
Retailers criticise ‘extended producer responsibility’ scheme 02/06/2023 A plan to make food manufacturers pay councils for the collection and recycling of packaging waste is facing opposition from retailers and manufacturers.
Fiveways steps in to give Havering a lift 25/05/2023 Waste collection vehicle specialist, Fiveways Group, has been awarded a short-term contact to empty new underground bins installed by the London Borough of Havering.
Birmingham opens new ‘super depot’ 04/05/2023 Birmingham City Council has opened a new state-of-the-art ‘super depot’ for its waste management service, replacing two outdated yards.
Biffa teams up with Lunaz to electrify fleet 27/04/2023 Biffa and the vehicle electrification and upcycling business Lunaz have teamed up to convert one of Britain’s largest fleet of bin lorries to electric – a move that received a thumbs up from David Beckham.
Workington waste service workers announce strike 18/04/2023 Workers employed by Allerdale Waste Services will begin strike action later this month in a dispute over pay, Unite have announced.
Veolia achieves 7.5% emissions reduction in Dover contract 27/03/2023 A decrease of 7.5% in carbon emissions has been achieved in Dover as part of the local authority’s new environmental services contract with Veolia.
Suffolk residents have been asked to name new waste lorry fleet 13/03/2023 Eight new waste lorries are on their way to Suffolk and the public is being asked to think up some names for them.
Veolia completes £2bn SUEZ sale 06/12/2022 Veolia has announced the completion of its sale of SUEZ recycling and recovery UK back to the French-owned Suez.
Keenan Recycling chooses 'game-changing' waste management software 17/11/2022 Keenan Recycling has invested in a 'game-changing' ERP waste management & recycling software system to digitise its business.
The benefits of a council-owned fleet 20/10/2022 The environmental services contractor, Ubico, is owned entirely by local authorities and is going from strength to strength. LAPV reports.
EPIC signs partnership contract with Biffa 18/10/2022 Vehicle graphics provider, EPIC Media Group, has signed a three-year contract as a preferred supplier for the waste management specialists, Biffa.
Biffa adopts ‘game-changer’ health and safety software 12/10/2022 Sustainable waste and recycling firm Biffa has launched a new health and safety platform that will be a ‘game-changer’ in how it manages risk.
Ten things to do at RWM & Letsrecycle Live 2022 02/09/2022 With the new collaboration between RWM & Letsrecycle Live 2022 just over a week away, 12,000 visitors are set to descend on the NEC in Birmingham on 14-15 September 2022 for two action-packed days. Here we look at the top 10 things to do at the show that mean you cannot afford to miss it!
Council bin workers secure 10% pay rise 02/09/2022 Around 100 waste workers employed by Bath and North East Somerset council are set to receive a 10% pay rise.
Vehicles ‘prone to breakdowns’ cause missed collections 23/08/2022 Residents in Epping Forest have been forced to put up with missed waste and recycling collections because of the HGV driver shortage and vehicles ‘prone to breakdowns’, the district council says.
Bywaters’ first eCollect starts work in Central London 08/08/2022 Independent waste management company Bywaters has put its first eCollect to work on collection rounds in Central London as it begins its journey towards acquiring an all-electric fleet of collection vehicles.
Coventry bin lorry drivers win 13% pay boost 01/08/2022 The long-running dispute between Coventry council and local bin lorry drivers has now ended with a pay rise for the drivers worth up to 12.9%.
Highland Council signs £58m waste contract 20/07/2022 Highland Council has awarded a £58m contract to Viridor for the treatment and disposal of residual waste.
Councils bring forward bin collections to protect staff during heatwave 18/07/2022 Councils across the country will be collecting bins, garden waste and recycling an hour earlier over the next two days to limit staff exposure to high temperatures.
Cambridgeshire councils welcome second electric bin lorry 30/06/2022 The second fully electric refuse collection vehicle to collect waste from residents in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire has hit the streets, as local authorities continue their fleet decarbonisation drive.
Liverpool council considers subterranean super-bins in UK first 17/06/2022 Liverpool City Council is to consider beginning consultations on the installation of underground bins in an effort to clear streets of black bags and litter.
Biffa named waste management provider for Commonwealth Games 01/06/2022 Biffa has been appointed as the Official Waste Management and Recycling Provider for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Rugby waste and street cleaning strikes end with new pay deal 30/05/2022 Industrial action affecting Rugby Borough Council’s waste and street cleaning services is set to end today as the council and Unite reach an agreement.
Regulator finds ‘competition concerns’ with Veolia and Suez merger 20/05/2022 A merger of the waste management companies Veolia and Suez could lead to a loss of competition and an increase in costs for local authorities, regulator warns.
Faun Zoeller awarded silver status from Investors in People 11/05/2022 Waste management company FZUK Ltd has been awarded the silver accreditation from the Investors in People scheme.
Government struggles to assess scale of waste crime 27/04/2022 The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) does not have the data it needs to assess the scale of waste crime in England and the incentives for criminals to enter the waste market have increased, auditors say.
Rugby workers will be latest to strike 25/04/2022 Refuse, recycling and street cleansing workers at Rugby BC are among the council employees who will walk out on strike this week.
Canterbury turns to ‘solutions-minded’ Contel for joined up approach 20/04/2022 Canterbury Environment Company (Canenco), which was launched in 2021 to transform the city’s services and secure more flexibility and control, has partnered with fleet safety specialist, Contel to improve operational efficiency and traceability.
Interim fleet delivers new ‘in house’ services in Wellingborough 13/04/2022 North Northamptonshire Council has taken delivery of an interim fleet of 30 vehicles to carry out the local authority’s new 'in-house' waste, recycling, street cleansing and grounds maintenance service.
Councils to be banned from charging for disposal of DIY waste 11/04/2022 The Government has proposed banning local authorities from charging for the disposal of DIY waste from households.
Ubico takes on waste service for Gloucester City Council 04/04/2022 Ubico has taken over Gloucester City Council’s waste service and has ordered a number of electric vehicles to help deliver the local authority’s green commitments.
Waste businesses warn of closures due to red diesel ban 23/03/2022 The end of the red diesel tax rebate could result in redundancies and closures, businesses warn.
Wiltshire refuse workers win 7% pay rise 21/03/2022 A long running bin strike across Wiltshire has been resolved after GMB members accepted a new deal from the council.
Red diesel ban ‘tangible threat’ to waste strategy 18/03/2022 The Chancellor has been warned that the red diesel ban is ‘counter intuitive’ and presents ‘a tangible threat’ to the Government’s waste strategy.
SUEZ and Kirklees Council agree two-year interim contract 08/03/2022 SUEZ recycling and recovery UK and Kirklees Council have agreed a two-year interim contract on waste management that will see a greater emphasis on recycling and energy recovery.
Bin strike hitting 220,000 homes begins in Wiltshire 08/03/2022 A two-week bin strike in Wiltshire affecting 220,000 homes began yesterday after GMB members turned down a new pay offer.
Delay to EPR will create 'vacuum of uncertainty' for councils 04/03/2022 Councils will be forced to award waste management contracts in a 'vacuum of uncertainty' following the delay to the introduction of extended producer responsibility (EPR), the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (LARAC) has warned.
Countrystyle Recycling brings in EPIC for vehicle livery 03/03/2022 Kent based waste management firm, Countrystyle Recycling Ltd, selected EPIC Media Group to provide vehicle livery for the company’s first ever domestic waste collection contract for the London Borough of Bexley.
Sussex councils agree pay rise for refuse, recycling and cleansing staff 28/02/2022 Adur & Worthing Councils have agreed to a wage increase for refuse, recycling and cleansing staff following a review of pay and conditions.
Coventry council defends itself against Unite’s pay claims 23/02/2022 Coventry City Council has challenged claims by the union Unite that refuse collection drivers doing the same job in neighbouring councils are paid thousands of pounds more than the drivers currently on strike.
Scrapping green waste charges: the whole picture 09/02/2022 DEFRA has proposed significant changes to waste services. Karen Steel, customer success manager at Granicus UK, looks at how local authorities should prepare for what's coming.
Regulator to progress Veolia and Suez investigation 22/12/2021 The competition regulator has announced that it will progress its investigation of the proposed merger between Veolia and Suez to the next stage.
CIWM and WAMITAB complete merger 21/12/2021 CIWM has confirmed the successful completion of its merger with WAMITAB, a move designed to strengthen the provision of fit-for-purpose qualifications in the resources and waste management sector.
Coventry bin lorry drivers strike proposal ‘impractical’ 15/12/2021 Coventry City Council has rejected a union proposal that bin lorry drivers work for one hour and then go on strike for another hour.
Leeds council puts aside extra £5m to deal with household waste 13/12/2021 Leeds City Council has been forced to set aside an extra £5m to deal with the increase in household waste requiring collection and disposal during the pandemic.
Councils dealing with record amount of fly-tipping 09/12/2021 A charity has called for a review of the licensing scheme for waste carriers after new figures showed fly-tipping has reached an all-time high.
Veolia and Suez merger criticised by competition authority 08/12/2021 The merger of Veolia and Suez could lead to a loss of competition in the supply of several waste and water management services in the UK, according to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
Council sets up ‘arms-length’ business to deliver key services 03/12/2021 East Suffolk Council is to create a Local Authority Trading Company (LATCo) to help it deliver key council services.
Waste sector 'overlooked ' at COP26 03/11/2021 The waste and resources industry has been 'overlooked and left with no seat at the table' at COP26 this week, the president of the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management has warned.
c-trace takes the pain out of setting up RFID chip operations 30/09/2021 Waste management operators can be reluctant to adopt large scale RFID projects. c-trace’s UK Sales Director Ian Martin tells LAPV why they should overcome their reservations.
Urbaser continues growth with J&B Recycling acquisition 26/08/2021 Cheltenham based environmental services company, Urbaser Ltd, has confirmed the acquisition of J&B Recycling, a waste management company operating in the North East of England.
Re-Gen Waste ‘delighted’ to win first Welsh contract 16/08/2021 Re-Gen Waste in Newry, Northern Ireland, is ‘absolutely delighted’ to have won its first Welsh contract.
Urbaser uses latest software to deliver paperless commercial collection service 01/07/2021 Urbaser Commercial Services Ltd (ULCS) is using the latest software and technology to deliver efficient, paperless commercial collection service. LAPV finds out more.
Reconomy win waste and recycling contract with ITM Power 29/04/2021 Sheffield hydrogen specialist, ITM Power, has appointed Reconomy to manage its waste and recycling services at its Gigafactory near Meadowhall.
South Ayrshire Council switches to live camera systems 28/04/2021 South Ayrshire Council has switched to live camera systems that are remotely monitored and health-checked after a spate of faulty vehicle cameras and unrecorded footage on waste and recycling vehicles.
Essex-based waste management company invests in 15 new Hyva skiploaders 16/04/2021 Essex-based skip hire and recycling company Dunmow Waste Management has invested in 15 new Hyva skiploaders.
Urbaser expands UK portfolio with six new contracts 14/01/2021 Environmental services company Urbaser Ltd has announced that it is acquiring six waste management contracts from Amey, with a portfolio value of over £30m per annum.
FCC Environment launches 2021/2023 graduate programme 09/11/2020 FCC Environment, one of the UK’s leading recycling and waste management companies, has launched a new UK-wide graduate programme as it looks to attract and retain the managers of the future.
REMONDIS UK gets first FEL with c-trace dynamic weighing system 09/11/2020 The first REMONDIS UK FEL waste collection vehicle fitted with c-trace’s dynamic weighing system has been delivered to the company’s site at Doncaster.
London waste company upgrades fleet to help improve air quality 12/10/2020 The waste management company Brewsters Waste is upgrading its fleet of refuse vehicles to help reduce air pollution in the capital and meet new low emissions regulations.
Biffa cuts £200,000 per year from transmission servicing costs 30/07/2020 Biffa’s UK fleet cuts £200,000 per year from transmission servicing costs with Allison Transmission’s help.
Bin weighing in Oxford saves thousands 06/05/2020 Oxford City Council and a local college have reduced the amount of rubbish going to landfill and saved thousands of pounds in the process thanks to Vehicle Weighing Solution bin weighing system.
Councils urged to provide data on waste services during Covid-19 01/04/2020 Local authorities have been urged to provide regular information on the impact Covid-19 is having on waste services.
Waste operators call for ‘performance penalty’ relief to keep services running 20/03/2020 Waste operators have asked to be excused from performance penalties from the councils they have contracts with as part of the effort to keep services running during the pandemic.
Peterborough recycling centre cuts fly-tipping by 25% 25/02/2020 Peterborough’s new recycling centre is celebrating a successful first year which has seen fly-tipping decrease by a quarter.
Birmingham City Council considers ‘overhaul’ of rubbish collection service 05/02/2020 A review of the city council’s waste management service has warned that the local authority’s older vehicles are likely to result in higher fuel consumption, greater emissions and increases in maintenance costs.
Geesinknorba wins majorcontract with Dacorum Borough Council 16/12/2019
Comment - electric revolution in the waste sector 02/12/2019 Paul Connor, Head of Tenders and Procurement at Specialist Fleet Services (SFS) looks at the impact of electric vehicles on the public
Roar Techmedia purchases RWM from the Prysm Group 02/12/2019 Roar Techmedia, the trade exhibitions organiser, has secured a significant investment from Apiary Capital to fund the acquisition of a portfolio of leading events from Prysm Media Group, including the Recycling and Waste Management exhibition.