Day: 1 November 2001

Technically speaking

Binnie Black and Veatch's Frank Rogalla looks at biological aerated filters

Guidance aids local authorities to meet their contaminated land responsibilities

The Environment Agency has published guidance to assist local authorities with their responsibilities under the contaminated land regime (Part 11A of the EPA 1990). Funded by DEFRA, the guide is a result of collaboration between the Agency, the Local Government Association (LGA), the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) and DEFRA

Agency aims to extend MERTS scheme to cover chemical testing of soils

The Environment Agency published proposals on 4 October to extend its Monitoring Certification Scheme (MCERTS) to cover the chemical testing of soils at the start of an eight-week review period.

Site remediation paves the way for London Dockland homes

Recycled demolition materials are being used, where appropriate, in the regeneration of a former industrial site in London's Docklands, which is being redeveloped for housing

Waste timber: free resource separate

At present, timber-using industries in the UK spend millions every year disposing of waste. Waste management has been identified through industry research as a key commercial challenge for business across the timber industry. Waste costs can reach four per cent of turnover for many businesses.

Pyrolysis turns scrap tyres into oil and gas

An innovative British scientist, Dr Paul Williams, may spark a renewed interest in the environmentally-friendly but little-used recycling process of pyrolysis, and help to reduce the growing mountain of scrap tyres awaiting disposal around the UK.

Mercury rising

One florescent lamp contains enough mercury to pollute 30,000 litres of water, yet they are regularly sent to landfill.

Microwave-induced aluminium recovery

Pyrolysis is one of the principal routes for recycling plastic wastes. In such a process both the calorific and chemical values of the plastic are recovered, as opposed to incineration in which the chemical value of the polymer is completely lost. Most research and development on pyrolysis processes has been carried out with homogenous waste or pure plastics, rather than with more realistic materials that contain additional contaminants. Materials like aluminium/polymer laminates, used mainly as packaging for food and beverages and for other products, such as toothpaste, are often found in municipal solid waste (MSW) and, as they do not currently have an easy recycling method, most waste of this kind ends up as landfill.

Sand, gravel and rock, with some exceptions…

A tax on the commercial exploitation of aggregate will come into effect 1 April 2002, requiring companies to register and pay for the environmental impacts of virgin aggregate extraction. Beverly La Ferla reports.

OSS awards OSCAR – the world’s most advanced oil-water separator

OSS Group Ltd has awarded Industrial Waste Treatment Ltd three throughput process contracts for the installation of the world's most advanced piece of equipment to treat oily dirty water at its Stourport plant.

Model behaviour

The development of software to monitor and control the treatment of industrial effluent is one area that has attracted considerable interest in recent years. Indeed, the use of software solutions in planning all types of industrial development from concept to completion is now widely accepted. Modelling the options before beginning development enables companies to examine the widest range of alternatives and solutions at least cost.

Producer responsibilty and electrical waste: a case of deja vu?

With the impending WEEE Directive have come strong arguments for adopting a consistent approach across all producer responsibility-based legislation. The packaging regime, however, has given rise to a tension between businesses with obligations and those who issue recovery notes. Matt Townsend, senior associate in the Environmental Law Group of Allen & Overy, on picking the best bits.

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