Welcome to the first eNewsletter of the new decade from Oxfordshire Waste Partnership (OWP).
We've got updates from across the county and news of one particular place trying to eliminate waste entirely!
As ever it's your eNewsletter and if you've got a great story, let us know.
A state-of-the art composting facility contracted by Oxfordshire County Council to help reduce landfill is now up and running.
The £5m In Vessel Composting (IVC) facility, built in Ardley by Agrivert Ltd, has begun receiving its first deliveries of food and garden waste from Cherwell and Oxford City. It will convert thousands of tonnes of food and garden waste into high quality compost for use as a fertiliser on local agricultural land, replacing artificial fertilisers.
The eagerly-awaited facility has the potential to divert up to 40,000 tonnes of organic waste per year from landfill - the greenhouse gas equivalent of taking approximately 48,000 family cars off the road annually.
The technology used, requires just half the energy of similar solutions. The plant also uses harvested rain water and its offices are heated with warmth generated by the compost itself.
The new IVC plant is the first of three new facilities which Agrivert Ltd is building as part of their contract with Oxfordshire County Council to help achieve the target of recycling or composting 55 per cent of Oxfordshire’s waste by 2020.
The second facility, an Anaerobic Digestion plant, is currently being built near Yarnton, with another Anaerobic Digestor planned in the south of the county.
In October 2009, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn announced that the Dorchester-on-Thames Community Action Group (Dorchester Carbon Project) had been selected by Defra as one of eight projects to receive funding as part of their ‘Towards Zero Waste Places’ scheme. The Dorchester project aimed to provide a series of low cost waste reduction initiatives that could be easily replicated in other areas.
These included:
The project will report at the end of March. For more details visit the Dorchester Carbon Project website.
Cherwell District Council has just launched a new WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling scheme and has taken delivery of sixteen banks to collect old or broken small electrical items.
These will go to recycling sites across the district and will soon be joined by a further fourteen banks to make sure the scheme reaches the maximum number of homes.
The new banks are funded by OWP with support from Electrolink, a leading national recycling organisation. Electrolink is also financing the long-term transport costs to an approved recycling centre where the waste products will be broken down and materials recovered for reuse.
Locations of the new banks are available on Cherwells' website.
Position/s held:
I have been on WODC for eleven years during which time I have been deputy chairman then chairman of the Environment Committee, Chairman of the Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee and for the past six years Cabinet Member with the Environment Portfolio. I have also served as Chairman of OWP for two exciting years. For the past thirty five years I have also been a full time antiques dealer specialising in fine English antique furniture of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries and am recognised as an authority on this subject serving on numerous vetting panels at antiques fairs.
What does this involve?
The Environment Portfolio covers many different areas as diverse as public conveniences, waste collection, flood alleviation, air quality, traffic, parking etc. The role on OWP involves putting forward the views of those in West Oxfordshire I represent and to try to ensure better outcomes for all in the county for those areas under the control of OWP. This now also includes the wider remit of the Environment Partnership.
Why/how did you end up in this role?
I have always been interested in environmental matters and am happy to face a challenge when the gauntlet is thrown down. It has also been a steep learning curve in some aspects.
What makes you proud about what you do?
The feeling of actually having achieved something tangible to the benefit of those in our area. It makes all the work and effort worthwhile.
Pet-hate?
Negative attitudes: I always want to work in a "can do" culture rather than an "Oh Hell" World.
One thing you love about Oxfordshire?
Very simply the people. Coming from owning a prestigious gallery in St. James's in Central London to Witney some 15 years ago, within days you cannot help but notice the difference. I am part of a real and vibrant community in a way that one seldom experiences in London.
What would you like to be remembered for?
The huge mountain of work after the catastrophic floods of July 2007 to ensure that as far as possible we are never faced with those scenes again. Within that is the setting up of the WODC Climate Change Working Party and raising the profile of water management, flood alleviation, climate change, carbon management etc. within West Oxfordshire and if, as a team working with other agencies, we can achieve the end of 2007 having been a one off, then I would be happy to be remembered for having achieved that.
How do you relax?
I ski and read. I listen to classical music and I enjoy political debate. I have been a member of the Stewards Enclosure at Henley Royal Regatta for 40 years and still attend regularly as I have also spent many years rowing.
What would you do if you won the lottery?I would spend more time skiing and rowing whilst assembling the very best collection of fine English antique furniture, clocks and works of art that I could.
Finally, give us your favourite green tip:
Freshly picked English Asparagus!
A staggering £860 million worth of food is currently stored in freezers across the UK, but doubts about freezing a wider variety of foods, and a belief that freezing is only for long-term storage, means we are taking the freezer for granted and not getting the best out of it.
OWP is calling on the public to become ‘Frugal Freezers’ and learn more about one of the most versatile but underused household appliances: the freezer.
By making meals from what’s in our freezer we can save money, postpone our regular shop and make room for any homemade meals, the inevitable leftovers or seasonal foods that might be on offer.
OWP is working with BBC Oxford searching for a family that wastes food and needs help to reduce that waste and save money. If you can think of suitable volunteers, please email us.
Retrader.org.uk the new materials exchange for Oxfordshire is now up and running!
Retrader allows businesses and other organisations to pass on materials they no longer need and get pre-used materials from other businesses. Almost any items and materials can be exchanged, from batteries to paper and furniture to pallets.
A reuse showcase event took place at Macclesfield House, 26th February 10am to 12pm to officially launch Retrader. The event demonstrated the Retrader website and involved a reuse workshop hosted by the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP).
As a one off attendees were able to take away office equipment on the day, with free transport provided by reuse charity Sobell House.
Check out the Retrader website at http://www.retrader.org.uk.
Over 1200 swappers were out and about for the Countywide Swap Shop last month. Nine swap shops took place across the county, from Thame to Eynsham, and Wallingford to Duns Tew. An amazing array of goods changed hands including books, Christmas decorations, ceramics, paintings and toys.
Swaps shops in Wallingford, Dorchester-on-Thames and Wheatley were especially busy as they also swapped electrical goods. Volunteers had special equipment, funded by OWP, to test electrical items to ensure they were safe. Once an item was successfully tested it was swapped, but even unsafe electrical items weren’t wasted; they were recycled.
Canalside Environment Group had a special event run my members’ children. A table that was laden with toys and children’s items just seemed to disappear!
Swap shops are growing in popularity with one happening most Saturdays. Visit the CAG website for more details.
Oxford City Council's food waste scheme trial is successfully operating across 15,000 homes. Food waste is collected separately, every week. Based on the results of the scheme so far, the city council plans to roll out food waste collections to the rest of the city later this year. We'll keep you updated as the scheme develops. For more info see the city council's website.