Waste - beyond recycling

Waste is often under-recognised as a key part of the sustainability matrix, but more stringent legislation and increasing consumer awareness is changing this. Learn about better management of business waste and how to reduce the costs of waste handling; the WEEE directive and implications for Suffolk; community waste projects and how to implement a zero-waste system.

You can watch the full session by clicking on this link

Adria Pittock (chair)
Waste Projects Manager at Suffolk County Council

Adria has spent four years managing waste minimisation and recycling projects and has worked on projects with businesses, schools and with the community and voluntary sector. Prior to working in waste management she worked in Environmental Strategy and Sustainable Development.

Heidi Seary
Regional Community Waste Network Co-ordinator for the Eastern region

Heidi Seary works for Community Recycling Network UK and as a business support officer for the CRED programme which is a National Lottery grant funding programme available to community groups involved with reuse, recycling and composting in England. Prior to her work with CRN, Heidi worked as a Recycling Officer and Waste Management Officer at Blaby District Council and Harborough District Council, both in Leicestershire. Heidi also spent eight years with Oxfam in the retail and textile recycling division. Heidi will be talking about Resource Saver, a project to assist businesses to achieve quantifiable reductions in waste going to landfill. By diverting it for reuse, recycling and composting, community organisations in the region will provide new reuse and recycling services to the business sector.

Bob Whitehead
CEO Ipswich Furniture Reuse Project, Chair Furniture Re-Use Network and Treasurer Suffolk Community Reuse and Recycling Network

Bob joined Ipswich Furniture Project in 1993 following a career in Financial Services. He has been instrumental in IFP’s development and growth. IFP now has two retail outlets offering low cost furniture and appliances to people on low incomes in the Ipswich area. He has steered IFP through the many legislation changes thrust upon it and has recently secured the necessary permits and authorisations to comply with the WEEE (Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment) Regulations allowing it to remove, repair, test and reuse electrical appliances for the benefit of the local community. This provides both a vital environmental and social benefit and greatly contributes towards a greener Suffolk. Bob’s work nationally has seen the setting up of a national trading company by the Furniture Re-Use Network, that is now brokering deals for its 300+ members, with manufacturers and retailers, on providing furniture reuse projects with access to good quality end of line, slightly damaged products, for use by the socially excluded.

Antony Gough
National Industrial Symbiosis Programme regional coordinator and Principal Environmental Specialist for Scott Wilson

Antony is an experienced environmental advisor and qualified trainer and he joined Scott Wilson’s Resource and Environment Group in June 2005. Since completing an MBA in Environmental Management at the University of Liverpool in 1999, Antony has worked on a number of successful resource efficiency projects in the eastern region and is currently spearheading the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme in the East of England. Antony sits on several sub-regional advisory groups including the Business & Industry Group for the Environment (BIG-E) in Norfolk and the Essex Business & Environment Network. Antony also has strong links with Envirowise for whom he acted as the Regional Agent for three years. He is a Chartered Environmentalist, a Full Member of the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment and sits on the IEMA regional committee for the East of England.

Sandra Pell
Corporate Director of Environment, St Edmundsbury District Council

Sandra is the Corporate Director of Environment having previously been Head of Service for Waste Management. She joined the council in 1992 at a time when the recycling rate was 2% and in 1994 devised a series of trials, including alternate weekly collections, which resulted in the implementation of a green kitchen and garden waste collection. In 2003, following DEFRA funding, the Council jointly introduced an alternate weekly collection of dry recyclables in partnership with Forest Heath DC. This three stream system allowed the Borough to exceed its statutory recycling targets and in 2004/05, after the scheme’s first year in operation, it achieved a recycling rate of 50.6%, the highest in the UK. In Sandra’s new role as a Corporate Director she has responsibility for Planning, Building Control, Engineering and Support Services as well as Waste Management.