LAWR

RWM WITH CIWM 2014 PREVIEW September 2014 Local Authority Waste & Recycling 17 Closing the loop: Making the circular economy a reality he waste management sector has both respon- sibility and oppor- tunity in developing a circular economy. Finding ways to better deal with the vast diversity of waste materials generated each year is an ongoing challenge, and to do this we not only need to have solid collection systems in place, but also the necessary infrastructure to enable these materials to be reprocessed for local markets. At Biffa we have a long-held view that many businesses need integrated resource management (IRM) support – not just back-end waste collection and disposal. That's why we set up Biffa IRM, and more recently R3MC, a con- sultancy service that helps manufac- turing businesses with complex waste streams. By embedding specialists on site, we can really understand the nuts and bolts of the customer's operations and advise them on how to avoid wast- ing resources. Providing locally-available treatment capacity for unavoidable industrial and commercial waste is another priority for Biffa. Over the past few years, we have been investing in facilities that are designed specifically to treat business waste close to where it is produced. With a presence in 95% of UK post- code areas, our strategy for developing a network of business waste treatment facilities is being delivered according to local need. Our modus operandi is scalable, and we have the critical mass to deliver locally. We have 60 depots and 27 trans- fer stations, meaning we can link waste into a national network, reducing waste miles and delivering flexible services. Cradle-to-cradle Keeping materials in the loop is key: we operate Europe's largest AD facil- ity at Cannock, which is now provid- ing electricity back to the neighbouring Sainsbury's facility in a circular fashion (we treat all of Sainsbury's food that is no longer fit for consumption); and the newly refurbished Biffa Polymers plant in Redcar is recycling large quantities of plastics from across the country (plastic from Biffa Polymers is in about 80% of the UK's milk bottles – over 50 million bottles every week). There is still demand for more treat- ment capacity in the UK (be it recycling, AD, MRFs or EfW facilities) means. A circular economy will indeed rely upon an improved network of infra- structure, and the associated planning hurdles still need to be appropriately addressed. While householders object to waste being "imported" across other- wise superficial county boundaries, we will struggle to develop the kind of net- work proposed in the Green Alliance's recent report. Global concept Fortunately, the Government is start- ing to address the demands of a circular economy, seeing waste as a resource and joining up their approach to the manu- facturing and resource management sec- tors. Some promising case studies are emerging from other countries, such as the take-back scheme in Japan that is recovering 72% of WEEE (compared to the UK's 32%) and the proliferation of used cooking oil recycling facilities in the USA, Brazil and China. What examples from abroad show us is that so much more value exists in our waste streams than we are recover- ing. Sustainable resource management and the circular economy represent a significant economic opportunity and long-term plans need to be put in place over the next few years. Moving to a circular economy will require a huge shift both in terms of perceptions and practical action. There is hope amongst the industry that the new 'Waste Champion' in BIS will start to reshape the government's approach to resource management and provide an environment in which the circular economy can flourish. In the meantime, there is an ongoing need to deliver advice and treatment capacity for UK Plc, enabling businesses to avoid landfill tax, recycle more, and keep valuable materials in our economy. For more information on the circular economy read edie.net's Resource Revolution White Paper on www.edie. net Ian Wakelin is chief executive at Biffa. He will be speaking at the Circular Economy Connect Theatre on 17 September at RWM 2014 Waste management specialists are starting to drive the circular cause. Biffa's Ian Wakelin explains why his firm is practising what it preaches. T Biffa provides locally- available treatment capacity for C&I waste

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