13th May 2015
The current pressure on recycling businesses exposed to volatility across various secondary raw material markets brings into sharp focus the disjointed strategic approach within in our industry.
12th May 2015
In a business spread over approximately 300 locations around the country, the logistics of feeding back the results of surveys to all employees is quite a challenge. While we spent time considering how to convey the feedback, and when to do it, there is one principle that is paramount to us – the belief that each and every line manager
28th April 2015
One of our values, here at SITA UK, is ‘Communication’ – meaning that we take the time to talk and listen to one another and our customers. This value is very important to us every day, but it’s under the spotlight once a year when the management committee travels around the country to update our managers and supervisors on the
22nd April 2015
The upcoming elections and political promises are undoubtedly the main issue for UK waste-watchers. The Resource Association’s ‘Manifesto for resources 2015‘, issued at the end of March posed some interesting and challenging suggestions for the consideration of all political parties running up to the May General Election. Having recently completed some work for the EU on systematic eco-design innovation, the
16th April 2015
Waste-watchers scouring the main parties’ 2015 election manifestos for evidence of a “Damascene conversion” to the circular economy and resource efficiency will find lean pickings, and probably view what little there is with a degree of cynicism. The Labour party manifesto makes no mention of our sector, instead concentrating its environmental pledges on carbon reduction and energy management in the
28th January 2015
The news that Edinburgh is to roll out two pilot schemes addressing recycling in flats will be welcomed by waste-watchers concerned over the UK’s stalling recycling rate. High-rise and multi-occupancy housing pose by far the greatest challenge to the design and logistics of collection systems for recyclates. With some 80 per cent of the UK’s population living in urban settings,
26th January 2015
January saw the publication of a report entitled Employment and the circular economy – job creation in a more resource efficient Britain. This, in my view, is the most sophisticated study to date into ways that the circular economy could stimulate jobs and growth in the UK. Drawing on labour market statistics and patterns of employment at national and regional
23rd January 2015
While a little late, can I wish all of you a happy new year – I hope it is a good one for you. For the next few weeks, I would like to talk specifically about the challenge of employee engagement – even though I may have alluded to it in passing in previous blogs. 2015 is a big year
9th January 2015
The latest edition of WRAP’s recycling, re-use and repair tracking survey (December 2014) identifies recycling attitudes and behaviours that support many of the findings of two SITA UK-sponsored reports: The Ur[bin] Issue (improving urban recycling performance) and Lifting the Lid (student attitudes and behaviours towards recycling). In these reports, we highlighted clear messaging, harmonised collection systems and effective community engagement as
17th December 2014
With all the debate going on around the EU position on the circular economy at present, emotion can sometimes cloud our view, so it can be useful to stand back and consider the underlying reasons behind the various opposing opinions. While many in our sector are more than a little disappointed by the European Commission’s view, I can at least
