The Skip Magazine

Read about the hilarious pop video, created to mark the launch of "National Share A Skip Week", that's taking YouTube by storm - "Skipjacking Jerk" by The Skipjackers!

Plus all the usual fun and frolics from the weird and wonderful world of skip hire and waste management...

A judge has spoken out over the lunacy of sentencing guidelines, after they prevented him from imposing a jail sentence on a serial fly-tipper, while “law-abiding citizens” are incurring stiffer penalties over petty council bin laws.

Judge Michael Lawson QC was passing sentence on a skip hire boss, convicted of multiple fly-tipping offences, when he highlighted the soft penalties for the offence in comparison to those handed out for “some miserable dustbin offence”.

The judge highlighted rules which left a man in Cumbria with a criminal record for leaving his bin lid ajar, whilst Alan Yarlett, who ran a skip firm in Kent, incurred only a suspended sentence for the £7,000 worth of damage he caused to various beauty spots.

63-year-old Yarlett, who was featured on the BBC's ‘Rogue Traders’ programme, charged £60 per skip to remove waste and was then caught illegally dumping it around the Kent area.

The court was told how Yarlett stored up to fifty skips on wasteland in Dartford, before illegally depositing the waste. Officials from the council sprayed the stored waste with ‘Smart Water’, without Yarlett’s knowledge, enabling them to trace the fly-tipped contents back to him and secure their case for prosecution.

He pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court to several charges of illegally dumping waste, for which he received a six month sentence, suspended for two years, and was made to pay £2,300 compensation.

It was also revealed that Mr Yarlett had been convicted of fly-tipping in 2004, for which he received a community service order and fines totalling £11,500, as well as previously having an Anti-Social Behaviour Order charge brought against him for burning waste.

The judge remarked: "It creates problems of perception that decent, law-abiding citizens fear having a dustbin with a lid that doesn't close and this defendant gets away Scot free,

What can the court do to punish him?

Sadly the guidelines on individual offending prevent me from imposing an immediate custodial sentence.

Although that's what, in truth, a number of people would wish to do."

A Cumbria man, Gareth Corkhill, found himself in court earlier in the year having refused to pay a £110 spot fine to council inspectors, when they found his wheelie bin lid open by 4in.

Mr Corkhill observed: "It's only an £80 fine for fly-tipping. I would have been better off doing that."

A good-natured skip truck driver stopped to help a Swiss-German lorry driver, who was left crying at the wheel of his wagon when it became lodged behind Morrisons supermarket in Reigate last month.

Deighton Brown, of Smallfield-based R&S Skip Hire, used his hydraulics to help Robi Schwarzmuller manoeuvre his heavy goods wagon back to freedom.

The incident occurred after he became lost trying to find his way to the M25.

The proprietor of a nearby business, Richard Hawkins, said it was a known trouble spot for drivers from outside the area. He commented:

“It was terrible when I arrived. I saw the driver crying at his seat. Can you imagine how you would feel if you were in a completely different country and found yourself stuck with everybody looking
at you?

The real problem is that there isn’t enough signage to say where these guys should go. We get foreign drivers of HGVs ending up here at least once or twice a month.

Almost always they have no idea how they ended up here. They’re normally trying to get to Gatwick, or onto the M25.”

Bystanders winced as the trailer scraped it’s way towards the rear entrance of Marks and Spencer. There was damage to some railings on the public walkway, which then had to be removed.

Deighton Brown said: “I really felt for the guy when I turned up and saw him boxed in.

We’ve all been there before. The very least I could do is help him out. Call it one of those random acts of kindness that everyone seems to be talking about.”

Criminals who have repeatedly stolen lead, copper and now turned to stealing entire skips around the Cambridge area have been captured on security cameras – despite their best efforts to destroy the camera using the highly sophisticated method of beating it with a broom.

The ruthless duo have recently taken to using a skip lorry to attack businesses in Waterbeach and Milton, stealing skips with a value of around £2,000 a time.

The crimes have continued, despite companies having resorted to bolting down skip containers in an effort to thwart the thieves.

Their most recent crimes took place at Milton Precision Engineering of Cambridge Road, Milton, and at Callaghan Engineering in Pembroke Street, Waterbeach. Which was where the images were captured.

Detective Constable Julie Munday, of Histon police station, said: "They tried to destroy the camera by whacking it with a broom and thought they had - but that wasn't the case and we now have fairly good images of them.

These thieves are brazen. Instead of just taking the scrap metal from the skip they are now taking the whole skip. These men are organised and have been operating in Cambridgeshire for some months.

For many businesses struggling with the credit crunch this is the last thing they need.

One of the men is quite distinctive and has ginger hair and dodgy teeth. These men are not amateurs and are turning up with a skip lorry.

They might actually be in the skip hire trade and stealing skips to order. I would appeal to anyone who knows them or has any information to contact police."

The firms were targeted back in July of this year, and again on the 6th of October, which is when the images were taken.

The manager of Callaghan Engineering, Jon Tester, said: "We have been hit several times in the last few months, the last one on the same night as they did Milton. That's twice we have both been done at the same time.

Milton has a box attached to the skip to stop it being loaded onto a lorry but the last time they brought in acetylene torches and burnt it off. We put skip locks on ours and they just cut them off.

There can sometimes be metal in the skip worth £170 a tonne - the skip can take 10 tonnes and costs £750. We hope that we can catch these men and put a stop to this. Times are hard enough without this."

If you can provide any information about the crimes, contact the police on 0845 456 4564, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Three cars took a severe beating last month, when a 30 tonne skip hire lorry ploughed into them at high speed after the driver lost control of the vehicle.

The incident happened in Drumlin Drive; a typically quiet street in Milngavie, East Dunbartonshire.

A lamp post also became a casualty in the incident, along with a garden wall which, thankfully, provided an adequate buffer zone to bring the truck to a standstill after the rampant trail of destruction.

The owner of the abused garden wall, Fiona Brown, said: “I was in the back of the house so I didn't see what happened but my 10-year-old grandson did.

He came through and told me there was a car in the wall and the bush was all bashed.

When I looked out I couldn't believe what I saw, the lamp post had been knocked sideways and cars were damaged.

This is not something you'd expect on this street, it's usually quiet. It was very lucky no-one was hurt, it could have been much worse."

Police are looking into exactly how the unlikely incident occurred.

A group of business leaders from the waste and recycling industry have decided to continue holding a show in Paignton, Devon following the decision by the Chartered Institution of Waste Management (CIWM) to relocate its annual conference to a venue at London’s Docklands.

The three-day Plant And Waste Recycling Show (PAWRS) will be held on Paignton Green next year from June 15th to June 17th, following the continuing demand from visitors and exhibitors.

Hampshire businessman, Richard Hunt, is the catalyst behind the PAWRS event, having visited the Paignton conference for the past 23 years. He described the decision by the CIWM to relocate as “madness”.

Richard explained: “As soon as I found out about the decision, which was made without consultation with those who attended the conference, I was on the phone to friends and contacts to see if they would support a show in Paignton.

The event has been running here for 23 years and, in that time, people have built up good friendships and contacts and have made friends with hotel and guest house owners.

It is a chance for people to meet up with old business contacts and bring the family for a holiday as well if they want.”

According to Mr Hunt, a Hotel room near the new CIWM conference venue would cost around £170 per night, plus a minimum £5 per night parking charge, which anyone would call expensive. And that’s without even considering the likelihood of incurring the additional congestion charge fee, or even the substantially greater cost of a bacon butty!

Richard continues: “A lot of exhibitors are members of the CIWM and are obliged to attend the London show, but I think they will come back in years to come.

We also expect about 95% of local authorities throughout the country to attend the show.”

Deputy chairman of Paignton Chamber of Commerce, Matthew Clarke, said: “We are pleased that this is happening in Paignton. It is good that there has been recognition of the service that Paignton can provide and shows like this are an important part of our economy.

Many people who attend these events say that a lot of business is done over a pie and a pint and not necessarily in an exhibition hall. That is what these show organisers have recognised and the CIWM have not.”

Exhibitors have already started to book hotel and exhibition space, and a new sales team has been appointed for the show.

For more information, visit: www.pawrs.com

We were recently contacted by Mr Steven Heard, who makes some fantastic models out of wood - including the mighty skip hire truck, of course. We enjoyed them; what do you think?

Steven, who comes from Minehead, Somerset, told The Skip: “The reason for making wooden skips is that I am a craftsman and I really enjoy doing it.”

Mr Heard has also been making models for charity. He explains: “I have made four models for my local lifeboat for them to raise money with, plus my local childrens’ bus.” Steven’s most famous customer yet is Johnny Kingdom, for whom he made a wooden Landrover to keep as well as a lorry to go to a charity of his choice.

Steven added: “I really want to make a go of this as it is my dream to get my handmade lorries etc out there for people to see.”

Steven has received plenty of interest from the few craft shows he has attended so far, and this looks set to increase, judging by the quality of his work.

If you would like to get in touch with Steven regarding his models, email pr@theskip.net

This month’s Skip Chick is Charlotte and her smashing set of t-t-teeth. The ‘JCB’ on her hat actually stands for ‘Jugs, Core Blimey!’ (Do feel free to write in if you think it’s all getting a bit too Jim Davidson).

Q. Hi Charlotte, please tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.

A. Well, I’m a petite blonde with a big personality. I’m a recent graduate of Business and Management and I’m more intelligent than I look, although I apparently don’t have much common sense...or sense of direction, but in the world of sat nav that’s not much of a problem! I spend most of my time working in promotions and have done everything from dressing up in a chilli suit for a crisps campaign at the V festival to promoting a new kitchen range at a furniture store; obviously the first was a lot more fun!

Q. And what do you enjoy most about your job?

A. Meeting new people every day (to add to my facebook count) and having a laugh! I enjoy all the interraction with other people. It’s all about making the brand look good by having a good time, whilst also being professional, of course.

Q. So what do you like to do when you’re not working, Charlotte?

A. I enjoy socialising with friends and family, whether it is staying at home watching X Factor and eating a Chinese, or crawling my way round the pubs and clubs in Birmingham. Most of the time when I'm not working I try to relax after inventing another excuse to avoid the gym!

Q. Gym or takeaway? It’s a no-brainer. What do you like about The Skip magazine?

A. I love the Skip Hunks, of course! I like cutting out the sexy photos and adding them to a poster board on my wall!

Q. And finally, what's the best thing you've ever seen in a hire skip?

A. I once found an excersise bike in a skip. I was thrilled that it was hardly used and it has taken pride of place in my kitchen. It’s still hardly used, but it does block my route to the snack drawer!

Get a load of BKP Group driver ‘Mad Dave’! He’s currently dressed for his other job, in which he moonlights as a ‘super sub’ for Borussia Dortmund. He holds the current record for the most red cards in a season, and the furthest free kick wearing wellies.

Q. Please tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.

A. My Name is Dave Harding - aka Mad Dave! I’m 48 going on 28 and I’m a RORO Driver for BKP Group. I’m also married with two kids. As you can see by the picture I like to keep fit, and I’m bald and beautiful! I love a good gossip especially with the girls in the office!!

Q. So what else do you enjoy about your job?

A. The Challenge of completing a whole week without an accident form to fill in!

Q. And what do you like to do when you’re not working?

A. Baiting my rod and dangling it in the water on a sunny afternoon! And a good win at the races with my mates!

Q. I sincerely hope that’s fishing you’re talking about. So what do you like about The Skip magazine, oh mad one?

A. The Skip Chicks, of course! I'm always the first to grab the mag and put it in my cab!

Q. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever seen in a hire skip?

A. A large pink rabbit (and not the furry kind!)

Q. Presumably you weren’t so quick to put that one in your cab! Is there anything else you’d like to say to our readers?

A. I would just like to thank all my friends and colleagues for voting me Hunk of the Month. As you can see by the picture, it was well deserved. I have always been a modest well mannered man so I hope all this attention doesn't change me!

No, I really don’t believe it! A scheme I considered in a previous issue of The Skip, after another one of my Pot Noodle pondering sessions, has actually made it to fruition! Oh, if only my dear mum could see me now (she’s not dead, she just can’t see very well nowadays).

I’m sure you’ll remember my enthusiasm for a ‘Skip Sharing’ scheme, back in issue 37 of The Skip, when I briefly deviated from my favourite passion to explore the terrible reality of underloaded skips. Well, would you believe it, National “Share-A-Skip” Week has now been officially born! I’m just glad I patented the idea at the time in case it takes off. Oh crap, no I didn’t; that was the re-usable bog roll fiasco.

National “Share-A-Skip” Week 2008 runs from the 10th to the 17th of November and should provide a very welcome boost to the skip hire industry, as well as doing a great job towards reducing fly tipping, skip jacking, wasted skip space and all the needless carbon emissions that come with it. You can read all about it at http://nationalshareaskipweek.co.uk, where you can also find that “Skipjacking Jerk” tune that is currently plaguing my mind to the point of near insanity!

Anyway, I’m excited at the prospect of several people sharing one skip, because that surely increases the chances of more juicy overloaded numbers out there. Not that I’d ever (been seen to) encourage the deliberate overloading of a skip merely to satisfy my own personal, twisted fixation with the delightful spectacle.

And that takes me seamlessly, once more, to this month’s ‘overloaded skip porn’! The first beauty, in desperate need of a haircut, was sent to us by Nigel McGillicuddy, of Howard Waste. Nigel said they were “appalled and horrified” by the state of the skip when they turned up to collect it. I suppose it’s a different ball game when you’re the person who actually has to deal with the inconvenience, but I have to say that I felt something more along the lines of “delighted and ever so slightly aroused”!

The second skip, courtesy of John Cinnamond, of R Collard Ltd, is a rare classic. On first glance, it looks like a full skip on a full skip (which, as you can imagine, left me quite weak at the knees). But there actually appears to be some kind of mattress convention going on. I only hope they checked them all thoroughly for students before tying them down.

Please keep your overloaded skip photos coming in. Email them to us or post them to - The Skip, Metropolitan House, Station Road, Cheadle Hulme SK8 7GA

Shred - tr. v. - To drop in and stomp a ride on my board so's I can carve some wicked cool powder. Or something...dude.

But they won't let me write about snowboarding - which is probably just as well. So instead, I'll stick with:

Shred - tr. v. - To cut or tear into small irregular particles or strips. In the case of the recycling sector, this usually involves a very large, very noisy and very destructive machine. And thanks to the government’s clampdown on landfill, we’ll be seeing a lot more shredders around.

Our glorious leaders are pushing the recycling industry as much as they can. They want less landfill and more reuse, which is a good thing. But in order to do our bit, and keep making a profit, we’re going to have to do something that never seems to make sense, especially in the current economic climate; we’re going to have to spend money on some new gear. But whether you decide on buying new equipment or renting it, shredders are the first thing you should look at.

Slow Grind

There is a shredder for everyone. Whether you want to simply chunk your mixed waste for easier sorting or you want to specialise in something like tyres or wood.

With mixed waste, you are looking to break down the garbage into more manageable chunks. Known as pre-shredding, this is best done by a low speed, high torque shredder. Models such as Doppstadt’s DW 3060, Komptech‘s Terminator or one of the Haas Primary Crushers, available from Machine Shop Ltd, handle this kind of task particularly well.

Slow speed pre-shredding allows us to easily tear up mixed waste. The garbage is dragged through a large comb by a toothed roller called a drum. Enough force is used that items dragged through this are torn apart. Tougher items are given a little more slack as the comb can hinge slightly to allow for this. Inevitably though, you are bound to come across the odd item that can’t be shredded, but don’t panic. This is the reason you’re using a slow speed shredder.

Unlike the high-speed post-shredders we’ll look at shortly, a slow speed shredder allows you to catch solid items before they cause any real damage. Usually this is in the form of large chunks of metal that can cause mayhem if not removed. A good slow speed machine will not only stop before any damage is done, but some will even eject the offending item automatically.

Having been chunked, your pieces are screened so only bits of a particular size can pass through. If they won’t, they’re sent around again by the drum for another pass through the comb. You want smaller chunks? No problem. All modern shredders are easily adjustable and all you need to do is swap out the screen. Combs and teeth are also easily replaced which you will need to do on a regular basis. As you can imagine, wear and tear are your biggest problem with these machines.

Hammer Time

Sorting with magnets, blowers and the like should now be a lot easier. You’ll want to make sure you’ve removed all foreign objects as you’re now going to be moving over to a high-speed hammermill.

Machines such as the Haas HMH-T 650 are great for this final breakdown of mixed or green waste. The grind is done by a series of rotating discs that each have a number of free-swinging hammers attached. As they travel at over 2000 rpm, you’ll understand the need for a thorough sort before you start. Hitting something that can’t be shredded, at that kind of speed, can cause major headaches and will slow down the rest of your work while you repair.

Waste is introduced at one end and is pulverised in the grinding chamber until small enough to pass through a screen. Like the slow speed shredders, the screens are easily replaceable so you have total control over the grind size. Similarly, all grinding components are easily replaceable, but remember, parts need replacing very often on large shredders like these. So if you are planning to buy, budget accordingly.

The Specialist

If you’re shredding for biomass then a high-speed shredder is perfect for the job. Companies like Machine Shop Ltd can advise on a range of suitable machines from Haas and IQR. But biomass shredding isn’t the only way forward. Some companies like to specialise and more specialised equipment might be in order.

Tyres, for example, can be big business if you are willing to take them on. They can’t be taken to landfill anymore so shredding them for reuse is the thing to do. Old tyres are especially useful for cement manufacture where they are used in the kilns for fuel. At temperatures as high as 1200°c the old rubber is incinerated rather than burned, so you don’t get the masses of black smoke you would if you set fire to them.

However, many people still object to the use of tyres in this way even though they don’t produce any more pollution than other fuels. It does get rid of the thousands of old tyres that we would normally have buried, but you can always use them for other things. Carpet underlay, for example, or flooring for play areas are worth looking at.

If you want to get into tyre shredding then I recommend you look at a rotary shear of the double or even quadruple shaft type. Riverside Waste Machinery Ltd in York can provide a range of Untha rotary shredders suitable for some very heavy duty shredding. They really can shred almost anything allowing for easier sorting and transportation of material.

Cut, Maim, Destroy

Like I said earlier, there is a shredder for everyone and it could be the most useful bit of kit you get. Renting is a good idea, but with less space at landfill and the cost of burying going up all the time, buying a good shredder might still be worth thinking about. Check your budget, but also know what type of waste you are most likely to be handling. It’s a lot of money – up to £300,000 in some cases – and don’t forget maintenance costs.

Choose well, and have years of trouble free destruction.

If, like me, you’re hell bent on world domination, then you’re probably going to be using a lot of technology. You’ll be making your plans on the computer and storing them on your hard drive. You’ll be keeping photos of your weapons of unimaginable power on a USB stick. Your mobile will be full to bursting with the contact details of the evil scientists you’ve hired, not to mention all the text messages you’ve been sending to them.

Of course, the main problem with world domination is that, by and large, MI6 frown upon it. So now, you’ll have to get rid of all your gadgets and gizmos and all the secret data they contain. Thanks to the WEEE directive, recycling is a must, but it’s all that confidential data that you want to worry about.

You see, recycling old electronic equipment is quite straightforward if you use a company that does actually breakdown and recycle the components. Some places just ship it to Asia or Africa to be dismantled, which is just plain wrong and not only for environmental reasons.

Destroying the confidential data on your electronic equipment is not just about big businesses and corporations either. With technology becoming cheaper all the time, we are now giving away, or throwing away, our old gadgets. You probably don’t think twice about it, but how much of your life is stored on your hard drive, USB stick, or mobile phone? Names and addresses of your friends and family, birthdays, email addresses, photos and bank details are just some of the things you might find.

So what are you going to do before you sell, recycle or donate your old electronic gizmos? Simple, you delete all your old data. Use the “master reset” menu option on your old mobile phone; delete all the personal stuff from your hard drive and USB stick and don’t forget to empty the “recycle bin”. If you want to be extra careful, you might also format the hard drive.

Job Done...

Would it make you nervous if I told you that none of those things would actually erase any of the data from your old electronic equipment?

Master reset, delete or format, it all does pretty much the same thing. It marks the data as unwanted, which allows it to be written over. That’s all. The data itself is still there for the taking.

The technique, called Forensic Data Recovery, is used by law-enforcement types to catch paedophiles and other criminals who try to cover their tracks. However, its use isn’t restricted and it could just as easily be used to retrieve files that you have accidently deleted. In fact, a quick search on Google will bring up reams of Data Recovery packages, all easily available. It’s easy to see how a fraudster might use this same bit of technology to collect personal details from your old PC hardware.

Sometimes we make it even easier for the criminal fraternity. Identity fraud is on the up, and not deleting your data can make life very uncomfortable. A recent study by BT, Glamorgan University, Australia's Edith Cowan University and Sim Lifecycle Services showed how scary this can be. They picked up a BlackBerry that a corporate executive had dumped in his IT departments WEEE recycle bin. Instead of being recycled, the device was sold to a refurbisher and the study group bought it from them.

On the BlackBerry were details of clients, business plans, agendas, meetings, emails, his bank details and even pictures of his kids. All intact and unencrypted. He got lucky. Had someone other than this study group picked up his device, things could have been much worse.

Bend and Wipe

So if you’re going to recycle, what can you do? Well, there’s good news and bad news. First the good news:

Deleting files properly is very easy.

When you delete a file from your hard drive, what you are actually doing is allowing the computer to write over that area of the disc. Of course, modern discs have a hell of a lot of space on them with new drives having anything up to a terabyte or more. It could be months before that area of the disc is written over, so you need to get hold of a file shredder.

This simple bit of software is used in place of your normal delete option. Once installed you will either drag the file to the shredder icon or right click and select shred. Now instead of the usual delete procedure, the shredder will mark off that area of your disc. Next, it will write over that area, with binary numbers, up to 30 times. This obliterates any trace of the file that was once there and makes it impossible to reconstruct the information.

File shredders, such as SysShield, can be downloaded free from places like tucows.com along with many others. They will work just as effectively on USB sticks and rewritable DVDs/CDs as they do on hard drives. If you’re going to be donating any computer equipment, do yourself a favour and get a file shredder. This way, you can be sure that nothing will come back to haunt you.

For those of you thinking about offering WEEE recycling as part of your current service, you should check out Blancco. The industrial strength shredding software they offer does a very thorough job of eradicating all data from hard discs. Hit a drive with this and you can resell it as part of your WEEE commitment with no worries about old data popping up to embarrass you or your clients.

If the disc is damaged then data shredding software will be of no use. But you can be sure that if there is sensitive data on it then it can still be retrieved. Some people just like a challenge. In this case, you will need to degauss the drive. This involves passing it through a powerful electro magnet, which will destroy all data on the disc.

The downside of this is that the drive will no longer be usable and so can’t be re-sold. It’s possible to degauss a drive in such a way that it can be used again, but it’s quite complicated and just not cost effective. And with the price of hard drives coming down all the time, it’s just easier to wipe them and shred them.

Data shredding and degaussing is very much a belt and braces approach to confidential data destruction. But if you want to offer this service to your clients then it’s well worth offering both. You might even go the extra mile and take the GCHQ approach. The governments eavesdropping department regularly need to make sure that old computers and the like are properly wiped. To this end, their hard drives are data shredded, degaussed, bent in half and then physically shredded. You won’t be getting any secret info from that then.

So, the bad news. You now know how easy it is to wipe old files from computers and their associated discs. The same cannot be said of mobile phones.

These pesky devices are a law unto themselves and as mentioned previously, the master reset option doesn’t erase anything. Like deleting a file on a hard drive, all you’re doing is hiding the data and making it available to be written over. And, like a hard drive, anyone with the right equipment can retrieve all the data stored on your phone. Usually these people are in law enforcement but a well-connected criminal could do the same job.

Mind you, it isn’t particularly easy and they would have to be VERY well connected, so don’t get paranoid. Being careful is the name of the game. It is more likely that someone will swipe your phone from under your nose than take it from a recycle bin. And if you are going to recycle your phone do use the master reset, as most criminals are just too lazy to go to the trouble of data retrieval.

Annoyingly, it is possible to wipe all the data from a mobile, but manufacturers are rather secretive about the methods. Of course, GCHQ know how to do it and one or two companies who cater to governments and other paranoid types – but as it’s all covered by the official secrets act you won’t find it on Google.

Our friend the BlackBerry can be properly wiped though, if you know how. Hoorah for instruction manuals. And if you leave it on the train, you can even wipe the data remotely. This is just one of the reasons why they are popular with business users.

And Relax

Recycling waste electronic items is obviously a good idea but you really need to take care. You need to think about what you’re handing over to be recycled or reused. You really don’t have any idea where your old equipment will end up, or who will have access to your old files. So shred any data before recycling and remember, even formatting a hard drive isn’t reliable.

If you’re offering WEEE services as part of your business model then you’re taking on a lot of responsibility. Putting your customer’s minds at ease should definitely be at the top of your agenda. Investing in some quality data shredding software is a good start as it allows you to leave an audit trail for your clients. Degaussing machinery should be next on your list along with a good shredder.

And remember, don’t be paranoid, be careful.

The title reveals a question no-one in their right mind should ask but that is what could happen to a great many exempt operations next year if Defra’s exemption review takes hold. I touched on the exemption review a few months ago and have set out below the main changes that will affect readers of The Skip. What is certain is that there will be more chargeable exemptions and more permits. I have listed all of use of waste exemptions and the changes so that you can look up the consultation to see the effect on your operations. They are the main exemptions which affect the waste skip companies take off site. The treatment, disposal and storage ones are those which are relevant to you. I have excluded the obscure ones.

Use of Waste (13 exemptions)

U1: Use of waste in construction. Now includes a longer list of wastes with EWC codes. Interestingly includes waste gravel and crushed rock, which in most cases would not find themselves in the waste chain. Despite the aggregates protocol we are again seeing a potential extension of the definition of waste, leaving us to prove that the material is not waste. Up to 500 tonnes can be stored or used in the work.

U2: Use of up to 500 tonnes of baled tyres in construction work as long as they comply iwth the standard PAS 108.

U3: Use of waste in the construction of tracks, paths, bridleways or car parks. Limited to wood, clean gravel etc. to regulate the use of woodchip. Why it includes clean river gravel is beyond me as that could easily be classified as a product. Limited to 500 tonnes.

U1 to U3 split up the original paragraph 19 exemption which permits the use of specified waste in construction works.

U4: The use of relevant waste in the construction of installations, exhibits, sets or demonstrations for entertainment or educational purposes. Not likely to be widely used.

U5: Burning waste as fuel in an appliance with a net rated thermal input of <0.4 MW. What has changed is the restriction to uncontaminated wood as fuel, meaning that recycled wood from transfer stations will have to be burnt as fuel in an appliance which has a relevant permit.

U6: Use of waste derived biodiesel as fuel in a motor vehicle. Why is it a waste?

U7: Use of sludge for re-seeding a waste water treatment plant.

U8: Use of sewage to clean a contained gravel bed.

U9: The direct and beneficial use of relevant waste for a specified purpose e.g. tyres on a silage clamp, wood shavings an shredded paper as animal bedding. Roadstone for construction of roads.

U10: The use of relevant waste to manufacture finished goods. A much argued exemption which now has limits and conditions on the reuse of wood, textiles, glass, metals, plastic etc. and even lion poo (up to 5 tonnes!).

U11: The spreading of relevant waste on agricultural land to confer agricultural benefit to the land. A much reduced list of wastes which is causing some concern to industry and the limits are reduced from 250 tonnes per hectare to 50 tonnes.

U12: Spreading waste on land to improve soil structure or add nutrients or biomass General reduction from a maximum of 250 to 50 tonnes per hectare and a more limited list of wastes. I cannot see why this had to be a separate exemption to U11:

U13: Spreading waste on land for the purposes of mulching (uncontaminated chip only).

Treatment of Waste (31 exemptions)

T2: Recovery of textiles by laundering/cleaning up to 20,000 tonnes at any one time.

T4: The treatment of relevant waste by baling, sorting, shredding, pulverising, densifying, crushing or compacting it. Massively increased quantities for indoor operations processing paper, cardboard, glass, textiles etc. 3,000 tonnes of plastic in 7 days compared with 100 tonnes in the old exemption. Effectively combines the current paragraph 11 and 17 exemptions.

T5: The treatment of relevant waste by screening and blending it for the purpose of producing an aggregate or a growing medium. Long list of wastes looks good until you read the part that says treatment should be at the place of production or where the waste is to be used. Appears to be a restriction of the current Paragraph 13 aggregate production exemption, which we know the EA grudgingly accept at present.

T6: The treatment of relevant waste by chipping, shredding, cutting or pulverising it. Restrictions include uncontaminated wood.

T7: Crushing brick etc. relates to activities which do not need a permit from the Local Authority (Part B processes). It is hard to see where this will apply as most Environmental Health Officers are keen to permit any crushing process.

T8: The treatment of end-of-life tyres, including tyres in a shredded or granulated form, that are relevant waste by a relevant treatment activity. Limited to 300 tonnes per year.

T9: Recovery of scrap metal. Similar to the Paragraph 45 exemption.

T10: The sorting of one type of relevant waste from one or more other types of relevant waste. This will allow sorting of mixed, paper, plastic, card, textiles etc from kerbside or commercial collections.

T11 The treatment of WEEE that is relevant waste by repairing or refurbishing it, including any prior dismantling. Quantities limited to 1,000 tonnes per annum with no storage limit.

T12: The manual treatment of relevant waste by a relevant treatment activity. Sorting, repair or refurbishing footwear, furniture, pallets, bicycles etc.

T15: The crushing of empty waste aerosol cans consisting of relevant waste.

T19: The physical treatment of edible oil for the purposes of producing biodiesel. Limited to 5,000 litres for both treatment and storage at any one time.

T23: Aerobic composting, which includes open windrows will now be limited to 40 tonnes at any one time meaning a permit application will be required for many on farm composting operations.

Disposal of Waste (8 exemptions): None of these represent any real change.

Storage of Waste

S1: The storage of relevant waste in a secure container or containers. Linked to T2 and T4 and replaces the old paragraph 18 exemption.

S2: The storage of relevant waste in a secure place. Similar to current exemptions and allows bulking up of many waste types but does not permit the storage of waste produced elsewhere relied on by many contractors who currently have a skip in their yard for depositing daily waste arisings generated at their customers’ premises.

In all there are 55 exemptions and despite the splitting up into the U, T, D and S categories it will only make things more confusing, resulting in sites registering every exemption which does not attract a fee. There are some positive improvements but it also a benefit to the ‘if it moves permit it’ brigade within the EA. The low risk regulation list has been incorporated into the exemptions and no doubt there are activities which have not been thought of yet which will result in a new list in the future. Your thoughts and comments are welcome. Please let us know what you think.

Marco Muia BSc (Hons) MSc MCIWM is the Director of Oaktree Environmental Limited. He specialises in all aspects of waste planning and regulation consultancy. He also holds the level 4 COTCs for Hazardous Waste Treatment and Transfer. You can contact Marco on 01606 558833 if you have any questions about this article or you can e-mail him at: enviroman@theskip.net

In this month’s article I want to have a look at one of the most common tasks carried out at work where there is a real risk of injury if it is done poorly... namely, manual handling. The figures certainly back this up, with nearly a half of all reported (RIDDOR) injuries in the workplace resulting from manual handling accidents.

As a starting point it might be helpful to have a look at what the legislation says, with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 (as amended) defining manual handling as “any transporting or supporting of a load (including the lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or bodily force”.

Note that it is not just lifting that is covered, but also other tasks involved in moving things around. Therefore it is something that you can’t ignore as it will definitely have some impact on your staff at work, whether they work in the office, on site, or out on the road.

Another important point to make is that the Regulations make no reference to any specific weight limits. There is guidance which refers to 25 kgs (for a man) in certain circumstances... waist height, close to the body... but it is important to emphasise that in most cases this is too simplistic and cannot be applied willy nilly. In order to provide proper compliance (and to protect those involved in manual handling tasks), the starting point should be to identify all the handling tasks where there is a real risk of injury.

The Regulations set out a hierarchy of control measures that provide a really useful Stepwise process for you to follow:

Step 1: The first stage is to avoid manual handling operations wherever possible. I am sure you would agree that this is entirely logical, but it is also very often overlooked. For example, have you redesigned any of your tasks to avoid moving a load? Or have you automated or mechanised a process that was previously done by hand?

Step 2: The next stage is to do an assessment of any manual handling operations that cannot be avoided, resulting in the risk of injury being reduced so far as is reasonably practicable. For example, you could provide mechanical assistance in the form of a trolley.

Step3: If you can’t do anything in terms of providing mechanical support, then you need to look at the activity in a bit more detail and perhaps consider changing the task, the load or even the working environment. You might have come across the word “ergonomics” in relation to manual handling, with it perhaps being best described as “fitting the job to the person, rather than the person to the job”. The legislation does consider this approach in Schedule 1 to the Regulations, which lists a number of questions in five categories:

1. the task; Does the task involve stooping, holding the load away from the trunk, twisting the trunk, traveling a distance, frequent handling, excessive pushing/pulling?

2. the load; Is the load heavy, bulky or unwieldy, difficult to grasp, contents unstable or likely to shift, sharp, hot, cold?

3. the working environment; Are there space constraints preventing good posture? Are there slippery, uneven, unstable, or variations in the level of floors? Are there extremes of temperature, problems with ventilation or gusts of wind? Is there poor lighting?

4. individual capability; Does the task require unusual strength, height?

Does the task put at risk anyone who is likely to be pregnant or to have a health problem? Does the task require special information
or training?

5. other factors; Does the task require unusual strength, height? Does the task put at risk anyone who is likely to be pregnant or to have a health problem? Does the task require special information or training? Does the task require specific PPE that may restrict/affect movement?

A useful memory jogger is to use the acronym LITE (Load, Individual, Task, Environment).

As with all risk assessments it is useful to involve staff in the process as they will be able to help to answer the specific questions mentioned above. Also, it is very important to think about the level of training that they are given (require)... have you given your staff any instruction on manual handling? If not, then you might find that you will suffer more lost time injuries than is necessary and also, of course, you are unlikely to have any particular defence in the event of any claim for compensation!

A final point is to remember that you can’t just tell your staff what to do, provide them with a trolley and then absolve yourself of all responsibility! As always, you need to introduce a demonstrable system of checks, enforcement and refresher training in order to make sure that the system is really being managed.

Happy handling!

Nigel Mair is a WAMITAB assessor and verifier and runs the North West Regional Assessment Centre, delivering WAMITAB
qualifications and other H&S, waste and environmental training.

If you have any questions for Nigel, please email them through to nigel@theskip.net

TIP 1. RECRUIT GRADUATE TRAINEES

Blue chip companies thrive on the recruitment of graduate trainees and have a proven track-record of success in building on the qualities they can offer any business. This is often the best route to guarantee finding affordable new staff with the necessary skillsets and enthusiasm to drive your business forward and diversify - especially at this time when evolution and diversification are absolutely critical to the long-term survival of your business. Get in touch if you would like more information on how to go about this.

TIP 2. Get your fingers in more pies

It’s all very well trying to counter the effects of a reduced demand for the services you already offer, by increasing awareness through advertising etc, but what else can you offer? Getting the edge over your competitors is all about diversifying your assets, or ‘thinking outside the skip’. Just look at how Ready Mix Concrete turned the problem of a disused quarry into the success story that is now Thorpe Park (http://tinyurl.com/guru1). Or consider the massive popularity of ‘Diggerland’, which only started when H.E. Services saw a huge potential after realising how excited their clients’ families were at being able to explore the diggers during an open day at their headquarters. Of course, these are examples of successful diversification on a large scale, but even the smallest schemes can make the difference in these difficult times. If you own a transfer station, you may be able to offer educational recycling tours - it may not seem exciting to you because you see the process every day, but it will appeal to those who know nothing about it. Every business has different assets; it’s up to you to look around at what you’ve got and think about it differently. There’s likely to be more cold, hard cash to be generated out of investments you’ve already made...

TIP 3. Get your chopper out

When I promised a picture of me and my chopper to go in this month’s issue of The Skip, the editor was understandably nervous! However, what little hair he has left was saved when he realised I was talking about helicopters!

I use a helicopter to survey recycling sites, as it is amazing what you get to see from the air that you just can’t appreciate or even access from the ground (and you don’t get snarled up in traffic either!) If any of you would like to have a helicopter experience in the North West, or any birds-eye view photos of your or your competitors’ sites taken, just get in touch via theguru@theskip.net or call 0844 560 7706 and ask about ‘The Guru’s Chopper’!

Weston-super-Mare based Towens Group, sixteen years in the construction and waste industries, has taken delivery of eight Volvo trucks to support on-going growth in the waste recycling and site clearance sectors. The delivery of FL 4x2 skiploaders, FM 8x4 tippers and FH16 and FM 6x4 tractor units were all supplied by Wales and West Truck and Bus, Avonmouth.

Andy Towens, Chairman of the Group said,” Volvo trucks are important to support a growing business like ours. I bought my first Volvo in 1994 and the business has been expanding ever since we went into skip hire back in 1997. Volvo’s reliability goes without saying and their share of our fleet will continue to grow as the business grows.”

“All the recent Volvo’s have been Euro 5 compliant and we have noticed a big improvement in the fuel economy compared with the trucks they replace. This is important as it helps us to demonstrate to our customers that we’re aware of our carbon footprint and that we’re going to try and reduce it.”

“We’re loyal to the brand and this is supported by Volvo’s excellent durability. We tend to keep the trucks for at least ten years and the current oldest on my fleet is a 1999 registered vehicle which is still going strong. The key is looking after your customers consistently through thick and thin and the robust Volvo product and Dealer support help us achieve this aim.”

The two FL 4x 2 skiploaders were supplied on a Volvo three-year contract hire package. Andy continued, “The FM double-drive tractor pulls a 120 cubic yard ejector trailer which gives a payload of twenty nine tonnes. The payload and productivity is excellent. We use the FH16 to deliver plant and equipment for the remediation (site clearance) and demolition markets. This is another growing area which the Volvos support.”

Towens Group operate thirty five trucks of which twenty eight are Volvo’s.

DTS Environmental Ltd, a waste management company located in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, has recently celebrated a number of exciting milestones.

September 29th marked the official opening of its state-of-the-art Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), designed to divert much of the waste taken in by the company from landfill. The facility is able to process up to 175,000 tonnes of waste per year and signals the beginning of over £5 million of new investment in the company. This will allow DTS Environmental to recover increasing amounts of resources that would otherwise have aggravated the country’s urgent problem of excess waste going to landfill.

This month, the company also received recognition of its customer-focused Quality Management System in the form of official ISO 9001:2000 certification by UKAS accredited auditors. Furthermore, DTS Environmental recently embarked upon the process of building a new and improved web site, which will soon enable full online ordering of skip services, and the installation of market-leading software to achieve greater efficiency.

Ultimately, such developments will assist the company in continuing to maintain and improve its level of customer service, while making further contributions to the economic and environmental well-being of their region.

For more information, call 0844 560 7706 and quote “DTS TS40”.

Noblet have been trading in Preston for 11 years, with depots strategically situated around the UK. They currently have a mixed fleet of vehicles specialising in the waste collection and disposal industry.

Noblet vehicles range from a 7.5t compactor RCV to a 32t Big Bite REL or FEL. Noblet also have a range of skip loaders and 32t Hook loader vehicles.

With hire periods from one day for as long as the customer requires, all Noblet hires are fully supported and the company strives to guarantee next morning delivery.

As well as short term spot hire, Noblet also do long term contract hire. This involves vehicles tailored to the customers’ individual needs and delivered in their own livery. These contracts include maintenance, road tax and replacement vehicles in the event of a breakdown. This ensures customers have full continuity of service throughout the contract.

Under current financial circumstances, contract hire frees up customers’ capital away from vehicle purchase, allowing investment in the core businesses of collecting waste.

For further enquiries regarding long or short term hire, contact Dave on 07946575502 or Phil on 07946527648

Dave Statham, a director of WPS

Waste Processing Solutions (WPS), the new company created by the Finlay Group to cater specifically for the recycling market, has secured a distribution agreement with Carmac Waste Handling Systems.

The range of machinery designed by Carmac for the recycling and efficient handling of a range of materials - including construction, demolition, commercial, industrial and municipal waste - will now be solely distributed by WPS across England and Wales.

WPS cites the fast growing demand for efficient, cost effective waste recycling solutions as the reason it has moved into the market.

David Statham, a director of WPS, which has its headquarters in Stafford, said: “Carmac’s level of expertise in the recycling market, combined with our own ability to deliver high levels of service and support in England and Wales, makes for a good partnership.”

Carmac, which has developed substantial business in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, is focusing on expanding its business in the United Kingdom, as well as other parts of Europe and further afield.

Declan McNally, managing director of Carmac, which is based in County Tyrone, said: “The deal with WPS is key to our expansion into the UK.

Carmac equipment is based on experience gained over 10 years in the recycling industry.”