Tag Archives: innovate UK

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Waste Stories 4/12/2017

 

The Healthcare Waste and Resources Research Group

1. Free webinar on effective communication for innovation in the healthcare sector (7 December, 2017)
 
For more information and to register click here
 
2. Consultation on the decarbonisation programme in the public sector in England
 

Government is interested in evidence, and views, about the action required to deliver an ambitious decarbonisation programme across the public and higher education sectors, in England over the next 10 years.

It particularly welcomes your comments on the introduction of a voluntary emissions target for the public and higher education sector – excluding central government departments and their agencies which already have their own targets.

 

To view the consultation, click here

3. Half day workshop on remanufacturing/repair/reuse and single use in the healthcare sector

 

This half-day workshop which is sponsored by Grundon Waste Management Ltd. will focus on the remanufacturing/repair/reuse of bulky items, as well as the effective management of single use items in healthcare facilities. There will be short presentations from Alan Armstrong from Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, and Karl Sheehan from Sharpsmart. Following the presentations, there will be the opportunity for discussion and the sharing of information. These discussions will be facilitated by Anne Woolridge and Maria Mahon. A light lunch will be served at the end.

Spaces will be limited. To book, click here

 

4. Environment Agency consultation on changes to its charging regime

The proposals include changes to the way the EA charges for:

  • regimes within the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016
  • radioactive substances regulation nuclear and non-nuclear permits
  • marine licences
  • Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013
  • Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 2015
  • European Union Emissions Trading System
  • definition of waste services
  • planning advice

Read more here

5. STFC Bridging for Innovators Programme – London and Manchester briefings

STFC has launched the Bridging for Innovators (B4I) funding programme to support UK Industry to improve productivity and overcome production issues. The funding forms part of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF), the government’s £4.7 billion support for R&D over the next four years providing significant investment for industry-led, multi-disciplinary research and business/academic collaboration. KTN’s Nigel Rix will be facilitating two Industry Briefings to cover the scope of the funding programme and details of the application process, as well as discussing the levels of funding available and the facilities on offer.

Briefings will be held on Fri, 8 December, in London  and on  Mon, 19 December, in Manchester.

Further details can be found here

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Waste Stories 1/5/2017

 

1. CIWM webinar on fire safety at waste sites

This webinar will provide attendees with an update on several developments related to fire safety on waste sites.  An introduction to the new guidance from WISH, an insight into the development of Fire Prevention Plan templates from the Wood Recyclers Association and an overview of the CIWM’s new fire safety on waste sites course.  The webinar is open to both CIWM members and non-members. 

Book here

2. Making energy clean, affordable and secure: apply for funding

The Energy Catalyst has up to £13 million to support innovative market-focused projects in the energy sector both in the UK and in developing countries. Businesses can apply for a share of £13 million for innovative projects that address the issues of cost, emissions and security of supply.

For more information click here

3. Environmental permits: regulatory position statements (RPS) – update

The RPS explain the circumstances when you do not need to apply for a permit.

For more details click here

4. The Group’s 2017 conference

The Group’s 2017 conference will be held on Thursday October 5, at the Northampton Town’s football ground in Sixfields, Northampton. The event will focus on the sustainable management of food waste from the healthcare and hospitality sectors. It will feature speakers from WRAP, Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, the Co-op, Northamptonshire Waste Partnership and Severn Trent Water. The event will be sponsored by  Sharpsmart and Olleco.

To book click here

5. ISWA waste-to-energy study tour (June 18 – 23)

The technical tour combines site visits to 10 different plants and facilities in operation in Alpine Germany and Austria with accompanying special seminars.

To view the programme and to register click here

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Waste Stories 30/1/2017

 

1. The Group’s 2017 conference

The Group’s 2017 conference will be held on Thursday October 5, at the Northampton Town’s football ground in Sixfields, Northampton. The event will focus on the sustainable management of food waste from the healthcare and hospitality sectors. It will feature speakers from WRAP, the Co-op, Daventry District Council and Severn Trent Water. Further details will follow in due course.

2. How much food and drink waste is there in Scotland?

Zero Waste Scotland has recently published a report on food waste in Scotland. It states that there is an estimated 1.35 million tonnes of food and drink waste was disposed of in Scotland in 2013. This covers solid and liquid waste arising from households and solid waste arising from “commercial and industrial” sectors, which includes the public sector.
 

View the report here

3. The SDU’s Sustainable healthcare products challenge

The SDU is seeking applications to undertake work to identify and quantify the environmental, financial and potential social benefits of healthcare products. This could include products from cardboard kidney trays, alcohol hand gel to medical devices such as walking aids or surgical equipment. 

The Unit intend to award three contracts of £3,000 each.  

For more information, click here

4. EU low carbon hospital challenge

The European Commission has launched a competition to find a hospital that has an innovative and perfectly integrated combined heat and power installation within its premises that uses 100 percent renewable energy sources. A cash reward of €1m will be offered to the hospital that most effectively meets the criteria, which include using at least three different renewable energy technologies. The deadline to apply is April 2019.

5. Funding competition: technology solutions for society in India

Innovate UK is investing up to £1.6 million for projects that use cutting-edge solutions to enhance healthcare, clean technology and infrastructure in India.

The aim of this competition is to encourage innovative partnerships between the UK and India. Innovate UK and the Indian government are funding this competition, administered by the Newton Fund.

The University of Northampton would be particularly keen to partner, as we have done work in India and have good links, particularly in Chennai.

For more details, click here

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Waste Stories 14/11/2016

 

10th anniversary1. Innovate UK funding competition: manufacturing and materials round 2

Innovate UK is to invest up to £15 million in innovation projects in manufacturing and/or materials. We will fund projects that focus on identified technical or commercial challenges. These should lead to increased productivity, competitiveness and growth for UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

We expect projects to range in size from total costs of £50,000 to £2 million. Projects should last between 6 months and 3 years.

A business must lead the project. Projects must involve at least one SME, working alone or in collaboration with other organisations. Projects longer than 12 months or with costs of £100,000 or more must involve working with other partners.

Read more here

2. European waste reduction week

Each year organisations, businesses, schools, and citizens are encouraged to take action during the week to raise awareness of how to reduce waste in our society leading to longer term sustainable behaviour.

The aim of the week is to mobilise actions across Europe that promote the three R’s: reduce, re-use and recycle. In Scotland, the focus of EWWR is on food waste but this year the theme across Europe is wasteful packaging. Participants are encouraged to think about food waste and packaging when developing their awareness raising actions for November.

 

Read more here

3. Food waste solution competition

Across Europe, people are developing and implementing innovative solutions to the problem of food waste. The REFRESH Food Waste Solution Contest wants to bring much-deserved recognition to these ideas and encourage their spread. Anyone that has developed a food waste innovation – including individuals, organisations, start-ups and large companies – is encouraged to submit a video or visual essay about their project. The deadline for submissions is 30 November 2016.

Read more here

4. Public consultation on terms of reference for ERSA scientific committee

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has drafted the terms of Reference for a working group of the Scientific Committee on “Harmonisation of risk assessment methodologies for human health and ecological risk assessment of combined exposure to multiple chemicals”. The working group will develop a draft guidance document for human and ecological risk assessment of combined exposure to multiple chemicals using existing frameworks as starting points and tiered approaches for each step (problem formulation, hazard identification, hazard characterisation, exposure assessment, risk characterisation).

Read more here

5. Oregon County to make money importing medical waste

Covanta Marion Inc. has been turning solid and medical waste from Marion County, Ore., into energy for decades, but now the facility will be getting a boost in the form of imported medical waste.

As the county does not generate enough waste to keep the facility operating at full capacity, it has been purchasing approximately 15,000 tons per year of solid waste from outside the county. But that is about to change.

To offset the solid waste it had been purchasing, the county is adding the medical waste stream to ensure the Covanta Marion plant continues to run at full capacity and efficiently generates electricity.

Read more here

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Waste Stories 17/8/2016

10th anniversary

1.CIWM sustainability and resource awards

The CIWM Sustainability and Resource Awards are now open for entries. If you have an outstanding project, innovation or a success story to shout about this is your time to shine.

For more information click here

2. World Business Monitor from ISWA

Welcome to your latest complimentary issue of AcuComm’s Waste Business Monitor (WBM). This issue provides analysis of all projects reported on in June 2016: 77 in total, with an estimated investment value of just over US$4.6 billion. Waste-to-Energy incineration projects represented 43% of reported new or planned waste project capacity this month.
WBM provides an ongoing and comprehensive analysis of current projects in the global waste industry, enabling you to establish the level of activity in the different sectors of the waste industry around the world. The data in is taken from AcuComm’s proprietary Business Database. This is a database of projects compiled and maintained by us on a daily basis. The information in it is not readily available from any other source.
To access the issue, please click here

 

3. New free tool to help waste management industry assess workforce competences

The Competence Assessment Tool has been developed by the SWITCH Forum (Scottish Waste Industry Training Competency and Health & Safety) to help managers, supervisors and team leaders in the waste management industry to assess individuals and their teams against a range of competences and skills relevant to their job roles.

For more details, click here

4. Dr Colin Church to become new CEO of the CIWM

The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) has announced that Dr Colin Church, formerly Director of Environmental Quality at Defra until earlier this year, will be taking over from Steve Lee as Chief Executive Officer in the Autumn.

Dr Church has extensive experience in strategic environmental policy making and in his most recent role at Defra was responsible for government policy on issues including climate change adaptation, air quality, industrial pollution prevention, local environment quality, resource efficiency and waste, and sustainable procurement. He managed the Government’s support for waste infrastructure development, led for Defra on climate change mitigation, and was also a non-executive director of WRAP, the waste reduction and resource efficiency body.

Read more here

5. Funding opportunities for energy efficiency

Innovate UK is offering businesses and universities a share of up to £19 million to develop innovative solutions to global energy challenges.

Read more here

6. Technologies to reduce food waste

Cutting-edge technology – from intelligent food labeling to mobile phone-controlled apps and even smart fridges – is set to transform the way consumers shop and control their domestic food waste. For more information click here