DEFRA Site Waste Management Plans

DEFRA has introduced Site Waste Management Plans which are a legal requirement in England for contruction projects begun after April 6th 2008, worth over £300,000.

A Site Waste Management Plan (SWMP) provides a structure for waste delivery and disposal at all stages during a contruction project and will typically identify who will be responsible for resource management, what types of waste will be generated, how the waste will be managed, which waste contractors will be used and how the quantity of waste will be measured.

If you require any assistance with the preparation of a SWMP then REC Ltd will be happy to assist.

Budget 2008
Landfill Tax: Exemption For Waste From Cleaning Up Contaminated Land

It was announced in the Chancellor’s budget statement recently that applications for landfill tax exemption certificates in connection with the remediation of contaminated land will no longer be accepted by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) on or after 1 December 2008. All contaminated soil waste etc not otherwise certified by this date will be liable for landfill tax at the appropriate rate (currently £32 per tonne). However, HMRC has stated that anyone in possession of a valid exemption certificate will have until 1 March 2012 to dispose of their waste if they wish to benefit from an existing exemption.

Given the Chancellor’s statement and likely additional costs increases, you may wish to assess which developments you are likely to be working on over the coming year and in particular which developments are likely to require the removal of contaminated soils etc. If required, REC is able to assist in the application for exemptions so that you can make the most of the 2012 deadline.

Additionally you may not be aware that REC Geo-Environmental’s sister company REC Remediation has technical expertise and appropriate licenses for a wide range of sustainable in-situ remediation technologies, which minimise or avoid the need for any off-site waste disposal. These technologies are likely to become more widely used in the remediation of contaminated land and if you would like to know more, REC would happily arrange for a short presentation or seminar at your office. Contact us for further details.

New Office Address Details

Address details for our new Huddersfield & Port Talbot offices can by found by following the link below:

Office Locations.

Senior Ecologist & Invasive Species Specialist

REC Ltd has recently recruited Mr Haney King to establish an Ecology and Invasive Species Group, operating from the Birmingham office. Haney is an experienced ecologist with a strong background in botany, and comes to REC Ltd having developed expertise in the Japanese Knotweed control industry and successful positions with the University of Edinburgh, the Scottish Executive and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. Having returned to the UK after completing work on his PhD at Trinity College Dublin, Haney will soon be able to deliver the benefits of his ecological experience to REC Ltd clients supported by full MIEEM membership and BASIS accreditation.

Haney will be based from the Birmingham office but will have a remit to develop the business in all regional REC Ltd offices.

REC Remediation Mobile Treatment Licence

REC Remediation Ltd is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a Mobile Treatment Plant licence (EAWML50480) for the treatment of contaminated material, substance or products, for the purpose of remedial action with respect to land or waters.

The Mobile Treatment License was granted on 12 December 2006 allowing for the following treatment options:
• Air Sparging
• Biosparging
• Bioventing
• Chemical treatment (including oxidation and dehalogenation)
• Soil Vapour Extraction
• Soil Flushing
• Soil Washing
• In-situ and ex-Situ Bioremediation
• Solvent Extraction
• Stabilisation and soil mixing
• Thermal Desorption

As can be seen from the above list of technologies, the licence is wide ranging allowing REC Remediation to implement the best solution for the client in each specific case. The licence will allow REC Remediation to carry out remediation work all across the UK, through our network of 8 offices.

By using theses in-situ technologies, REC Remediation is reducing the impact on the environment by reducing the need to landfill contaminated materials. The systems allow for treatment of a wide variety of common chemicals such as petrol, diesel, and other fuels, chlorinated solvents and gas works waste in both soil and groundwater. REC Remediation already has a number of projects in preparation which will use the new MTL licence in 2007.

Mr Brian Graham, Director, REC Remediation commented ‘The award of this licence represents a commitment to our Clients in terms of an expansion of services available and also represents the next phase of the continued growth of the REC Remediation business.’

For further information in any of the remedial solutions provided please contact either Mr. Paul Furmston or Mr. Brian Graham. Tel 01489 569476.

REC Remediation is part of a group of companies with more than 10 years experience in the assessment, analysis and treatment of contaminated land. Through our network of 8 offices in the UK we are able to provide coverage across the UK but still providing local knowledge.

REC Remediation carry out work for major companies including many household names in the building, insurance and property sectors of the market. Many of these Clients are repeat business due to the high level of satisfaction with operations carried out by REC Remediation.

Mobile Treatment Licences are a relatively new concept and were launched by the Environment Agency to simplify the process of remediation. Now a single MTL can be used to carry out treatment on several sites. The remediation of brownfield sites is a waste management activity and this is why it requires a waste management licence. The primary objective of the MTL is to prevent harm to human health, pollution of the environment and prevent serious detriment of the locality by the process being carried out under the MTL.

REC Remediation also provides a dig and dump service where this is appropriate. For further information click here.

REC Remediation Ltd & REC Ltd - Staff Recruitment Policy & Incentives

REC Ltd and REC Remediation Ltd are currently looking for a number of new staff to fill vacancies that have arisen because of our continued success within the market sector.

The vacancies range from technicians, consultants, senior consultants, principal consultants to Director grade. We welcome applications for all of our offices in Manchester, East Kilbride, Edinburgh, Huddersfield, Birmingham, Port Talbot, Braintree and Fareham.

Click here for more....

First use of Oxygen Releasing Compounds in Channel Islands.

REC Remediation Ltd is proud to announce that it is the first remediation company to use Oxygen Releasing Compounds (ORC) in the Channel Islands. The Channel Islands have some particular local issues. There is a lack of suitable landfill sites available, which makes traditional dig and dump methods of, clean up difficult. In addition, many rural properties have private water supplies from boreholes which means that any groundwater pollution is of great concern. These two items are almost contradictory – that is there is a pressing need to clean up contamination but there are limited facilities.

While other possibilities do exist for clean up techniques such as pump and treat, vacuum extraction and the like, these all involve large pieces of machinery working for a long time on site, with the subsequent costs associated with long term works.

However, by use of a novel in-situ treatment processes, REC Remediation Ltd was able to provide a sustainable and viable solution, which takes into, account all of the above issues.

The use of ORC, allows accelerated bio-degradation of the hydrocarbon contaminants of concern. This removes the need for landfill, the need for large plant and is able to be applied in confined areas.

REC Remediation Ltd has now completed a significant number of projects with this technique and hopes to bring future innovative, but proven, products on the market into our portfolio of techniques. This will allow our clients to achieve clean up at a price they want to pay.

For more information on this service contact Brian Graham on Tel: 01489 569476.

Manchester & Leeds Office New Recruits

REC Ltd has recently recruited Dr. Gabriel Bobrowicz as a Geotechnical Engineer operating from the Leeds office. Gabriel is a very experienced Geotechnical and Civil Engineer who has previously been engaged in many land remediation projects, foundation design, slope stability studies and has been formerly employed at British Waterways, Bardon Aggregates and British Coal.

The GeoEnvironmental Group in Manchester has also recently added three new colleagues to its team.

Ian Walker a Senior Consultant at REC Ltd has arrived from a local structural engineering practice where he was engaged on a variety of land and groundwater remediation projects.

Ian’s role is to provide specialist technical and project management skills, particularly on land remediation and construction projects. He will also be involved in the project management of design and construct contracts for landfill operators and is currently working on a portfolio of sites in the North West.

Stuart Robinson a Consultant at REC Ltd has arrived from Dew Remediation where he was engaged on a variety of land reclamation projects. Stuart is currently engaged on a number of site investigations for REC Ltd and will in the future be assisting REC Remediation with soil and groundwater projects.

Mr. Paul Furmston, a Director of REC Ltd and REC Remediation Ltd welcomes the addition of the new members of staff and wishes them every success in their new careers at REC Ltd.

REC tenth largest consultancy

REC Ltd was listed in the 2006 ENDS Annual Survey as one of the tenth largest consultancies in the UK for its Air Emission work.

Layerthorpe, York. Planning Permission Granted

REC Ltd has been involved in a planning application for the redevelopment of a former gas works site in York for the past three years. The redevelopment comprises of a high quality residential scheme comprising of apartment blocks adjacent to the River Foss. Click here for full story...

Royal Bank of Scotland Consultancy Panel

REC Ltd has recently been accepted onto the national panel of consultants for the provision of specialist environmental consultant services to the Royal Bank of Scotland.

REC Ltd is already engaged in a number of Phase I Environmental studies for the bank, which are being administered by senior personnel from the various offices around the UK.

The acceptance of REC Ltd onto this panel is a sign of the continued success and expansion of the company, which has allowed it to deliver such a service to a leading financial institution.

For further information regarding this service, please contact either Mr. Paul Furmston at the Manchester office or Mr. Brian Graham at the Fareham office.

First use of Sonic Drilling in UK

A bing is the Scottish term for a colliery waste tip. REC Ltd were contacted by a client who as owners of the Waterside Bing at Kirkintilloch were interested in sampling throughout the bing to determine the coal content and so the possibilities for the recovery of the coal as an economic activity. The former Waterside Colliery was noted for the production of high quality anthracite coal and so recovered coal would be of particular value. Consequently accurate and representative sampling would be most important.

Bings are the waste piles containing discards from the working of a coal mine. The greater part of this will be stone brought to the surface as a result of necessary excavation to gain the coal, while there will also be colliery washer discards, and other waste materials from the mine operation. Thus while the majority of the bing may be sand and gravel sized pieces of sandstone and mudstone there will be boulders present, as well as timber, steel girders or rails and other debris possibly including mine tubs and larger equipment.   Click here for full story...

REC Remediation Ltd

REC Ltd has continued its expansion of land and property development services with the introduction of a new remediation company REC Remediation Ltd. The company will provide soil and groundwater treatment services to its clients, with the operations being managed by Mr. Brian Graham (Director) and Mr. Paul Furmston (Director). The new company forms a logical extension to the existing range of asbestos and consultancy services provided by REC Ltd and REC Asbestos Ltd.

REC Remediation Ltd is already engaged in a number of soil and groundwater treatment schemes for several insurance and housing companies in the UK. The new company sees its future in providing specialist and innovative schemes to the soil and groundwater treatment market. The new company will also form a new vehicle for the provision of Japanese Knotweed treatment and eradication services.

Regional Offices in Wales and Southampton

REC Ltd has continued its expansion of consultancy services with the introduction of two strategically important regional offices in Port Talbot and Fareham.

Brian Graham has recently been recruited and will develop a new regional office in the Southampton area. Brian is a very experienced chemist who has extensive site investigation, risk assessment and remediation experience. Brian will also be a very important member of a new future REC venture (REC Remediation Ltd) which will provide clients with a one stop solution for the assessment and development of contaminated sites.

ROOTX Barrier Laboratory Trial

In order to prove the bio-barrier performance of the proprietary ROOTX barrier system a laboratory test has recently been undertaken by REC Ltd and Amenity Contract Services Ltd. The test was performed on a mixture of plant species including mustard, docks, meadow grass and Japanese Knotweed within a peat and compost based soil matrix. Click here for details of the trial...

Control of Japanese Knotweed - Use of an Innovative Biological Barrier

REC Ltd has recently been commissioned to design and validate the installation of a proprietary and innovative root barrier system for a client’s site in the Manchester area. The root barrier system was originally developed and overseas and is currently being distributed by Water Lines Solutions Ltd in the UK and Europe. Click here for more info....