Our Waste – The Future?
Wednesday 4th December 2019
Heritage Quay, University of Huddersfield
Conference Information
Background to the conference
We know that major changes in waste management and public expectations on climate change and waste plastics will impact on local industry, local government and households over the next five years
Consultations in the National Strategy include extending producer responsibility, introducing a deposit return scheme on beverage containers (DRS) and a possible plastics packaging tax. When will this begin to have an effect?
What will happen locally to achieve the targets in the recently published National Waste & Resources Strategy?
Kirklees Council is working to raise its recycling rate, extend the availability of waste food collections and begin the process of drawing up a new disposal contract after nearly 25 years of working with Suez.
We will explore other local responses so far and hear about some alternative local approaches (including some that emphasis waste minimisation, upcycling and re-use).
Conference Presentations
*Louise Megson (director, Revive Leeds) replaced Lucy Danger (EMERGE Recycling) who was ill.
View and download PDFs below.
Speakers
Dr Adam Read
External Affairs Director, SUEZ Recycling & Recovery UK
Dr Adam Read has more than 20 years’ experience in the waste sector and is currently responsible for government liaison and working with UK and international trade bodies in the sector.
Dr Anne Velenturf
Resource Recovery from Waste Programme, School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds
Dr Anne Velenturf is Research Impact Fellow working on the transition towards a sustainable circular economy.
Lorraine Needham-Reid
Site Manager, Oxfam Recycling, Batley
Has worked for Oxfam for 21 years, the past 10 in the textiles recycling department. Currently I manage the Wastesaver recycling plant in Batley, which started in 1974 in conjunction with Kirklees Council. We continue to look for innovative solutions to prolonging the life of textiles.
Gareth Morton
Eunomia Research & Consulting
Gareth Morton MCIWM leads at Eunomia on behaviour change. He has extensive experience in communications on waste minimisation and recycling.
Rachel Palmer
Recycling Officer, Kirklees Council
Rachel Palmer works in Kirklees Council’s Environmental Strategy team and is responsible for delivering education on recycling and waste minimisation to Kirklees residents and schools.
Cllr Rob Walker
Kirklees Council
Rob Walker Kirklees Cabinet portfolio holder for Environment and Culture; chair of Future Landscapes, the natural flood management partnership for the upper Holme and Colne; Kirklees member for the Peak District National Park
Dr John Lever
University of Huddersfield
Dr John Lever recently published research on the circular economy and food in Kirklees.
Dr Elaine Kerrell
Waste Consultant, Leeds
Dr Elaine Kerrell is an experienced waste consultant who has undertaken research for WRAP and a range of government and commercial clients. She recently worked for Leeds By Example, an innovative city centre recycling and litter project funded by Leeds BID.
Lucy Danger
Chief Executive, EMERGE Recycling
Lucy Danger leads an established ‘3Rs’ focused charity and community enterprise; operations include office waste reuse and recycling services, upcycling waste wood, and managing FareShare food redistribution for Greater Manchester.
Kim Warren
Enviro Kirklees and HoTT*
Kim Warren managed Go To Town (clean up) and waste reduction at Kirklees festivals in 2019.
*Holmfirth Transition Town
John Queening
HoTT*
John Queening leads on community recycling projects in Holme Valley.
*Holmfirth Transition Town
Chas Ball
Director, Enviro Kirklees
Chas Ball is conference organiser. He spent a decade working on waste issues as Chief Executive of Save Waste And Prosper (SWAP), a community enterprise based in Leeds. SWAP was a partner to Leeds City Council when the first source separated household collections were introduced.
Cllr Naheed Mather
Kirklees Council
Naheed Mather is Cabinet Member for Greener Kirklees; Chair of Kirklees Neighbourhood Housing, former Chair of Communities Board; Director of Huddersfield BID. Formerly principal lecturer in social policy and criminology
Programme
Our Waste: the Future?
10.00 Registration for morning session
10.30 COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS IN ACTION –
How residents, community organisations, businesses and councils can work together to reduce, reuse and recycle wastes
Dr Elaine Kerrell (independent waste consultant)
National Waste & Resources Strategy and its potential for new partnerships
Lucy Danger (CEO, Emerge Recycling, Manchester)
Community-led waste projects: implications of 20 years of partnership working at Emerge Recycling, Manchester
John Queening (Holmfirth Transition Town)
Community-led waste projects in the Holme Valley
Kim Warren (HoTT & Enviro Kirklees)
Why it is Good to Minimise Waste at Festivals and Events
11.45 Workshop discussion groups
- What can communities do – recycling and waste reduction?
- Managing waste at festivals and events
- The potential role for community enterprise in waste and resources
- New models of salvage – redesigning civic amenity sites
12.45 Lunch starts; registration for afternoon session
13.30 TOWARDS A LOCAL CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Implementing the new national Waste & Resources strategy within Kirklees; minimising waste, promoting resource efficiency and creating a local circular economy
*Cllr Naheed Mather (Cabinet member, Greening Kirklees, Kirklees Council)
Managing Waste in Kirklees: the Current Position
Dr Adam Read (External Affairs Director, SUEZ Recycling & Recovery UK)
DEFRA’s new National Waste & Resources Strategy and associated consultations on DRS, EPR and consistent collections – how do they move us towards a more circular economy, and what is the role of a resources and waste management company in 2025?
Dr Anne Velenturf (Resource Recovery from Waste Programme, Univ of Leeds)
Towards a waste neutral economy: developing our industrial strategy
Dr John Lever (SURGE, University of Huddersfield);
Place-based food systems and the circular economy: new opportunities
Lorraine Needham-Reid (Oxfam Recycling, Batley)
Textiles and the circular economy – the Oxfam story
Panel on the Circular Economy
Tea break
15.30 CHANGING PUBLIC BEHAVIOUR ON WASTE
Gareth Morton (Eunomia)
Effective public communications on waste are good value – promoting participation in source separation
Rachel Palmer (Recycling Officer, Kirklees Council)
Tackling Food Waste in Ravensthorpe – a case study
Cllr Rob Walker (Cabinet member, Environment & Culture, Kirklees Council)
Behaviour change involves working with communities
Chas Ball (Director, Enviro Kirklees)
How changing behaviour needs active involvement of communities and voluntary sector organisations – report from morning session
16.25 Open session Collating audience responses
17.00 End of conference
Programme is subject to change
