It’s nice to end the week with a smile and staff at the EcoPark saw the funny side of last week’s BBC Travel report… Friday 27^th Jan BBC Travel News reported, “Advent, Way Edmonton: fire causing smoke to blow across the carriageway”  

The EcoPark is off of the A406 or North Circular Road and staff arriving into work saw no signs of fire … could not smell smoke or see any blowing across the carriageway …The fire alarm had not been raised.  In fact there was nothing out of the ordinary at the EcoPark or on the adjacent carriageway.  Puzzled we searched on-line for the travel report. We found it. The “smoke” referred to was in fact nothing more than condensation… the vapour produced when hot air is released into cooler air… or you guessed it Steam!  

LondonWaste Ltd was awarded, Small Business Project of the Year, at the 2011 BCS & Computing UK IT Industry Awards on the 10th November. The award criteria was for the Project Excellence Award and is an excellent achievement for LondonWaste Ltd.

The award was presented to the LondonWaste IT Team for using ANPR to weigh vehicles at the LondonWaste EcoPark in north London. The software system also permits pre-registered vehicles to automatically have the barriers released to the weighing platforms and to ensure vehicles are entering the correct disposal areas on site. The ANPR technology implemented has improved efficiency and the service  provided to customers.

The BCS & Computing UK IT Industry Awards provide a platform for the entire profession to celebrate best practice, innovation and excellence. In total, this year’s Awards featured 23 categories which covered: project, organisation, technology and individual excellence. The categories were open to organisations and individuals involved in IT across the public sectors.

For a list of this year’s BCS 2011 winners and medallists click link http://www.bcs.org/category/5818     

Taste of Autumn 24 -25 September: As sponsors of this Capel Manor event the weekend was a great success; it is growing in reputation year on year and was a fun day out for all. Visitors enjoyed the warm weather and had the chance to taste locally grown fruit, take part in baking demonstrations, get expert gardening advice, take part in apple pressing and go on garden walks.

People who visited our EcoPark marquee had the chance to see the splendid range of vegetables grown in our compost, buy EcoPark Compost bags, find out how  LondonWaste produce high quality compost from organic waste and enter a competition with a chance to win a wheelbarrow.

Why not get your growing projects ready for Autumn and come along to Hackney Marshes.  The EcoPark Compost Team have donated a mountain of compost for local residents to give it a grow.  Find out more about Hackney’s green team, the EcoPark, and how this Compost is made.

The Event will take place at Hackney Marshes Depot, E9 5PF on Saturday 1st October 2011 from 11am to 3pm.  Call Lenor at Hackney – to find out more see advert or Deanna on 020 8884 5520 to find out more about the EcoPark. 

 Taste of Autumn Sponsored by LondonWaste EcoPark 24-25 September 10am – 4pm.

If you fancy a great day out come along to Taste of Autumn at Capel Manor Gardens in Enfield. It will be a chance to sample some unusual vegetable, including Capel’s chillies, as well as fruity shakes and desserts made with locally grown fruity.  There will also be a display of Capel-grown fruit, edible berries and autumnal foliage plus sampling freshly pressed apple juice. If you wish to explore the beautiful Gardens, tours will take place at 1pm each day.

If you like further information or to request complimentary tickets please contact deanna.donaldson@londonwaste.co.uk

The new Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 come into force on 28^th September and will require that additional information is included on all Waste Transfer Notes (WTNs). Further guidance and a copy of a new Waste Transfer Note is available by clicking on the relevant links

Changes to Waste Transfer Notes    

Waste Transfer Note Issue 5

During National Allotment Week (8-14 August) our Team delivered EcoPark Compost to new and existing allotments and community projects in north London.

Urban growers at James Middleton House Estate in Hackney received their first 15 tonnes of EcoPark Compost. Enthusiastic volunteers used our compost across the estate in thier allotments, flower and vegetable beds and around trees. The estate has two sites dedicated to food growing: The James Middleton allotments and Rocky Park. Also on site is an urban orchard with a variety of 27 fruit trees.  

Are you involved in a community garden project?  You may be eligible for 15 tonnes of EcoPark Compost. To find out more call 020 884 5664

LondonWaste is supporting National Allotment Week 8-14 August by visiting allotments in Enfield, Camden, Islington and Waltham Forest.

EcoPark Staff will visit plot holders and community groups to provide a master class explaining how EcoPark Compost is made from organic waste.

The week is run by the National Society of Allotment and Leisure Gardeners (NSALG) and National Allotment Gardens Trust (NAGT).

Watch this space for photos.

Ever wondered what happens to your organic waste ( food and garden waste)  once collected by your local council?

Watch here

Compost is a natural product which results from the controlled biological decomposition of biodegradable materials such as food and garden waste.

The  0-20mm compost produced at LondonWaste EcoPark is BSI Pas 100 Certified. This compost certification provides a baseline quality standard for compost ensuring it is consistent, safe and reliable to use.

For further information on BSI PAS100 please click here

• We divert as much black bag waste as possible from landfill and use it to produce renewable energy.
• In 2010 Divert closet to 70,000 tonnes of organic waste (branches, leaves, grass, cuttings, food waste, cooked or uncooked fruit and vegetable, etc) from landfill.
• Over 700 tonnes of EcoPark Compost was given back to the community for growing projects in 2010.

In February of this year a delivery of EcoPark Compost was delivered to South Harringay Junior, Infants and Nursery Schools. The compost was used to mix with topsoil and grow vegetables Including raddishes, wheat and courgettes in three gardens at the schools.

Have a go and grow your own. You may be eligible to receive 15 tonnes of EcoPark compost, If you run a school or community garden  project. To find out more please contact 020 8884 5664  

LondonWaste, presented seven North London Mayors with a donation in support of their chosen charities.   

The presentation, at the EcoPark took place on the 23^rd June and enabled seven North London Mayors to see firsthand how their borough’s waste is presently transformed into valuable resources. The Mayors first toured the Energy Centre which uses black bagged rubbish to generate enough energy to power close to 70,000 homes and then the Compost Centre, which receives organic waste from seven North London boroughs and turns it into rich compost.

LondonWaste Ltd Managing Director, David Sargent has encouraged support for the Mayor’s charities for some years now. He said “We are proud to be involved in fundraising; it is a pleasure to be supporting these charities”.

LondonWaste Ltd, encourages weekly tours. As a waste management company, tours are an important part of our communication strategy. 

To book a tour contact recycling@londonwaste.co.uk or 020 8884 5529

To support Recycle Week 2011 book a tour to see large scale composting in action at LondonWaste EcoPark.

This year, Recycle Week takes place between 20–26 June and has a ‘Home and Away’ theme. It’s all about how making even the smallest every day actions and changes will help our local environment. From doing more of what we already do at home – such as remembering to recycle glass jars as well as bottles; or recycling things from upstairs as well as downstairs; to recycling while out and about

Last year our composting facility diverted close to 70 000 tonnes of food and green waste (branches, leaves, grass cutting, cooked or uncooked food, etc) from landfill last year. After being collected by the council, it takes 16 weeks to be transformed into rich EcoPark Compost. EcoPark Compost is used in local community projects and allotments around north London.

To book a tour please contact recycling@londonwaste.co.uk  

Enter our EcoPark ‘Did You Know’ Competition and be in with a  chance to win some amazing prizes.  

For a chance to win this week’s prize ‘Gardening Set’ read page 24 of the Enfield Independent here

Terms and Conditions

Good luck and check this page for future competitions.

LondonWaste visited a community garden club, to find out how our compost is being used by gardeners in Sommerford Grove Estate in Hackney. 

Sommerford Grove Gardening Club, was set up over a year ago by local residents living on the estate. The Club give sessions on the following: the importance of recycling food waste, investigate soil characteristics and  growing projects. During the year the Estate has received regular deliveries of EcoPark Compost. The compost is use as mulch on vegetable and flowerer beds to help the plants flourish.

LondonWaste Ltd recently delivered 15 tonnes of EcoPark Compost to Tottenham Sports & Leisure Centre. Our compost was used on land behind the Centre which had been derelict for over 15 years. 

The London Borough of Haringey plan to transform the land into an inspirational garden which will include; a secret garden, a herb garden and a ‘Sensory Patch’ which will be specially created to be accessible and enjoyable for visitors.

London Borough of Haringey, Library Services, confirmed, “The soil on the land was extremely dry and before design work can commence on the garden we decided to use EcoPark Compost to enrich the soil. The garden will be a great addition to the Centre and a fantastic green space”. 

To finding out more about EcoPark Compost please contact 0208 8884 5664

Watch this space for photos

To celebrate Compost Awareness Week (CAW) 2011 – Garden enthusiasts from Enfield and surrounding boroughs had a delightful time at the EcoPark Compost Giveaway on 3-4May. The event was held at the LondonWaste EcoPark’s in Edmonton.

Free heaps of EcoPark Compost were made available and proved extremely popular. The compost was loose, so visitors reused their own bags to take the compost home – a great opportunity for visitors to use the compost in their gardens or in allotments.

Event highlights included a short film, presentation and talk promoting ‘Greening the Community’. The presentation showcased green spaces in Enfield like Capel Manor Gardens the renowned Horticulture College who use EcoPark Compost on their flower and vegetable beds. Visitors also had an exciting chance to go on a compost trail. The trail gives a fascinating insight on how garden and food waste is recycled into compost.

An Enfield resident commented “Our allotment receives regular deliveries and we are grateful for this facility”.

The aim of the event was to bring people together to promote the benefits of using peat-free compost and to encourage more people to grow their own fruit and vegetables. Compost provides necessary nutrients and enriches the soil to help plants flourish.

The North London Waste Authority (NLWA) has today announced a shortlist of three bidders that have been chosen to develop detailed fuel use solutions under the NLWA procurement. This follows an evaluation of outline solutions that were received in January from five bidders.

The three shortlisted bidders are:

• Covanta Energy Ltd
• E.ON Energy from Waste AG/ Wheelabrator Technologies Inc.
• Veolia ES Aurora Ltd

Read more here

The North London Waste Authority (NLWA) has today announced a shortlist of three bidders that have been chosen to develop detailed waste services solutions under the NLWA procurement. This follows an evaluation of outline solutions that were received in January from five bidders.

The three bidders are:

• FCC Skanska (Formento de Construcciones y Contratas SA and Skanska Infrastructure Development UK Ltd) (consortium)
• SITA/ Lend Lease (SITA UK Ltd and Catalyst Lend Lease) (consortium)
• Veolia ES Aurora Ltd.

Read more here

LondonWaste EcoPark is supporting an exciting Gardening Project for gardeners with disabilities or sensory impairments that prevents them from gardening at ground level. 

Finchley Horticulture Society has created fourteen raised beds at Gordon Road Allotment site in Finchley North London. The raised beds were constructed from old railway sleepers, each bed 24ft long by 4ft wide. To enrich the soil and prevent weeds from spreading, EcoPark donates compost to be used on these beds. Our compost is made from organic waste and goes through a process called “in-vessel” composting . Once it matures we donate it back to the community as part of the Take Back Scheme Arrangement we have with the Boroughs for various projects. To date allotment sites, horticulture societies, schools and parks have benefited from this initiative. (Please note: A cost may be charged if less than 15 tonnes of compost is ordered)

The area around the beds is paved to allow wheelchairs easy access. The raised beds are a practical way of gardening for people who have difficulties in bending, balancing problems, recovering from strokes or those that are partially blind.

Gordon Road Allotment volunteer, Andrew Brown said “We have received support from different organisations including the EcoPark which is very encouraging”.

If you are interested in receiving EcoPark compost as part of your North London community project then please call us on 020 8884 5664

The wait is finally over; we have announced the winner of our Recycled Garden Design Competition. Many thanks to all of you who entered – we received some outstanding designs, which are reflected in the choice of the winning design.

 The winning design was submitted by former Capel Manor student, Sarah Ball. Her design impressed our judges with her Cycle of Life concept.  A few of the ideas displayed in Sarah’s concept boards included;a vertical allotment using EcoPark compost; an EcoTower to generate birds and insects; a resistant rock garden and a visitors centre made with recycled plastic bottles. Sarah said “I’m delighted that my design has been selected. I’m looking forward to being involved in the transition from idea to reality.

Redevelopment work on the  Garden will start in April. Watch this space for an update on our finished Garden.

25^th March – a special event was held in the Mayors Parlour to present the winners of the Enfield Mayors Poetry Competition with their prizes. The Mayor, Cllr Jayne Buckland along with award-winning poet, Mario Petrucci presented prizes to the winner and runners up. A special award was also given to the author of the poem which took on an aspect of Enfield as a theme.

Mayor Buckland, said, “This has been a truly inspiring competition with poems entered from abroad as well as here in our borough. We are very fortunate in having the well known poet Mario Petrucci as our judge. http://www.mariopetrucci.com/   

 “As a local resident and an accomplished poet, he has been able to bring his expertise to the judging process which was an enormous task with over 600 poems to assess”.

LondonWaste EcoPark, sponsored and supported this event along with Local Resident, Anthony Fisher who leads Enfield’s Salisbury Poets.

David Sargent, Managing Director at LondonWaste EcoPark said, “We are very pleased that our sponsorship is supporting Mayor Buckland’s charity as well as creativity within Enfield. As an organisation owned by the local community we are pleased to assist local people”.

 For further information on the Poetry Competition please visit https://www.enfield.gov.uk/info/100006/leisure_culture_and_tourism/1136/the_mayors_poetry_competition_2010

An update on our Recycled Garden Competition in conjunction with Capel Manor Gardens

Our Recycled Garden competition was a great success and we would like to thank everyone who entered the competition. The deadline for entries was Friday 11^th March.

Former Garden Design students at Capel Manor College submitted entries which included sketches, 3D drawings and photos displaying ideas, to transform the existing Recycled Garden (located at Capel Manor Gardens) into a work of art. The competition brief asked students to produce designs which incorporated using EcoPark compost, sustainable plants,  interesting recycled materials, add style, innovation and focus on the 3Rs.  

Please revisit this page shortly. The winner will be announced over the next few days.

LondonWaste trailers have undergone a revamp, transforming the trailers into powerful mobile messaging boards. The banner designs were developed by LondonWaste and help to engage with the community by promote the value of behavioural change. The trailers were renovated using Epic Media KWIK ZIP system, which uses lightweight aluminium frames used on many Local Authorities recycling vehicles.

KWIK ZIP was our preferred solution and forms part of our strategy to achieve our environmental objectives.

WWF’s Earth Hour was a global reminder to us all that we only have one planet Earth. People and business across the world switched off their lights for one hour on the 26^th March from 8.30pm, to take a stand about tackling climate change and protecting the natural world.

LondonWaste EcoPark supported Earth Hour by holding a fundraising event ‘Wear it Bright Day’ on 25^th March. The event was a great success. Staff turned up in bright tops, stripy florescent socks and colourful wigs. We also supported the main event by turning off lights in our building on 26thMarch.

 For information on Earth Hour click here http://earthhour.wwf.org.uk/about_earth_hour/

LondonWaste Ltd is today announcing a partnership with three other companies to handle the continuing growth in organic waste North London households recycle, which has dramatically increased in the past five years.

The good work being carried out by local residents has led to important partnerships being developed to help successfully manage increases in organic waste. While LondonWaste, the company responsible for managing the household waste from seven north London boroughs, will continue to process over 30,000 tonnes of mixed food and garden material each year in its own Compost Centre at the EcoPark in Edmonton, north London, it has awarded contracts to TEG Environmental, County Mulch and Viridor to process an additional 30,000 to 40,000 tonnes per annum. These contracts will begin from 1st April and are for an initial 3-year term.

More than 270 residents attended a series of public exhibitions, hosted by the North London Waste Authority and London Borough of Barnet, at which plans for a new waste development at the Pinkham way site were on display. 

Read more

Further to the North London Waste Authority (NLWA) announcement regarding the next stage of its revised procurement process (4 February). The NLWA has today received outline solutions (ISOS) submissions from five bidders on each procurement, as expected. Read more

The North London Waste Authority (NLWA) and the London Borough of Barnet announced dates, today, for a series of public exhibitions outlining draft proposals for the former sewage treatment works at Pinkham Way. Read more

The NLWA has announced the next stage of its revised procurement process.

Its plans were hit following the comprehensive spending review (October 2010), when £258.4m in PFI credit support was unexpectedly cut.  The announcement came just months after the new Government had confirmed the funding (July 2010) and that its proposals matched their waste management priorities.

Since last October, the NLWA has been considering its position and next steps.  This included the option of pursuing a judicial review. Read more

Why not have some fun and celebrate the new season by visiting the Spring Gardening Show at Capel Manor Gardens 2 -3 April 2011.  

The Show will focus on aspects of Horticulture with a ‘Design it, Build it, Grow it, Eat it and Recycle it’ theme. Planned features to include a ‘Kids dig it’ plot, public soil testing – bring along your sample of soil and find out what plants would thrive best in your garden

Also visit the LondonWaste stand during the event to find out how we transform organic rubbish into rich compost, get tips on how to use EcoPark compost and receive a free sample of compost.

For further information on this event visit http://www.capelmanorgardens.co.uk/events/spring-gardening-show.html

Pupils at St Michael’s C.E Primary School in Enfield, were the lucky winners of a Nintendo Wii Console, (including Wii Sports) for their hard work at the Mayor of Enfield’s Charity Fun Run 2010. 

The students were presented with their prize, donated by LondonWaste Ltd, at a special assembly in January.Teacher Ruth Littlefair said “We are really pleased to receive the Wii for our participation at the Mayors Fun Run 2010. Thank you LondonWaste”.

22^nd January: The Mayor of Enfield, Cllr Jane Buckland, hosted Burns Night in the beautiful Capel Manor House in Enfield. Over fifty guests arrived to celebrate a fabulous night of poetry recitation; the famous Address to the Haggis; bagpipe music; whisky drinking and dinner. The night ended with a raffle and auction, all proceeds raised will support the Mayor’s Charitable Trust which works with young carers and the elderly.

LondonWaste donated a selection of eco friendly products and vouchers for the auction.

Burns Night traditionally celebrates the birth of the 18th century Scottish poet Robert Burns on the 25^th January 2011 is the 252nd anniversary of the poet’s birth.

LondonWaste Ltd, in conjunction with Capel Manor College has launched an exciting competition for a group of former Garden Design Students at the College, to revamp the Recycled Garden into a work of art.

Students have been asked to submit concept boards displaying sketches and ideas of materials to transform the Garden into a work of art creating life, colour, movement and character but still focusing on our philosophy of reduce, reuse and recycle

The Mayor of Enfield has kindly agreed to judge the entries at the beginning of March, with the re-designed Garden launch planned for June 2011.

On Wednesday10 November young people taking part in Haringey Council’s Faith and Environmental Responsibility Project met with religious leaders for a visit to the LondonWaste EcoPark and a discussion about the relationship between religion and looking after the environment.

The one year Faith and Environmental Responsibility Project, was funded by Haringey to encourage a variety of environmental projects amongst young people and the visit to the waste park is the culmination of the project.

During the visit, the young people heard from three religious leaders of different faiths who each described the importance their own religion places on caring for the environment. The Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres, spoke about the importance of young people getting involved in the environmental agenda. Addressing the group, The Bishop said: “it gives me a great deal of hope that you are taking this seriously”. Khaled Moyeed a representative from the Muslim faith community and Clive Lawton from the Jewish faith community also joined in with the discussions on the day.

A Cleaner Environment

At the GreenFleet Awards 2010, LondonWaste Ltd received a commendation by London Freight Organisation, in recognition of our effort to prioritise safety and reduce impact on the environment. We are pleased our fleet is more fuel efficient and we have successfully reduced our Co2 emissions.

The awards celebrated excellence in environmental fleet management and green transport across the country. The event was held at the Emirates Stadium and a total of eighteen awards were handed out to public and private sector fleet organisations for their efforts in environmental fleet management and low carbon emissions.

For further information go to: http://www.greenfleetawards.co.uk/

Saturday 2nd October & Sunday 3rd October, 10am -4pm

The Taste of Autumn gave visitors a chance to sample some unusual vegetables, including Capel’s crops of chillies, in dishes in the Terrace Restaurant and taste fruit, vegetables and see autumnal foliage plus apple juice pressing and sampling. There was local and Capel-grown produce and other plants for sale. LondonWaste EcoPark was the main sponsor for Capel Manor’s Taste or Autumn For further information on this event please email cservice@capel.ac.uk or call Capel Manors’ Visitors Reception on 08456 122 122 ex 200.

Enfield’s Mayor, Cllr Jayne Buckland is backing poetry with an important new competition for unpublished poems.

As part of this year’s charity fundraising for the arts, this competition aims to attract entries from all over the country and Mayor Buckland is appealing to everyone over 16 to enter and take part. LondonWaste are pleased to be sponsoring the competition along with local chemical company Fisher Research. Both sponsors will be providing prizes of £500 for the winner, £200 second and £100 for the third place.

A special £50 prize will also be made for the best poem about the London Borough of Enfield. Please see here for competition rules.

LondonWaste Ltd one of the Capital’s leading waste management companies, presented seven North London Mayors with a donation to support their chosen charities. find out more

LondonWaste EcoPark is registered as “D&B Rating 1″. A risk indicator of 1 indicates our business has a low probability of failure. To have achieved this during one of the worst economic times in recent years is a fantastic accomplishment.
Only 15% of all UK companies are in this category.  The underlying performance of the company is confirmed by the … more

The Edmonton Sea Cadets Corps better known as TS Plymouth, are embarking on an exciting programme of expeditions for cadets after receiving a donation from LondonWaste Ltd.

The Corps offer a range of water sports activities as well as the opportunity to complete the prestigious Duke of  Edinburgh’s (DoE) Award. The DoE’s Award requires cadets aged from 14 – 25 to plan, train for and push on with overnight expeditions and that requires funding.

Edmonton Unit Commanding Officer, Chief Petty Officer Tony Stevens said: “We’re really grateful to LondonWaste Ltd for their continued support; it’s great for the young people who use the facilities to be supported by local business.” David Sargent, Managing Director of LondonWaste EcoPark said: “We are proud to support this voluntary organisation. The cadets gain skills for life as well as gain an appreciation for the environment.”

The Sea Cadet Corps is a nationwide voluntary youth organisation open to young people from 10 to 18. Edmonton Sea Cadets meet at their unit, TS Plymouth on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings at 7:30pm – 9:30pm. Anyone interested in joining can call the unit on 020 8807 9129 or turn up on a parade night and speak to a member of staff.

The Edmonton Sea Cadets’ unit is located within the LondonWaste EcoPark, next to the River Lee in Edmonton and the land-based training centre is powered by renewable energy from the EcoPark.

Compost produced at LondonWaste’s EcoPark is used in the gardens at Capel Manor College in north London. During a Royal Visit to the College by Her Majesty The Queen on 11th June, David Sargent, Managing Director of LondonWaste had the opportunity to explain to Her Majesty how EcoPark compost is made from recycled green waste and kitchen scraps collected from north London households by the constituent boroughs of the North London Waste Authority. As well as supplying compost to the College, LondonWaste is assisting in the development of two specialist gardens, the Walled Garden and the Recycled Garden.

Enfield, Haringey and Hackney residents saw first hand how their kitchen scraps and green waste is recycled into compost at the EcoPark during Compost Awareness Week. The EcoPark Compost Centre received 35,000 tonnes of green garden waste and kitchen scraps last year. Within 12 weeks of green waste arriving at the centre it is turned into peat-free compost, enabling more than 10,000 tonnes of compost to be returned to the community for use in allotments, parks, gardens and other open spaces.

LondonWaste Ltd, ran morning and afternoon tours of the Compost Centre giving residents an opportunity to find out more about the benefits and uses of compost. Guest speaker, Paola Ocha, Haringey Council’s Participation Officer gave a talk on home composting, using Bokoshi, a Japanese fermenter and the benefits of reducing the amount of food we buy and often waste at home. Martin Day, Senior Gardener at Capel Manor Gardens gave demonstrations on seed sowing techniques along with a tasting session of an assortment of cresses. Each visitor was able to take away a goodie bag and a 30-litre bag of compost for their pots and gardens at home.

The theme of the 10th annual Compost Awareness Week was ‘Give it a Grow’ which aimed to encourage people to try something different, and do their bit for the environment. Only around 30% of us compost at home, and for those that do there are lots more things they can try. For example fifty percent of people have never tried using peat-free compost for their plants and shrubs. (ICM research conducted for WRAP in March 2009.)

In Support of Compost Awareness Week 2009 (5th to 8th May), over 100 visitors booked to tour the EcoPark Compost Centre and share their tips on vegetable growing and composting.

The emphasis for this year’s event is’ Food for thought’. There were demonstrations on reusing old car tyres to grow food and newspapers for seeding, whether in an allotment, back garden or window box. Also visitors had the chance to collect a starter kit to ‘Beat the World Record Atlantic Pumpkin Growing’ competition. Pumpkin seeds can be sowed from April to June and will mature in time for Halloween.

Visitors included community recycling officers, waste prevention officers, allotment holders, master composters, schools, keen gardeners and interested residents.

The event highlighted the centralised composting at the EcoPark, which currently receives up to 45,000 tonnes per annum of kitchen scraps and garden waste from households, parks, gardens and green spaces around North London.

Ben Donaldson, EcoPark Compost Centre Manger said “compost is a valuable resource for gardeners and farmers and plays an important role in adding value from both the commercial and domestic waste streams and in diverting tonnage otherwise sent to landfill”.

To find further information on this event contact recycling@londonwaste.co.uk

We are proud to announce that we are sponsoring two specialist gardens within Capel Manor’s National Garden centre. The beautiful 30-acre estate first established in the late 13th century and home to Capel Manor College is London’s only specialist centre for those interested in horticulture, landscaping floristry, countryside, arboriculture and animal care.

EcoPark compost and has be used in vegetable and flower beds around Capel Manor since last year and Martin Day, Senior Gardener at Capel Manor reports excellent results using EcoPark compost. Why not visit the Walled Garden and the Recycled Garden. For more information on Capel Manor Gardens call 0845 122 122 or visit www.capelmanorgardens.co.uk

Our fifth edition of the London EcoPark newletter provides local residents with an update on what’s happening at the EcoPark.

2 x Capel Manor tickets to be won in London EcoPark Spring 2010 Newsletter

Terms & conditions

Ever wondered how large scale composting is achieved?

To celebrate Compost Awareness Week (3rd-9th May) 2009, London EcoPark will be holding events for local residents to tour our Compost Centre.

Visitors will have the opportunity to see firsthand, how kitchen scraps and garden waste collected from homes, parks and green spaces around north London is transformed into rich compost.

Event dates- 5th to 8th May                                                                                               Time – 10am – 12pm

If you would like to attend this free event please contact Deanna Donaldson on 020 8884 5529 or email at deanna.donaldson@londonwaste.co.uk

The EcoPark Event is part of Compost Awareness Week 4-7 May 2010.

See for yourself how grass cuttings and kitchen scraps are transformed into high quality compost at the EcoPark. The event will highlight the benefits of using compost whether you have a garden, window box or an allotment. There will also be the opportunity to meet like-minded people, take part in workshops and learn new growing activities. Please pre-book in advance as places are limited.

Where: LondonWaste EcoPark, Advent Way, London N18 3AG
Cost: Free
When: 4-7 May- 10am or 2pm

For more information please call Deanna, Wendy or Roz on 020 8884 5529 or recycling@londonwaste.co.uk

The LondonWaste Transport Team has been awarded Silver status in the Freight Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS).

As the first waste management company to receive the Bronze Award in June we are pleased to have gained the Silver Award.

FORS is a unique, membership scheme that aims to transform transport delivery in London.

FORS was developed to help road operators become safer, more efficient and more environmentally-friendly in the Capital. It is a free scheme open to any company operating vans or lorries.

The membership provides a quality and performance benchmark for the industry.

The LondonWaste Transport Team has been awarded Silver status in the Freight Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS).

As the first waste management company to receive the Bronze Award in June we are pleased to have gained the Silver Award.

FORS is a unique, membership scheme that aims to transform transport delivery in London.

FORS was developed to help road operators become safer, more efficient and more environmentally-friendly in the Capital. It is a free scheme open to any company operating vans or lorries.

The membership provides a quality and performance benchmark for the industry.

A quantity of our EcoPark compost was donated to Capel Manor Gardens in Enfield and is currently laid on two of their ‘No Dig’ Vegetable Plots.

Over the past few months the plots have developed into a wonderful lush assortment of vegetables.

The plots were introduced in autumn 2008 and EcoPark compost was applied to the soil prior to the seeds being planted. Carrots, squashes, runner beans, courgettes, cabbages and rows of spring onions are some of the vegetables grown well from this method. To view further photos click here

The No Dig approach was popular in the 1960s and involves weed free compost applied at 4-6 inch depth in autumn. The seeds are then planted into the soil and compost. This method can save effort, time and back strains, prevent the top soil being dug into the sub soil and prevents soil structure being destroyed by compaction.

When the vegetables have matured they are served to make delicious meals at  Capel Manor restaurant.

For more information on ‘No Dig’ go to http://www.capelmanorgardens.co.uk/

Four hundred years of health improvements in the Lea Valley

We are proud to support Jim Lewis’s second book in the Lea Valley series, Water and Waste.

Water and Waste documents four hundred years of improvements in public health and the challenges faced by engineers and others to wipe out such diseases as cholera and typhoid from London and the Lea Valley.

Chapter ‘What a load of Rubbish’ looks at the link between public health and waste disposal. It focuses on facilities at the EcoPark and how the 40 acre site has developed into an innovative business turning rubbish into a range of useful materials.

To purchase a copy contact www.mupress.co.uk

Residents’ views are being sought about the introduction of an Anaerobic Digestion facility at the EcoPark, in Edmonton. If plans go ahead the facility will produce a new efficient source of renewable power and energy from food waste.

This week 36,000 leaflets are being distributed to homes and businesses surrounding the EcoPark, with a tear-off card which people can complete and send back with their comments.

London alone produces nearly three million tonnes of food waste, from discarded food, which could be converted into heat and power reducing the amount sent to landfill and carbon emissions. Anaerobic Digestion has been welcomed by environmental experts.

An Anaerobic Digestion facility, will fit neatly into the EcoPark, and will mean more food waste can be recycled and dealt with in a smarter way.

Anaerobic Digestion is composting without air. Food waste is ground up and mixed with water, within a specially designed and sealed tank. Because it is sealed there is no oxygen – which is why it is called Anaerobic Digestion (aerobic means ‘with oxygen’).

You can find out more about our plans for Anaerobic Digestion by downloading our ‘Food for thought’ leaflet here

Do you have a lanscaping or gardening project?

You can now purchase recycled EcoPark compost at Household Reuse and Reycling Centre, Hornsey Street, Islington. The cost is £3 per 30 litre bag of compost. To find out more click here.

The Freight Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) aims to transform delivery in London. We are the first waste management companies to gain the bronze award we aim to start benchmarking from July with a view to becoming a Gold member as soon as possible.

LondonWaste EcoPark was delighted to be awarded the bronze FORS membership certificate. The Freight Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) is a unique, membership scheme that aims to transform freight delivery in London.

FORS was developed to help road freight operators become safer, more efficient and more environmentally-friendly in the Capital. It is a free, voluntary and open to any company operating vans or lorries.

The membership provides a quality and performance benchmark for the industry. For more information of FORS, read more here

We spent an interesting three days at Excel and hope that the Futuresource Exhibition grows from strength to strength. Look forward to 2010

Haringey Council gave away 15 tonnes of EcoPark compost at Finsbury Park on the 9th May. People arrived with sacks, boxes and bags.  Read more here

For more information please telephone 020 8489 5691 or email recycling@haringey.gov.uk

To celebrate International composting week 2009, LondonWaste provided 15 tonnes of EcoPark compost to support Hackney Councils compost giveaway. The event was held at Clissold Park in Stoke Newington on the 9th May. Read more here

Waste management and recycling companies LondonWaste and Bywaters teamed up with Hertfordshire-based water transport firm SmartBarge for the trial which saw one container of commingled recyclables transported down the River Lee Navigation – a canalised river running from Hertford Castle Weir to the river Thames – by barge from the London Waste EcoPark at Edmonton in North London to the Bow docks.

Read more here

We offer a service to deliver loose or bagged quality compost in bulk loads to householders and commercial customers. We can deliver to your premise or home from 2 tonnes to 15 tonnes by prior arrangement.

For further details please contact our Commercial Team on 020 8884 5664 /5537

LondonWaste EcoPark signed up to switch off for WWF Earth Hour on Saturday 28th March between 8.30pm and 9.30pm.

The EcoPark switched off external lights, signage lights and all non essential lights in support of this global event.

Hundreds of millions of people across the planet switched off lights to send a powerful message to global leaders, to take action to tackle climate change.

WWF Earth Hours was one of the world’s biggest ever climate change events with people around the world holding candlelight dinners and parties to mark the event.

During Earth Hour, international landmarks like Nelson Column, Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House, and the Acropolis, the pyramids of Giza, the Empire State Building and Big Ben were all plunged into darkness for 60 minutes.

For further information on Earth Hour click here

19th March – LB Islington Green Team officers visited our EcoPark to gain a greater understating of large scale composting and to find out what happens to residual waste.

The Green Team officers provide support, tips and advice on how to reduce waste to householders in Islington.

In visiting our Compost Centre and Energy Centre, officers saw the large amount of waste handled on site and how our integrated services provides waste disposal not only for the seven North London boroughs but also a large number of organisations.

If you wish to book a tour or require further information on our waste services, please contact recycling@londonwaste.co.uk

LondonWaste launches bagged EcoPark compost with Islington

LondonWaste EcoPark in collaboration with LB Islington is offering free compost to every Islington resident who recycles. The 30 litre bags containing compost produced from residents’ garden waste and kitchen scraps, clearly demonstrates the value of recycling.

The free compost bags will be offered for a limited period and restricted to one bag per resident. The compost will be available to collect from the Household Reuse & Recycling Centre in Islington, to residents using the facility. Once the free giveaway has ended, Islington residents will have the opportunity to buy bags. The compost will be on sale at £3 per 30 litre bag for the 0-10ml product.

Our EcoPark Compost Centre receives grass cuttings, kitchen scraps and foliage from households, parks and green spaces around north London. We transform it into high quality compost which is used in agriculture, local allotments, parks and gardens, adding rich fibre and nutrients back to our soil. We divert 45,000 tonnes a year from landfill sites.

In 2007, our compost was awarded the PAS100 certificate, which is recognised as the gold standard for compost. The compost we produce are certified against the Association of Organics quality standard. To find out more about PAS 100 click here

To find out what happens to food and green waste click here see and interactive animations showing what happens

London EcoPark plan to roll out the bagged product to further north London boroughs as well as other organizations

If you require further information on our bagged compost please contact recycling@londonwaste.co.uk

Global Action Plan visit EcoPark

On the 18th February members of Global Action Plan, visited LondonWaste to find out how we manage waste at the EcoPark and had the opportunity to tour the following centres;

Compost Centre

Grass cuttings, kitchen scraps and foliage from homes, parks and green spaces around the north London area is delivered here.  Using In-Vessel technology, it is transformed into a high quality compost which is used in agriculture, local allotments and parks and gardens.  45,000 tonnes a year of organic waste is diverted from landfill sites using this technology.

Energy Centre

The Energy Centre receives waste considered unsuitable for other methods of recycling.  The Energy Centre incinerates waste.  The heat generated from the process turns water into steam which drives turbines to create electricity.  This is fed in to the National Grid.  The Energy Centre produces enough electricity to power 66,000 homes as well as all the Centres on the EcoPark.

We regularly provide tours to community groups, university students and local residents. If you are interested in booking a tour please email recycling@londonwaste.uk

Compost made from kerbside collected kitchen and garden waste is being used to protect some of the country’s most rare and unusual trees, which are showcased in a North London arboretum.

Read more here

Thirty Members from Warner Estate Residents Association (WERA) visited LondonWaste EcoPark on Wednesday 14th January. The visit arranged by WERA Company Secretary, Joyce Rosser, gave residents the opportunity to see two processes currently used at the EcoPark to manage waste in the North London area.

The Warner Estate Residents Association are a group of residents who manage nine roads in Muswell Hill North London, monitoring local issues, road safety and planning developments which affect the area and properties.

On arrival at the EcoPark the group received a presentation followed by Q&As with Comms Manager, Wendy Lord and Energy Centre Manager, Martin Sides. The group raised points surrounding environmental issues, recycling, packaging, mattress disposal and energy from waste.

Following on from the presentation the tour began at our Compost Centre allowing the group to see firsthand how grass cuttings and kitchen scraps are transformed into high quality compost. The visit concluded at our Energy Centre which receives waste considered unsuitable for other methods of recycling and uses combustion to generate electricity from waste. Every year our Energy Centre produces enough electricity to power 66,000 homes as well as all the Centres at the EcoPark.

On Tuesday 13th January over 60 delegates attended ‘ Waste and Regeneration in the Upper Lee Valley Workshop’. The event was hosted at LondonWaste EcoPark and the organisers the North London Strategic Alliance in association with London Remade invited delegates to attend presentations and workshops, discussing waste handling in the Upper Lee Valley.

Cllr Clyde Loakes leader of Waltham Forest Council and North London Waste Authority, chaired the event. Key speaker’s included John MCgill, Deputy Director North London Strategic Alliance, Tim Judson, Director of Procurement North London Waste Authority, Mark Bradbury, Director of Development London Thames Gateway Development Corporation and Biba Dow, Partner Dow Jones Architects.

The focus of the event was to explore the opportunities and challenges presented for the economic and physical regeneration of the Upper Lee Valley. The workshops highlighted the following points;

• Regeneration‘, ’Job Creation‘ and ‘Skills and Technology’

• Attracting Green Business‘, ’Sustainable Transport ‘ and ‘Renewable  Energy ‘

The feedback from the event was excellent, and very well received by all.

‘Great to have so many interested people brought together around these issues. I enjoyed the case studies and the presentation about designing waste facilities’.

‘A great event now is the time to communicate the vision bring on board public opinion, attract investment and realise the opportunity’.

‘A very well organised event! Great mix of speakers’

The Resource Forum organised an impressive event on Tuesday 9th December with the focus on ‘Waste Management Planning and Challenges’.

The event held at LondonWaste EcoPark welcomed over thirty delegates including environmentalist and author Stanley Johnson along with Policy Officers and other Industry Professionals.

The event opened with a presentation from Organics Project Officer,    Edouard Guidon, from London Community and Recycling Network, who gave delegates an insight into the environmental and social benefits to community composting. He also highlighted how organisations provide residents access to composting opportunities that they would not otherwise have.

A film commissioned by the Government Office of London and the East Midlands ‘Planning for Waste Facilities’ was shown which focused on ‘Waste Facility Choices’ giving an overview of waste management options and technologies such as mechanical separation, thermal treatment, biological process, household waste sites and landfill.

The event concluded with a tour of the EcoPark Compost Centre and Energy Centre where delegates had the opportunity to see first hand how waste is managed within the centres.

If you require further information on this event or wish to attend future Resource Forum events contact info@resourceforum.org

The EU Landfill Directive is a strong driver for local authorities and waste disposal authorities to invest in waste management facilities. The excellent efforts councils have made to encourage recycling and divert waste from landfill are commendable. Further recycling centres are required to handle 100,000 tonnes of recyclables per year.These centres will sort or bulk recyclable material collected from the seven North London boroughs.

We are keen to build a local facility able to sort a wide range of dry recyclable materials, it will also have the facility to store and bulk separated materials and will have an Environment Centre to inform and educate members of the public.  To read more download brochure here

We would like your comments on this proposal. Please email with your views recycling@londonwaste.co.uk

In November, Epping Forest Councillors had the opportunity to tour our Compost Centre and find out how garden and kitchen waste is converted into high quality compost.

Read more here

London EcoPark was proud to be alongside a number of businesses sponsoring Archant London Environmental Awards 2008.

The award ceremony was held on Friday 10th November at the Raddison SAS Portman London and saw environmentalists from across London and the South East attend. The award ceremony recognised individuals, schools, universities and businesses for their achievement and project work in this field. The categories ranged from Best Recycling Project to Most Environmental Household.

For more information on this event  http://www.london24.com/environmentalawards/Default.aspx

We regularly arrange tours for schools, colleges and universities.

In October, students studying BTEC Applied Science at Haringey Sixth Form College visited our Energy Centre. The students had been set a project called ‘Science and the World of Work’ with the focus for study on our EcoPark.

The tour was arranged by the student’s tutor, who felt it was a perfect opportunity for the group to research and understand electricity generated from waste, our organisational structure and the positive impact the EcoPark has on the environment.

The feedback received  was students found the tour interesting, had the chance to speak to industry professionals, gain knowledge and have their questions answered.

To organise a tour or for further information please contact education@londonwaste.co.uk

On Wednesday 29th October LondonWaste was delighted to welcome London Community Recycling Network (LCRN),  to tour our EcoPark.

LCRN staff and network members were given the opportunity during the tour, to see how our Energy Centre generates electricity from waste and our Compost Centre converts Kitchen and garden waste into Compost.

LCRN are a network of voluntary and community groups, social enterprises and citizens tackling waste.

If you are interested in a tour of the Ecopark contact recycling@londonwaste.co.uk

Of the 30 sites in the UK processing a combination of food and kitchen scrap waste, the EcoPark Compost Centre maintains its status as one of the first In-Vessel Compost Centres to comply with the Quality Protocol on composting. The Protocol specifies BSI PAS100 as the standard necessary for composters to qualify their compost as a “product” rather than a “waste”, thereby avoiding legal waste controls for its use and storage. The EcoPark Compost Centre retains the PAS100 certification for our EcoPark compost. Download a copy of the certificate here.

Last year the EcoPark produced 664 tonnes of compost that has been used in allotments, parks and gardens within Enfield. This is a great achievement as it shows an In-Vessel system which continues to produce a product of value to both agriculture and also to more specialist outlets.

Entries for the free EcoPark Prize Draw (“the Draw”) will be accepted on Friday 11 July 2008 between 09:00 and 13:00. The Draw will be to win the prize stated on the advert (“the Prize”).

The following terms and conditions apply to the Draw:

1. The promoter is LondonWaste Group Ltd, EcoPark, Advent Way, London N18 3AG (“the Promoter”).
2. To enter the Draw you will have called 020 8884 5529 leaving your answer to the question “Name three items that your local authority collect for recycling each week?”
3. To win the Prize you will be one of three names randomly selected from the correct entries.
4. No responsibility can be accepted for calls which are misdirected during, to or from the Promoter due to any computer malfunction, virus, bug, delay or other reason whatsoever.
5. The Prize winners will be notified after 1pm on Friday 11th July 2008.
6. In order to claim the Prize, the winners must supply their address details to the Promoter. The prizes will be sent to said address
7. No purchase is necessary
8. There is a limit of one entry per household
9. The Draw is open to all UK residents over the age of 18 except employees of the LondonWaste Group and their relatives and employees of the newspaper and other organisations involved in the preparation of this prize draw.
10. No cash alternative is offered
11. If any of these clauses should be determined illegal, invalid or otherwise unenforceable then it shall be severed and deleted from these terms and conditions and the remaining clauses shall survive, remain in full force and effect.
12. The winners will be published on the LondonWaste website
13. The Promoters decision on the selection of winners shall be final.
14. Entry to the Draw shall constitute your acceptance of these terms and conditions

Mayors presented with Seven Thousand Pound donation at LondonWaste Annual Mayoral Event

Newly elected North London Mayors, presented with donation for One Thousand Pounds at our Annual Mayoral Event

Find out more here