Page 8 from: November 2012

8 November 2012

N E W S

EC takes action over suspected lead
cartel
As part of a deeper investigation into ‘suspected cartel practices’, the Euro-
pean Commission raided lead recycling companies in several EU countries
on September 26, Reuters has reported. The names of the plants subjected
to the inquiry have not been disclosed.
‘The Commission has reasons to believe that the companies concerned may
have violated Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European
Union (TFEU), which prohibits cartels and restrictive business practices,’ it
elaborated. But the fact that the Commission has deemed it necessary to
carry out such inspections ‘does not mean that the companies are guilty of
anti-competitive behaviour – nor does it prejudge the outcome of the
investigation itself’.
It is not yet known how long the inquiry will continue. According to Com-
mission officials, there is no deadline as each case is bound to vary in
complexity and the extent to which the lead recyclers decide to co-operate.

Given China’s recently-announced
bans on plastic waste imports, ‘unreal-
istic’ recycling targets in Europe ‘will fail
even sooner than expected’, CEO of the
UK-based Packaging and Films Associa-
tion (PAFA) Barry Turner has forecast.
Developments in the Far East will surely
jeopardise both UK and European recy-
cling targets for plastics as the continent
is already struggling with a lack of col-
lection and recycling infrastructure, Mr
Turner has told PackagingEurope. The
strict regulations adopted by China ‘will
require a significant investment in
Europe to fill the size of the hole creat-
ed’, he added.
Quoting statistics from the UK govern-
ment’s Department for Environment, Food

and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), Mr Turner
warned that with much of Britain’s plastic
waste being exported to the Far East, par-
ticularly China, and with the UK already
desperately short of plastic collection and
recycling facilities, ‘reaching the target of
57% by 2017 will be even more unrealis-
tic and out of touch’, he commented.
In light of China’s actions, PAFA is calling
on DEFRA to ‘rethink’ the pressure
placed on the industry via such high
expectations. ‘Last year, DEFRA was
advised against this unachievable level
of targets by its own advisory committee
and now we are witnessing previously
unforeseen moves in the Far East which
will make them even more unattainable,’
argued Mr Turner. www.pafa.org.uk

Plastic recycling targets
‘out of touch’

PAFA warns that China’s bans on plastics will seriously hurt European recycling targets.

‘With resource and energy security
issues high on the agenda, and the spec-
tre of climate change now ever present,
we are at an exciting tipping point,’
stated the newly-appointed President of
the UK Chartered Institution of Wastes
Management (CIWM), John Skidmore,
during his inauguration ceremony on
October 16, at which he launched the
organisation’s latest report on waste
and resource management.
According to Mr Skidmore, the industry
would greatly benefit from more govern-
ment leadership as well as a ‘co-ordinat-
ed approach across national boundar-
ies’. A joined-up approach is ‘critical’ to
ensure that measures implemented in
one country do not result in ‘adverse or

counter-productive impacts elsewhere’,
says the report.
Organisations with a ‘poor compliance
record’ ought to be monitored strictly,
as it is ‘essential that serious waste
crime is addressed’, it adds. CIWM hopes
this will cut back on the number of recy-
clers and other service providers who are
‘compromised by illegal or irresponsible
operators’.
Mr Skidmore said that the waste preven-
tion plans required by the EU Waste
Framework Directive offer a ‘unique
opportunity to put in place a long-term
vision to design-out waste by ensuring
that the roles and responsibilities at
every stage of the product supply chain
are recognised’. www.ciwm.co.uk

Waste and resource manage-
ment at ‘tipping point’

US-based non-ferrous buyer and
supplier Tacoma Metals has won the right
to dismantle and recycle the USS Long
Beach, which entered the history books as
the first nuclear-powered surface warship.
The Washington company secured the
721-foot ship in an on-line auction
hosted by Government Liquidators – a
website that makes surplus and scrap
assets from the US military available for
purchase. Though the US non-ferrous
player has not revealed the price tag,

industry sources estimate the vessel’s
total value at around US$ 895 000.
Because the very floor plan of nuclear
surface ships and subs is classified as top
secret, the US Navy saw to it that the
USS Long Beach’s superstructures and
reactors, together with any radioactive
elements, we removed prior to being
released into Tacoma’s custody. The
American cruiser is said still to contain
millions of pounds of steel, aluminium,
copper and other raw material.

Nuclear warship ready
for dismantling

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