16th July 2008
CIWM Headquarters, Northampton

Are you involved in decision making regarding collection and recycling of household waste?

This course provides an overview of collection methods, vehicle fleet management, cost comparisons of different integrated waste and recycling collection options and discussions on public participation.

Who is it for?

• Managers, Recycling Officers and Graduate Trainees
• local authorities and community groups, in either a contractor or client role, who are responsible for strategic planning, development and/or implementation of household recycling schemes.

Tutors:
• Ivan Good - Independent Consultant, Ivan Good Associates
• Brian Bird - Director, Wamas

Structured Education & Training and CPD
This course provides 1 day towards CIWM's Structured Education and Training programme, or 6 hours CPD.


Waste Management & Cleansing Briefing session

17th July 2008
CIWM Headquarters, Northampton

What are the key waste management and cleansing issues affecting the industry?

CIWM invites the industry to come along and debate the issues around the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992, are there still aspects that need clarification?

Why attend?

• Littering is on the increase, budgets are not. How can street cleansing be made easier?

• The industry is awaiting the announcement of pilots for incentives but have all the angles been thought about?

Speakers Include:

• Ian Halson - AbitibiBowater Recycling Europe
• James Holt - Integrated Skills


Local Environmental Management (Street Scene)

23rd July 2008
CIWM Headquarters, Northampton

Do you need an understanding of local environmental management?

This course delivers a comprehensive overview of the policy drivers, regulatory framework, roles and responsibilities, and control mechanisms for local environmental management.

Who is it for?

• Local authority street scene managers/supervisors.

• Those who are responsible for environmental management of private facilities e.g. retail parks, office complexes, colleges etc.

For further information email: trainingandevents@ciwm.co.uk , www.ciwm.co.uk/events

A newly launched sustainable cleaning guide from the British Association for Chemical Specialities (BACS) and the UK Cleaning Products Industry Association (UKCPI) has been given an endorsement by Defra.

The document, supported by the British Cleaning Council, gives step by step guidance for adopting best practice on three key issues on cleaning product sustainability: formulation, manufacturing and product usage. It illustrates the principles behind these steps - from optimising resource usage to tackling waste packaging, providing links for further reading, while dispelling one or two environmental myths along the way.

Selden Research's Pete Woodhead, who chaired the Sustainable Cleaning project, representing BACS and UKCPI, said:

"The pressure to ‘go green' continues to mount; more and more firms are trying to position their products as the environmentally friendly option. However, deciphering true best practice from the marketing spin has never been harder.

"Just as the rush into bio-fuels had a huge knock-on effect on deforestation and food supplies, blindly jumping onto the green bandwagon can also cause serious harm.

"Guidance was badly needed on what is genuinely best practice for environmentally friendly cleaning products. Defra recognised this and have put their name to the first truly authoritative guidance on green issues in the cleaning industry".

The document explores ways of improving sustainability, for example, one particularly important item laid out in ‘Sustainable Cleaning' are the directions on selecting ingredients for product safety.

Having the Defra endorsement is a major coup for the Sustainable Cleaning team, making it the first ever such document to be branded in this way. The project has been four years in the making and has been reviewed by various Government advisory bodies, including the UK Chemicals Stakeholder Forum which includes academics and environmentalists, and has recently been commended by the University of York's Green Chemistry Network.

Further information can be found at the following addresses, where the document can be downloaded:

www.bacsnet.org/news/sustainable-cleaning/
www.ukcpi.org/documents/SustainableCleaning2.0.pdf

The British public are being urged to get their hands dirty, if they are unhappy with the state of the environments in which they live and work.

The British Cleaning Council (BCC), organisers of the Clean Britain awards, is calling on the UK's urban and rural dwellers to play a part in shaping their own neighbourhoods.

Steve Wright, Chairman of BCC said: "The aim of the Clean Britain Awards is to recognise and reward the organisations in Britain who toil to keep the streets clean and tidy.

"We would like to see residents and workers of cities, towns and districts throw their weight behind any campaign to make theirs a cleaner, greener location, whether that be through organised clean-ups or by working in harmony with their local authority."

This call to action follows research from Keep Britain Tidy claiming that ‘Neighbourhood Appearance' is one of three things, along with level of crime and community spirit, that people are least happy with.*

Ginette Unsworth, Senior Marketing & Communications Manager, Keep Britain Tidy said: "The public needs to take more responsibility for their communities by looking after it and keeping it litter free and tidy. Local authorities also need to be making nice neighbourhoods a top priority."

The 2008/09 Clean Britain Awards have just been launched - inspection criteria cover litter, cigarette butts, chewing gum fly tipping, graffiti, dog fouling and all issues impacting on visitor impressions, wherever the location. Judges arrive in all entrant destinations unannounced, examining transport hubs, tourist facilities, parks and gardens, to name a few of the spots they monitor for cleanliness.

Steve Wright said: "We have previously seen all four capitals of the UK enter this prestigious competition and now with towns and districts eligible for entry, most of the UK has the opportunity to enter the Awards scheme. Not only is it a chance for the cleanest locations to be rewarded but many cities, towns and districts have an opportunity to get advice from cleaning industry experts on how to improve their cleansing operations".

Steve Wright added: "We believe this is the most important environmental competition there is in the UK - a chance for all communities to stand up and take pride in their own neighbourhoods. The tide is turning on litter louts but we all need to work closer together to achieve a cleaner and tidier Britain."

More information can be found at www.cleanbritainawards.co.uk

For further information on this release or on the BCC please email press@britishcleaningcouncil.org

* A cross section of people from all over England were interviewed. Results can be found in a research report by Keep Britain Tidy, entitled "Measuring Quality of Life: Does Local Environmental Quality Matter?"- www.keepbritaintidy.org

Nominations and entries are now being received for the 2008 Loo of the Year Awards - the annual competition to find the best places ‘to go' in Britain, Ireland and The Channel Islands.

The competition, now in its 21st year, is promoted by the British Toilet Association and is run this year in association with Headline Sponsor Albany Washroom Services. Other sponsors so far identified are Armitage Shanks, the leading bathroom equipment manufacturer, the British Cleaning Council, the ‘voice' of the cleaning industry, Help the Aged who are keen to encourage more age friendly toilets and Hydro Nova Europe, the European subsidiary of the world's largest independent manufacturer of dilution and dosing systems for concentrated chemicals. The Awards are also supported by the national tourism bodies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Additional Sponsors are still required to cater for the increasing number of entries each year.

The Loo of the Year Awards are also pleased to announce the appointment of Mike Bone as Director, succeeding Richard Chisnell who, after managing the Awards for twenty years, steps back to become Chairman.

"We have sixty different entry categories this year" quotes Mike Bone who will be continuing to expand this annual benchmarking audit of away from home toilet facilities. "We are also introducing three new categories of Awards covering family friendly and age friendly facilities as well as Awards for adult/older child changing facilities. We are keen to encourage inclusivity in all areas of ‘away from home' toilet provision".

Three new UK Winners' Trophies will be added to the existing six already hotly contested, along with the three Trophies specifically for toilet attendants and cleaning staff.

Every entry receives a dedicated inspection visit and entries gaining three, four or five stars are presented with a Grading Certificate - to help them promote their Award winning facilities to their customers and staff.

Anyone can nominate any number of ‘away from home' loos, via the Awards 24 hour hotline: 01403 258779 or via email: nominations@loo.co.uk. Nominations and entries can also be made online via the Awards website: www.loo.co.uk

Closing date for entries this year is 31st July and the Awards Presentation Luncheon will be held on Friday 5th December at The National Motor Cycle Museum, near Birmingham.

Further information is available on the Awards website: www.loo.co.uk

The Clean Britain Awards scheme has two key objectives, namely: to recognise the increasing efforts being applied by many different authorities, organisations and voluntary bodies in maintaining high standards of public space cleanliness and to encourage a sense of civic pride in communities and areas throughout the UK - hence the Awards strapline - "Helping Put Civic Pride Back Into Britain".

"We hear a great deal about poor standards of cleanliness and public space appearance in many parts of Britain", quotes BCC Chairman, Steve Wright. "This new, expanded Awards scheme is designed to highlight the significant contribution to national pride being made by all types of public space guardians - from city authorities, to town and parish councils, voluntary bodies, and groups of individuals, who, willingly, devote time and effort to make Britain a cleaner place in which to live, work or visit. We feel this Awards scheme will be particularly relevant in the run-up to the 2012 Olympic Games".

The Clean Britain Awards inspection criteria cover litter, including cigarette butts, chewing gum and fly tipping, unauthorised graffiti, dog fouling, public place waste bin management, overgrown and obstructing pavement hedgerows and signage cleanliness - all issues which impact on visitor impressions wherever the location.

Entries are being accepted up until 31st July and, following detailed, unannounced inspection visits to every entry, winners will be announced and Awards presented at the 2009 NEC Cleaning Show, on Tuesday 10th March.

The Clean Britain Awards scheme is being supported by a number of associated organisations, including: ENCAMS (behind the Keep Britain Tidy campaign), the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management, the Highways Agency, the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Keep Wales Tidy, Keep Scotland Beautiful, the Association of Town Centre Management, Network Rail and Visit Britain.

Sponsors of the 2008/2009 Awards scheme so far identified include GumBusters, the specialist chewing gum removal company and C & M Magazine, published by Quartz, who also promote the biennial Cleaning Show at the NEC.

Additional sponsors are being sought to help cover the promotion and running of the scheme. Details can be found on the Awards website. Any body or organisation interested in participating in the Clean Britain Awards should register their interest via the Awards website: www.cleanbritainawards.co.uk . Further information from tel. 01962 850277, email: information@cleanbritainawards.co.uk

The decision, taken yesterday by the CIWM Trustees at a Special Meeting in Northampton, will see the CIWM annual conference and exhibition moving to London ExCel, an award winning modern venue, as part of plans to develop a flagship event that will attract both UK and international audiences.

"The agreement with ESA reflects our joint intention to develop the event into a major international showcase for the UK waste and resource management sector," says CIWM Chief Executive Steve Lee. "We have also listened to our exhibitors and visitors and the move to London ExCel will deliver an event that meets their needs and expectations and will attract a wider audience, not just from Europe but from around the world."

ESA Chief Executive Dirk Hazell says: "Our industry is undergoing a revolution with recycling quadrupling in the last decade and lots more to come. We all want a flagship event to promote Britain's emerging status as a leading member of Europe's recycling society. London is the place to be. ESA's partnership with CIWM is the team to deliver."

CIWM and ESA will now be moving forward with plans to rebrand the event to reflect the new partnership, and exhibitors will be invited to an Open Day at London ExCel during May to see the facilities for themselves.

In announcing the location change, the CIWM has also acknowledged the success and value of the relationship it has had with Torbay for the last 22 years.
"We haven't taken the decision to move lightly. Torbay has welcomed us for many years and provided a memorable and popular venue for the conference and exhibition," says Mr Lee.

"This successful partnership has enabled it to grow into the major event that it is today and the quality of the relationship with the people, businesses and authorities in Torbay is the standard we used in assessing the future options."

For further information please contact Pat Jennings, CIWM, Tel: 01604 620426
E-mail: pat.jennings@ciwm.co.uk

Speaking following the announcement of the RCN's conference vote, CSSA Director General Andrew Large said:

"Today's vote by the Royal College of Nursing to campaign for an end to contracted out cleaning flies in the face of the reality of hospital cleaning today. Without contract cleaning, UK hospitals would be in a lot worse state than they currently are."

Some 60 to 65% of UK hospitals are in-house cleaned. Despite this the UK has one of the worst healthcare associated infection rates in Europe. In the recent "deep clean" programme - contract cleaners were brought in to support in house teams that could not cope with the work. Most importantly, without fundamental improvements in hand hygiene, bed management and antibiotic prescribing practice no amount of cleaning, whoever does it, is going to make a difference to infection rates.

The real issues are common to all NHS cleaning operations, be they outsourced or in-house. They are the under-resourcing of cleaning, low prioritisation of cleaning by NHS Trusts and a lack of screening and segregation of patients with infections. Unless these issues and the others mentioned above are resolved then the situation will not improve.

Andrew Large concluded:

"In February, an NHS Cleaning Summit brought together all of the key players in hospital cleaning, to look for shared solutions to the current issues. This is a collaborative exercise that recognises that it is better to work together for the good of patients rather than engage in futile arguments about state ownership."

"It would be much more constructive if the RCN were to put its weight behind these efforts rather than playing to the gallery."

For further information please contact Andrew Large, Director General, CSSA, tel: 020 7920 9632, www.cleaningindustry.org

Duty of Care, CIWM Headquarters, Northampton Wednesday 30th April 2008

Do you produce waste?   Or do you manage waste?

The waste Duty of Care legislation is a fundamental part of running any organisation, and affects every business in this country.  Can you be confident that your business is fulfilling its obligations?  This course provides practical, up-to-date advice on the legislation and how to comply.

Who is it for?
- This course is of vital importance for those with responsibility for the production, transport, handling, treatment and disposal of wastes.
- Waste producers in all industry sectors.
- It is also a logical follow-on course for the Waste Awareness Certificate delegates.

Introduction to Waste Legislation, Sheffield, Wednesday 7th May 2008

Is waste legislation new to you?  Do you need an introduction into the key legal requirements of managing waste?
 
This course is an excellent first step in understanding waste legislation.

Who is it for?
- Those who are involved in the production, transport, handling, treatment and disposal of resources and wastes.
- The regulation of those activities and who need to be aware of the relevant legislation. 
- Those who are new to, or aspiring to work within a waste management role.  
 
Further information can be obtained from CIWM, Tel: 01604 620426, Email: events@ciwm.co.uk, www.ciwm.co.uk