Government consults on packaging changes that increase costs ten-fold

The Government has launched an exceptionally wide ranging consultation aimed at improving the collection and recycling of waste packaging. The consultation is exceptionally long, at over 200 pages, and has over 100 separate questions.  If the proposed changes proceed, some could be implemented in 2023. Major cost increases At the heart of the consultation is a proposal that businesses selling consumer products should pay the “Full Net Costs” of the collection and recycling of waste packaging. Previously, businesses have only paid a small part of the costs, and so, for producers within the scope of the legislation, this will result in a major cost increase. It is estimated that costs will increase some ten fold. The cost increase is caused by the exceptionally wide range of costs that are to be covered by producers, including all collecting, sorting and recycling of packaging waste from households and businesses. Costs will be further increased for those producers that continue to use unrecyclable packaging (such as polystyrene or black plastic). Higher fees, the government argues, will incentivise such businesses to change to recyclable packaging. Online Sellers required to comply Pleasingly, the Government proposes to include operators of online marketplaces in the new legislation. This will, at a stroke, eliminate much of the wide spread non-compliance that has been a feature of products sold via online sites. Data required for each nation in the UK One of the most controversial aspects of the document is that producers are being asked to report separately on the packaging supplied into each of the four nations of the UK. Whilst this would allow each nation to assess its own recycling rate, for many businesses, this information is simply not available. Product is sold to distributors who determine where it is subsequently sold. This data is not passed back up the supply chain. Small producers do not need to comply – but still get increased costs Smaller businesses are likely to be able to continue to avoid the need to comply if they use less than fifty tonnes of packaging per year. However, that will not mean they will avoid cost increases – the producers and suppliers of packaging will be required to finance recycling costs, which presumably will result in increases in the costs of packaging materials. Labelling The consultation document also includes proposals for mandatory recyclability labelling to be applied on packaging. Commenting on the consultation, Recolight CEO Nigel Harvey says “The net effect of these proposals will be a very significant increase in costs to businesses. Arguably that will translate into a very strong incentive to reduce the weight of packaging used – which is great. But with no gradual lead in, or ramp up, the sudden cost increase could be damaging to some businesses still reeling from the pandemic.” He adds “It is pleasing to see the Government taking action to close the online marketplace loophole.  But current proposals could mean that it is cheaper for non-UK producers to sell through online marketplaces, than to sell direct. That would be damaging to competition, and transfer more market power to online marketplaces.”

Circular solution for charging of vehicles inaugurated

On 22 April, a world-leading system for charging of vehicles was inaugurated at the hygiene and health company Essity's business centre in Mölndal, Sweden. An energy storage made by batteries from electric cars and charged by solar panels provides 78 charging stations for electric and hybrid cars, and 24 for electric bicycles, with climate-neutral electricity. The solution at Essity has been developed through a collaboration between Volvo Cars, Essity, Stena Fastigheter and BatteryLoop, a company within Stena Recycling that is a leader in the reuse and recycling of batteries, primarily from the automotive industry. ”This is a very exciting collaboration where we together close the circle and create a sustainable cycle around cars powered by batteries. We give the batteries a second life in our smart energy storage system BLESS (BatteryLoop Energy Storage System) and the commercial life of batteries is ensured, while the burden on the environment is reduced. With BLESS, we contribute to achieving the goal of zero emissions and to secure the future for the environment and the next generation,” says Rasmus Bergström, MD of BatteryLoop. When an electric vehicle, after many years in traffic, is at the end of its life cycle, the battery still has a large part of its capacity left, sufficient for use in the energy storage systems built by BatteryLoop. So instead of sending the batteries for recycling, they get a second life. ”Volvo Cars has great ambitions regarding circular economy and we put a lot of effort into finding new business models that make it possible to maximise the use of batteries throughout their life cycles. This project is in line with those ambitions and will teach us more about the life span of batteries and how they can be used outside of our cars,” says Susanne Hägglund who is responsible for the global aftermarket business at Volvo Cars. For Essity, sustainable energy solutions are an important part of their sustainability work. ”In Essity's climate work, more sustainable energy solutions are in focus, for example with renewable energy. It is a crucial factor in our work to achieve our scientifically based climate targets. In this case, it is about providing sustainable solutions for our employees, where the possibility of charging at the workplace can be crucial to take the step towards a more sustainable transport solution. Essity has also taken the step to restructure the company car fleet, where in practice only rechargeable vehicles are allowed,” says Axel Thegerström Edh, Sustainability Director at Essity. When Stena Fastigheter, which owns and manages Essity's property in Mölndal, was asked by Essity about a large number of charging stations for electric cars, the company wanted to find a sustainable solution. Stena Fastigheter has previously built a small facility in Gothenburg, Sweden together with Volvo Buses and BatteryLoop. With the investment at Essity, this can now be tested on a larger scale. Stena Fastigheter sees the collaboration as an important step along the way in offering their tenants a solution for a sustainable and environmentally friendly electricity supply. ”Because we can offer our customers the ability to charge their cars with solar energy, regardless of weather, around the clock, we contribute to even more sustainable travelling for Essity’s employees. With a battery storage of this scope, we can contribute to improved power regulation and energy storage in the building, which constitutes a stabilising function for an evolving electricity network. We are very much involved in and drive the development forward, which feels very satisfying,” says Agneta Kores, MD of Stena Fastigheter Göteborg. BatteryLoop estimates that the demand for solutions such as the one currently in place at Essity will increase a lot in the coming years. This is partly due to the fact that the growth of electric vehicles means an increased need to handle the batteries in a sustainable and commercial way. There is also a strong demand in the market to be able to supplement electricity supply with renewable energy for, for example, properties and charging stations and to be able to meet peaks in energy demand. In addition, many see an advantage in that surpluses from the energy storage system can be sold and delivered to the electricity grid and thus generate revenue.

EDA businesses donate £45,121 to the EIC

The generosity of Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA) Members and Affiliated Members is behind a £45,121 donation to the Electrical Industries Charity. The EDA offered Members and Affiliated Members a one-time 10% refund on their 2020 membership fee, and the chance to donate it to the Charity. Margaret Fitzsimons, CEO at the EDA, explains how the fundraising initiative came about: “In 2020 our EDA events calendar went on hold and, although the Association was extremely busy working to support EDA businesses through the pandemic, the Board of Management felt that we could, as a one-time gesture, offer a 10% refund on the EDA annual subscription, giving members the opportunity to donate that refund to the Charity. We were delighted when almost all members chose to donate their refund to the charity. I should add that some of the organisations chose to remain anonymous. “Like everyone in our sector, the Association can’t wait to get our face-to-face networking events back in the diary – forums, round-table discussions, not to mention our flagship large-scale events such as the annual dinner – and to catch up with everyone.” Tessa Ogle, Managing Director/CEO at the Electrical Industries Charity says: “This is incredibly generous donation by the EDA’s Members and Affiliated Members for which we could not be more grateful. It made a big difference to the Charity’s finances that had been so adversely affected by Covid. We couldn’t do what we do without you.” The EDA businesses behind the generous donation, and which are happy for their details to be made public are pictured below.

Ixxat Smart Grid Gateways enable sensors to connect to energy networks

HMS Networks is now expanding its Ixxat SG-gateway series for networking of energy components. Two new multi-IO versions allow traditional IO-sensors as well as sensors or devices in Wi-Fi networks to be connected to energy systems using IEC 61850 and IEC 60870. Users benefit from direct and seamless access to sensor data from the control room, as well as IIoT capabilities for monitoring, maintenance and forecasting purposes. Enabling digital energy control Digitalization of energy technology is important for mastering the future challenges of sustainable energy supply. With Ixxat SG-gateways, device manufacturers, system integrators, energy suppliers and network operators get instant status information into the control room through direct access to plant data from various sources. This enables efficient system operation, fast reactions to network disturbances, as well as remote monitoring and maintenance of devices and systems. The compact Ixxat SG-gateways are especially suitable for retrofitting plants and digitalization of substations, and are used in many areas of energy automation, e.g. in power plants and at large energy consumers. All-in-one solution with all the needed connectivity Thanks to the wide range of interfaces and protocols supported, Ixxat SG-gateways remove the need for installing several separate gateways, such as fieldbus gateways, sensor gateways, IoT gateways and firewalls. Adding to the existing support for IEC 61850, IEC 60870, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, MQTT and 4G, the two new SG-gateways feature Multi-IO and Wi-Fi capabilities (WLAN according to IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n). With this, traditional as well as wireless sensors can be easily connected to control rooms and cloud systems. Besides RS232/485 and Ethernet, eight digital inputs/outputs (24 V DC) and eight analog inputs (0-20 mA or 0-10 V) are available for direct sensor connection, all switchable via software. Example applications are temperature monitoring of high-voltage lines via Wi-Fi using Modbus TCP, pressure and density measurement of cooling liquids using Modbus RTU, and room temperature or humidity measurement in buildings using analogue or digital IO. Efficient and secure access to all data The acquired data from sensors, fieldbuses and energy protocols is made available by the SG-gateway in control room applications, SCADA and can also be integrated into the user’s cloud system of choice. For direct use in a targeted system and protocol, the data can be pre-processed by the SG-gateway using the 1/2 integrated WEBPLC. Data security is ensured via a local firewall, access management and via encrypted data transmission. Depending on the used protocol, this is done either with openVPN or TLS 1.3.

Great crested newts set to benefit from power company's pond restoration

Land around an electricity substation at Ilketshall has been transformed for local wildlife after a pond was restored to allow Great Crested Newts to potentially breed there. UK Power Networks, which distributes electricity across the East of England, worked with Suffolk Wildlife Trust at the site near Beccles after identifying that it could revive the pond, which had become clogged by reeds, to be home for the newts. The scheme is part of the company’s Green Action Plan to enhance biodiversity at more than a hundred of its sites to attract more wildlife and improve conservation. Suffolk Wildlife Trust ecologists surveyed the site last year and a digger removed the reeds and reprofiled its bed. Local engineers ensured that overhead electricity lines near the pond were made safe before work started. UK Power Networks’ environment adviser, Heather Patrick, anticipates the restored pond will have refilled naturally by next year, making it a valuable feature for local wildlife, including breeding Great Crested Newts. Heather says: “The pond had become overgrown with reeds so there was almost no open water remaining at the start of the project. “Great Crested Newts have been recorded in and around buildings on the site over the years. Once the pond has refilled naturally and some broadleaf plants suitable for newts to lay eggs in have re-emerged we hope the newts will use it for breeding. “We are committed to enhancing biodiversity at our substations. The overall decline in biodiversity is down to many factors, including land-use change, overuse of natural resources, deforestation, pollution and climate change which can feel like an overwhelming problem. Our solution is take actions that will help slow or reverse this loss, including supporting local conservation initiatives.” James Simpson, associate director of ADAS, adds: “It is really exciting to see UK Power Networks take a proactive approach to conservation to promote habitats supporting protected species like the great crested newt. “So many habitats in England have been impacted through destruction and/or neglect so this project is a really good example of what can be achieved by working with our partners and different parts of the UK Power Networks business to restore habitats.” Sam Hanks, wilder landscape manager for Suffolk Wildlife Trust, comments: “This work was funded through a new Natural England-led scheme called District Level Licensing, a strategic approach to mitigating for the effects of development on the habitats that these declining amphibians need. “Under the DLL scheme many new and restored ponds will become available in the wider countryside than will be lost to development, allowing great crested newt populations to recover to healthy levels, addressing their current population declines. “Suffolk Wildlife Trust work as a habitat delivery body for this scheme and were pleased to be able to work with UK Power Networks to restore this pond in an important area for great crested newts.”

Shining a spotlight on Electrical Safety – a virtual conference 

Chris Bielby, Chair of the Electrical Safety Roundtable shares his excitement about the upcoming virtual conference which will be Shining a Spotlight on Initiatives Impacting Electrical Safety in Homes and Workplaces. “I have been the Chairman of the Electrical Safety Roundtable since its inception in 2012 and I can’t help feeling extremely proud as I reflect on our achievements and growth over the last nine years. Within that time we have seen the introduction of new electrical safety standards in the private rented sector in England, supported Government discussions about enhancing electrical safety in the social rented sector through our dedicated sub-group, expanded our remit to consider electrical safety in the workplace and produced an award winning ‘12 steps to safe isolation’ infographic. These are just a few of our achievements over recent years and shows how much progress is being made in this area. “Building on this progress and the current interest in enhancing electrical safety, I am delighted to be chairing our first virtual conference, taking place on the 12th May from 09.30-16.00. The conference will be Shining a Spotlight on Initiatives Impacting Electrical Safety in Homes and Workplaces and the schedule is packed with high profile, influential industry stakeholders. “Throughout the day, we are being joined by the Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee, Clive Betts MP who has been a long-standing supporter of enhancing electrical safety, following the committees inquiry into the certification of domestic electrical work in 2013/14. He will be discussing the potential impact of the Building Safety Bill on Electrical Safety and Competence. Lorna Stimpson, Chief Executive of LABC will follow, giving an overview of the impact of the draft Building Safety Bill on Local Authority Building Control and David Cowburn, Chief Operating Officer at NAPIT will be rounding the morning session off with an overview of recent electrical industry updates. “Electrical Safety in Social Housing will also feature prominently during the day, with an update from Lesley Rudd, Chief Executive of Electrical Safety First on their policy paper, Improving Electrical Safety for Tenants in the Social Rented Sector in England. Following which, we will hear first-hand from those who manage the safety of electrical systems within Social Housing accommodation. “The conference will also explore Electrical Safety in the Workplace, with a presentation from Paul Meenan, C2C Asset Manager and Chairman of the Electrical Safety Roundtable’s Electrical Safety in the Workplace group, on Corporate Risk. “To conclude, we have a speaker from MHCLG discussing the introduction of the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020, and the Group Commander and Head of Fire Investigation for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service providing an overview of their recent “BE A BRIGHT SPARK – GET THE RIGHT SPARK” social media campaign. “The diversity of speakers and breadth of topics covered within this conference really highlights the number of opportunities to enhance electrical safety that are on-going within the sector. This conference is set to be one not to miss for anyone with an interest in electrical safety, be that from Local Authorities, Housing Associations, Certification Bodies, Registered Electrical Contractors, Manufacturers, Electrical and Construction Trade Associations, MP’s, Safety Charities and more. “This conference has kindly been sponsored by Megger and NAPIT, making it free to attend.” To find out more about the conference, and to register free of charge, click here: https://hopin.com/events/electrical-safety-roundtable-virtual-conference-shining-a-spotlight-on-initiatives-impacting-electrical-safety-in-homes-and-workplaces

Energy experts win major connection contract with Telford Homes in Beckton

UK Power Networks Services has announced that it has successfully won a contract with Telford Homes, one of London’s largest residential developers, to connect its new development in Beckton to the local electricity network. This is an exciting project for UK Power Networks Services, building on the experience of working with clients to deliver critical energy infrastructure. The company is well-positioned to increase its focus on standalone Independent Connections Provider (ICP) work in the marketplace. Telford Homes’ Gallions Point development will deliver 267 new homes to the East London area and UK Power Networks Services will draw on the expertise and experience of its teams who work on the electricity networks at nearby Canary Wharf, London City Airport and on the DLR. Businesses and developers looking for a new connection can access one of the safest and most experienced electrical engineering companies in the country to deliver their contestable connections work, with a track record of zero lost time injuries in over five million hours worked. The company supports the UK’s journey to net zero through provision of a safe and reliable end-to-end solution from the grid to the user for residential, commercial industrial estates and campuses. Client delivery manager, Antony White, who leads the company’s ICP business says: "UK Power Networks Services supports the UK’s leading companies achieve their path to net zero. A critical element of net zero is the electrification of heat and housing. Getting the right connection at the right price is a key part of this journey.” The head of utilities at Telford Homes says: “We’re looking forward to working closely with UK Power Networks Services to provide the critical electricity supply to this exciting new residential development in Beckton.” The energy infrastructure company is National Electricity Registration Scheme (NERS) accredited and will deliver work including cable laying, diversion and reinforcement of circuits or substations, overhead power line installation, substation installation, service terminations and low voltage and 11kV connections to the main electricity network.

What does IoT mean for your business?

You might have heard of Internet of Things (IoT), a technological movement with the potential to shift how our entire society works. While industry and technology developers are clear on its benefits, educating other businesses on how they could make use of IoT is proving challenging. Here, Kristian Torode, Director and Co-Founder of business IoT solutions provider Crystaline, looks at how IoT could improve your business operations. IoT is the network of physical objects, or ‘things’, which are fitted with sensors and connected over the internet. This allows them to gather and exchange real-time data, which can be analysed to improve processes. The technology has been particularly useful in large corporations and industrial settings, helping manufacturers to gain valuable data insight, but that’s not to say that it can’t benefit small and medium enterprises (SMEs) too. Improved efficiency IoT can be used to monitor your business’ assets, whether they are vehicles, machinery or office equipment. For example, each asset can be fitted with an autonomous tracking device, which is able to gather data about factors such as motion, battery life and location status. This data can then be accessed through a tracking platform via the IoT. From this platform, business owners can analyse the data and manage their assets. Obtaining more information about your assets is useful for several reasons. For instance, it enables location monitoring and geofencing limits, to notify you the moment that a theft occurs, giving you greater visibility and control. Additionally, having a tracking platform allows you to review the asset’s performance and usage, which facilitates predictive maintenance. Tackling performance issues through maintenance or replacement before they become a problem keeps operations running smoothly and reduces the chances of any unexpected equipment downtime. Safe employees IoT can also play a role in keeping employees safe, which is an ever-growing concern for businesses. For those that are working from a facility, temperature checks are essential for detecting abnormal body temperatures and preventing COVID-19 transmission. Vodafone’s Business Heat Detection Solution, available through Crystaline, can measure a person’s temperature and stream the footage in real-time, so it can be viewed from anywhere via IoT. Settings can be configurated to trigger an alert if a person enters with a body temperature that exceed the acceptable range. With shops and offices beginning to reopen across the UK, stringent, accurate temperature checks, realised through IoT-supported technology like this will help to keep workplaces COVID-secure. Smart premises Making your office or facility smarter and securer is also possible using IoT. You might have come across some smart devices at home, such as thermostats that trigger the heating if the temperature drops too low. These devices are integrated with a smart chip and connected via IoT. Helping to make homes more efficient, these improve the workplace’s energy efficiency and cut down costs. Another essential factor business owners must consider is security. Many businesses use CCTV, which can be upgraded to offer enhanced security by using IoT. Fitting existing cameras with an IoT device enables businesses to stream the images to a server that is accessible via a smartphone in real time. Using IoT security systems also provides business owners with the option to send an alert if they detect specific movements. If something out of the ordinary is detected, the system can send a warning notification to the smartphone, giving business owners extra peace of mind that their premises is secure.

ECA welcomes new climate targets 

The ECA has welcomed the new climate targets announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson this week. ECA Energy & Emerging Technologies Solutions Advisor, Luke Osborne, commented: “I am delighted to see government taking the climate crisis seriously and leading the world with these new targets. The inclusion of aviation and shipping is a welcome move. “However, the clock is still ticking. We need more action to match the ambition. The electrotechnical and engineering services industry is better placed than most to deliver the green skills and technologies that will make these targets achievable. But around 70% of specialist engineering services firms say they lack enough competent staff to undertake ‘low to no carbon’ work. “We need a solid plan from government to give industry the confidence to develop robust training and invest in the skills needed to deliver these new targets. Otherwise, this latest announcement might be looked back on as empty rhetoric.” Electric vehicle charge point installation will be a key area of low-carbon industry activity. ECA recently responded to consultation from the government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) on how to improve ‘the EV driver experience’ at public charge points. ECA advised OZEV that card payment capability should be mandatory for DC rapid and ultra-rapid chargers up to 350kW. ECA has created a set of resources and guidance for electrotechnical contractors to gain the skills and knowledge they need to make the most of new and emerging opportunities in the low-carbon sector which can be found on the ECA website.

Frontline security officers recognised across the UK during COVID-19

The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) has recognised the work of its members’ frontline security officers across the United Kingdom during COVID-19 by announcing its regional security personnel winners for 2021. The BSIA’s regional security personnel awards are part of the Association’s national British Security Awards, which will be taking place on 30 June. All regional winners will now go forward as national finalists. For over 20 years the regional awards, sponsored by Camberford Underwriting, have recognised the talent, dedication, skill and bravery exhibited by security personnel in their roles. In 2021 the five categories; Best Newcomer, Best Team, Outstanding Act, Service to the Customer and Security Manager of the Year, received a record number of entries, all positive examples of the work security officers have undertaken during the last 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mike Reddington, Chief Executive of the BSIA says: “Every year the BSIA receives many outstanding examples of the work our security officers carry out in the course of their duty. In 2021, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, a record number of nominations were sent to us from across the United Kingdom that highlighted the professionalism, customer service and outstanding acts carried out during what has been an especially challenging year for our frontline officers in keeping people, places and property safe. “This year’s regional winners should be immensely proud of their achievements, and we wish them the best of luck as they now go forward to the national finals of the British Security Awards in June.” The 2021 regional winners are: MAN Commercial Protection (Security Manager of the Year, Service to the Customer) SecuriGroup (Outstanding Act) Mitie (Best Newcomer, Best Team, Service to the Customer, Outstanding Act, Security Manager) Cordant Security (Security Manager of the Year) Securitas UK (Outstanding Act) Westgrove Group (Best Newcomer, Outstanding Act, Service to the Customer, Best Team) Fenix Monitoring (Best Newcomer) OCS Group UK (Best Team) CDX Security (Security Manager of the Year) Sentinel Group (Outstanding Act) G4S  (Best Team, Outstanding Act) Andron Facilities (Security Manager of the Year) The security personnel categories of the British Security Awards are sponsored by Camberford Underwriting and their details can be found on the British Security Awards website.