Welcome to the Waste Action Group
coordinator Veronica Allan Current members: Veronica Allan, Dani Sloan, Anna Williams, Nicky Bull, Maureen Parnell, Tony East,
Tring in Transition (TinT), Waste & Recycling Action Group
Meeting held at 36 Friars Walk, 15 July 2009.
Present: Veronica Allan (Chair), Dani Sloan, Maureen Parnell, Tony East, Helena Holliday (Minutes).
Apologies for absence: Anna Williams, Nick Hollinghurst, Nicky Bull.
1. Matters Arising
a. Brook Street Veronica found that British Waterways is responsible for clearing the stream of rubbish and they will attend to this now. The stream banks are the responsibility of Dacorum Borough Council (DBC).
b. Tetrapaks Recycling is not imminent as Recresco are poor at emptying the bins. Dani to try again around November.
c. Litter Pick - Tring School 5 July This was very successful. Others had collected the rubbish into sacks and we sorted it for recycling (Helena emailed a breakdown of sacks). Veronica found that the Berkhamstead recycling centre takes a greater range of plastics than we had thought. As Nick Hollinghurst clarified (by email), there are currently differences between home collection and recycling centres in Herts. Veronica to check the home collection situation. Post Meeting Note: DBC’s website indicates many plastic items are banned e.g. food trays.
d. Next Litter Pick Either 19 or 26 Sep. Useful not just for litter collected and recycled but for raising awareness and our profile. Veronica to include in a TinT leaflet, website and maybe posters.
e. Recycling Week 22-28 June The High Street Baptist Church left recycling bins outside in a bid to boost usage.
f. Metcalfe’s & Compost Bins In the early autumn, Maureen is to approach Metcalfe’s about displaying compost bins and promoting the Eco Fair.
g. Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) Veronica has asked Anna to ask M&S about Plan A to reduce packaging and Veronica will give Anna more about WRAP.
h. TinT Open Evenings The 30 June evening at The Greenhouse was attended by 4 or 5 people. Next one due 28 July.
2. Eco Fair (Victoria Hall, 10 October, 10am to 4pm)
a. Recycling Game Dani is to run this and Veronica will inform Barr.
b. WI Crafts Maureen will tell Veronica or Barr how many tables and screens will be needed, which Victoria Hall provides, and also liaise on cakes for the café.
c. Tring School Veronica will pursue possible Tring School presence e.g. modelling clothes made from recycled materials or clothing, possibly as a taster for their February show. Veronica has heard no more from West Herts College.
d. Daddy’s Old Shirt + Rag Rug Maker Should be present again.
e. Mountain Mania Veronica will ask if they are coming. This would need to be downstairs, preferably outside under a gazebo for the bike clinic. Maybe this could be combined with bike security marking. Tony to discuss with Barr.
f. Tea In Tring (TinT) Café Dani is to find out who is running this. As previously minuted, upstairs bar area to be used for upstairs stall holders; all members of the public, as last year, to use downstairs café. Table covering needs thought, preferably not disposable. Maureen suggested leftover wallpaper. (See WI + Parish Church for cakes.)
g. Swap Shop Marianne Sands is happy to run this again, with books swapped separately. All to look for surplus books as an initial stock. TinT members would need to help run it and Helena offered. Tony has a pin board (about 3’ x 2’) for people to advertise larger swap items on postcards. Veronica to talk to Marianne about this idea.
h. Floor Plans Tony has some details but will obtain more dimensions so that tables etc. can be planned for both floors at the next meeting.
i. Swishing Parties These could be promoted (posters etc.) for swapping clothes but this might compete with charity shop fund raising.
j. Parish Church Involvement Dani & Maureen to discuss their church’s potential involvement e.g. cakes, volunteers.
3. Any Other Business - none, all points covered above.
4. Meeting ended at 9.20pm.
5. Next Meeting Tuesday 1 September, 7.30pm, 36 Friars Walk.
Tring in Transition, Waste & Recycling Action Group
Meeting held at 36 Friars Walk, 10 June 2009
Present: Nicky Bull, Tony East, Maureen Parnell, Dani Sloan, Veronica Allan
Apologies from: Anna Williams
1. From the minutes of meeting on 13 May: • Veronica had visited the Northbridge Road waste & recycling site in Berkhamsted and also recommended it. • Veronica had pursued the question of the Brook Street stream with the new Clean, Safe & Green service and had been told that they had visited Brook Street but had not found the stream! (It would seem they probably did not get out of their vehicle and failed to make the connection between the visible footbridges and the presence of a stream!) She will get back to them again, as there is still a lot of rubbish and the area is in need of clearing. • Dani had contacted Tesco about the possibility of Recresco providing Tetrapack recycling on site, but was told that it would cost them to do this. On contacting Recresco she was told about a current scheme, which is supplying units free of charge to local authorities – but Dacorum had not taken it up. She then spoke to Ashling Cronin at Dacorum, who explained that they had been reluctant to use Recresco because of reported problems at some sites when full bins had not been emptied, leading to dumping in the area. However, they will now look at taking part in this new scheme, which may lead to a Tetrapak recycling point in Tring.
2. Litter-picks. The next one is now re-scheduled for the morning of Sunday 5 July to take place just on the Tring School field, following the outdoor concert on the Saturday. Veronica has a list of names and she will be in touch with Jenny Hoare shortly to pass on their contact details. At our next meeting we will confirm details for the next litter pick, after the school holidays. Suggested dates were 19 or 26 September.
3. Eco-Fair. • Dani was asked if she might run the recycling game, while Veronica’s daughter Flora may do a cookery demonstration instead (subject to H&S restrictions – may need to be food preparation without actual cooking). • The WI are happy in principle to come and do knitting and craft demonstrations, but this has yet to be approved through their committee. Dani’s mother is willing to join them for either the morning or the afternoon with her knitting (she does different types, including knitted jewellery). • Veronica had had no response from Tring School’s head of textiles, but great interest from West Herts College, who have projects involving use of recycled materials into artwork. She will ask them to come along. • We hope that ‘Daddy’s Old Shirt’ and the rag-rug maker will come again this year. • If Mountain Mania attend, they will need to be in the downstairs room. • Dani had come up with a good café title, linked to TinT. Barr Kazer had agreed that taking trays to the stall-holders upstairs was not safe and the suggestion is that the upstairs bar area could be used to provide refreshments just for the upstairs stall-holders; all members of the public, as last year, would use the downstairs café. • Maureen agreed to talk to Marianne Sands and ask if she was happy to run the swap-shop again, with help. Maureen had approached Iain Rennie about having a stall with their surplus books but they would only do this if they were selling, with all their proceeds going to the Hospice. It was therefore agreed that swap-shop would have a separate swap table for books only (so you couldn’t bring in a paperback and swap it for someone’s table lamp, for example). We would all look out for surplus books to get it stocked at the start. • Nicky agreed to forward details of Katy Day (jewellery and cards) to Barr (but having looked at her info there is no mention of recycled materials, so decided this isn’t appropriate). • We would produce a poster on ‘Swishing’ for the Eco-Fair, to encourage people to go away and do this for themselves. It would need to include brief details and the web address (www.swishing.org). • Tony agreed to visit the Victoria Hall and measure up the downstairs room so that at our next meeting we could do an outline plan.
4. Recycling week. This is 22-28 June 2009 and we had not planned anything. Nicky suggested that perhaps High Street Baptist Church could be asked to promote their recycling centre during their open coffee mornings (Tuesday to Saturday) by bringing it out to the front of church. If they agreed to this, we would publicise it with posters around the town and contact with Vicky West at the Gazette.
5. Other business. • Following Maureen’s success with water-butts at Metcalfe’s, it was suggested that the same sort of approach could be made for compost bins. Maureen agreed to do this in late August, with a view to them having a window promotion in September and advertising the Eco-Fair at the same time. • It was agreed that, given Dacorum’s stance on business waste recycling, there was no point in pursuing a possible questionnaire to Tring shops and offices at the present time. • There will be TinT open evenings for informal discussion at the Greenhouse on Tuesday 30 June and Tuesday 28 July.
6. The meeting ended at 9.40pm.
7. Date of next meeting Wednesday 15 July, 7.30pm at 36 Friars Walk.
Tring in Transition, Waste Action Group
Minutes of meeting held at 36 Friars Walk, 18 February 2009
Present: Veronica Allan, Tony East, Anna Williams, Maureen Parnell, Nicky Bull
Apologies: Dani Sloane
Those present introduced themselves and briefly outlined their interest in the group.
Veronica told the group that the Energy Action Group had come up with some guidelines for proposed actions, and the group agreed to follow them. Actions should:
• save energy and money
• benefit the people of Tring
• be realistic and achievable
• have measurable impact.
The group then discussed the suggestions made by those who attended the Action Group launch meeting.
1. Business waste. We discussed approaching the local Chamber of Commerce to find out if they would be prepared to lobby Dacorum for shared business recycling facilities. It was agreed that at the next meeting we would draft a questionnaire to go to all local businesses (including shops and public houses) about their current waste arrangements.
2. Provision of information. Veronica is putting together a list of all the local recycling facilities, detailing what is collected and where.
3. Swap shops. This was very successful at the Eco-fair and the group agreed to look into running one again.
4. Surplus packaging. Anna agreed to approach Tesco and M&S and ask about their current policy concerning reduction in packaging. It was also suggested that we organise a packaging protest, with a number of people all agreeing to leave surplus packaging in store on a agreed date.
5. Water butts. Maureen is particularly keen to encourage all householders to save and use run-off water from gutters etc. She agreed to approach Grace Hardware and Metcalfe’s about a promotion on water butts in the spring, and to get this publicised if it goes ahead.
6. Recycling of:
• Batteries. This facility is available at the Tring tip and although they are also collected at High Street Baptist Church (to be taken to the tip) we cannot publicise this as it apparently has Health & Safety implications!
• Tetrapaks. Nicky has found out that the Northbridge Road recycling site in Berkhamsted takes these. She has yet to check it out but will contact Veronica when this is confirmed.
• Aluminium foil. Information may be available on the Biffa disc supplied by Tony, but as far as we know this can be taken to the Tring tip for the metal collection.
7. Reed-bed sewage treatment. It was suggested that an approach could be made to the council asking them to make this a condition of future housing developments in the town.
8. Composting. It was agreed to couple this with water butts and see if Grace hardware and/or Metcalfe’s could do a double promotion to include compost bins.
9. Re-use. Veronica is interested in creative recycling, using ‘waste’ to create new things, and it was suggested that a workshop on re-using waste could be run in conjunction with a swap shop.
10. Litter picking. It was agreed that this would be a very useful way of advertising the group and being seen to serve the local community. A litter picking party will be arranged for Saturday 18 April and Veronica/John to source some high-visibility tabards and litter-pickers. All TT contacts to be emailed and invited to come and join the effort.
Summary of goals:
1. A questionnaire on business recycling: to next meeting.
2. Packaging protest: to be pursued after supermarkets’ response assessed.
3. Swap shop / workshop: to next meeting.
4. Litter pick: Fixed for 18 April and final arrangements to be confirmed at next meeting.
Date of next meeting: 7.30pm on Wednesday 1 April at 36 Friars Walk.
Minutes of meeting held at 36 Friars Walk, 1 April 2009
Present: Veronica Allan, Tony East, Anna Williams, Maureen Parnell, Nicky Bull, Dani Sloan
Veronica welcomed everyone.
The group then worked through the items arising from last meeting minutes:
1. Business waste. Dacorum have been contacted and are not planning any collection of recyclable waste from trades/businesses. However, they are introducing collection of recycling from schools in June 2009.
2. Provision of information. A list of all the local recycling facilities, detailing what is collected and where could be the contribution of the Waste Action Group to the 12-page booklet being prepared by TT for distribution to every household in Tring later this year.
3. Swap shops. Brian and Barr Kazer have agreed to help organise a further Eco-Fair in October and it was suggested that a swap shop could again be part of this. Berkhamsted TT are running Sunday exchanges (12 July, 9 August, 13 September) for vegetable seeds and plants, at the Friends Meeting House.
4. Surplus packaging. Anna contacted Tesco and M&S to ask about their current policy concerning reduction in packaging. Tesco responded quickly and outlined their commitment to reduce surplus packaging (and today’s Guardian had an article about a pilot scheme of theirs for customers to leave it at tills). Decided to ask Anna to write again, applauding this initiative and asking to be kept informed of the outcome and that Tring should be included in any future trial of the scheme.
5. Water butts. Maureen approached Grace Hardware and Metcalfe’s about a promotion on water butts in the spring. Grace’s were very negative but Metcalfe’s very supportive. They will feature a 2-week window display of butts and we need to supply posters etc and info on TT for the window.
6. Litter picking. Arrangements for Saturday 18 April were discussed and Veronica agreed to present the H&S advice etc to volunteers, who would be asked to assemble in the Frogmore St car park at 9am. If more than 12 turn up they would be divided into two teams. Each team to be in groups of three, one person each to collect cans, plastic bottles, and other waste. (Andy to provide clear plastic sacks for cans and bottles.) We will cover the area recommended by Derek Townsend and will need a container for any sharps (to be returned to Council for safe disposal). Dani and Veronica to provide First Aid kits and Dani to take photos (Veronica’s camera) so that a write-up with photos can be sent to Vicky West at the Gazette. A further email with details to be sent to all TT members. Dani agreed to: personally ask the Energy Action Group if anyone is available to join us; note the location of any litter bins in Tring (and others to do likewise so that we can put together a complete list and, if appropriate, lobby for an increase); and contact Jane Randrup (Tring Together) to ask about loan of litter pickers and tabards, and whether ring School were notified.
7. Tony had looked into the recycling of tetrapaks and agreed to find out more – including whether Recresco could collect from a recycling point at Tesco if Tesco were able to organise this.
At 8.40pm Cllr Nick Hollinghurst joined the meeting and told us about the county’s responsibility for waste disposal and the problems facing it in terms of landfill tax and availability. He stressed that Reduce. Re-use, Recycle, Recover was essential and hat the last was very important. He also described a number of new developments, including the Frog Island, Dagenham facility for producing refuse-derived fuel, and the Grundon plant near Heathrow which can produce enough energy to power a town the size of Aylesbury. Without an energy-from-waste facility in Hertfordshire (funding approved by government) the county will run out of landfill space within four years.
Any other Business 1. Membership forms were signed.
2. An article about TT had appeared in the current edition of Tring Town Crier.
3. Dacorum are running a Clean, Safe and Green roadshow, which will be at Tesco car park on 15 May.
4. Dacorum Waste Group is meeting on 7 May at Boxmoor Trust Centre.
Date of next meetings: 8pm on Friday 24 April at St Martha’s for AGM.
7.30pm on Wednesday 13 May at 36 Friars Walk. '''
Litter-pick on April 18th 2009'''
15 of us met on a chilly Saturday morning, were issued with bright green tabards, gloves, litter-pickers, & 2 bags apiece, one for landfill waste & one for recyclables, and set about tidying Tring.
We covered the Memorial Gardens, Miswell Lane rec, Pond Close & car park, Tring school area, Brook St & Market Place, and Pound Meadow.
Our total was 30 bags and one of our number nobly volunteered to sort through the recyclables for appropriate disposal.
At the end of our morning’s work we enjoyed hot coffee and biscuits kindly provided by two of our members, where we were entertained by some impromptu jazz piano playing.
We’ll be conducting further forays and next time we’ll separate the recyclables into plastics/tins & glass as we go.
It’s well worth doing,it’s good publicity, and surprise surprise it’s fun too!