Member Article

New recycling centre team appointed

Cumbria’s leading waste management company has appointed a new team to increase recycling and enhance the experience of visitors using a network of household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) across the county.

Last year, Cumbria Waste Group was awarded a long-term contract – by Shanks Waste Management - to operate the 14 HWRCs owned by Cumbria County Council.

As part of the new contract, the company has now set up a new HWRC management team to oversee the operation of the sites, which cover a large area, from Brampton in the north to Barrow in the east and Kirby Stephen in the east to Maryport in the west.

The team is headed by HWRC Contract Manager Paul Taylor who is being supported by Area Supervisors Katy Barnard and Mark Schofield.

Paul, 50, who joined CWG from waste management company Sita, has over 25 years’ experience in the sector, said: “Our goal is deliver excellent customer service, ensuring that the visitor experience at all our sites is always a positive one.

“We already have excellent recycling rates at the centres but by further enhancing the service we provide, we hope this will increase rates even further. We can do this through engagement with people who bring their recycling to the sites, ensuring they are made aware of the wide range of items that can be brought the centres and generally making their visit efficient and pleasurable.”

This is Katy’s first experience in the waste management industry and her first full-time role since leaving university.

The 21-year-old, who lives in Carlisle, said: “Even though I have only been in the role a short while I am really enjoying it and I am learning very quickly about the different aspects of the job and about the company in general.”

Mark, 39, is also experiencing waste management for the first time, having previously worked as a manager in a supermarket in his hometown of Barrow.

He said: “Whilst I am working in a completely new sector, much of my role is similar to what I did in retail in that I am managing people and ensuring they have the training and tools they need to do their jobs; and I am really enjoying it.”

Mike Bareham, Managing Director of Cumbria Waste Group, said: “It was important for us to retain this contract and appointing a new, dedicated HWRC management team demonstrates our commitment to continuous service improvement.”

The amount of waste recycled or reused at the 14 centres, which receive waste from members of the public, has increased to 60% since CWG began managing the sites on behalf of Shanks Waste Management in 2009.

Over the lifetime of the contract CWG will recycle domestic waste weighing the same as five aircraft carriers.

The 14 HWRCs are at Ambleside, Barrow, Carlisle, Brampton, Workington, Frizington, Grange-over-Sands, near Penrith, Kendal, Kirkby Stephen, Maryport, Millom, Wigton, Ulverston.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Neil Shaefer .