Welcome to the latest episode of Rubbish Talk, where we dive deep into the fascinating world of waste management. In Episode 43, we sit down with Stuart Stockman, an experienced Waste Disposal Technician with Stirling Council. Stuart has been dedicated to managing waste and recycling processes for over a decade and has a wealth of knowledge and experiences to share.
Stuart Stockman works with Stirling Council’s Waste Services, focusing on the disposal side of things. He manages a variety of facilities, including recycling centres and waste transfer stations, and ensures waste is properly processed after collection. With a solid 10-year track record in waste management, Stuart also looks after closed landfills and monitors the flow of waste data, making sure everything runs smoothly.
Stuart’s path into waste management was anything but straight forward. Initially aspiring to become a nurse, Stuart shifted gears after taking on an apprenticeship as a youth worker with Stirling Council. When that contract ended, he explored opportunities in housing and waste services. Fortunately, he landed a role in waste services, which marked the beginning of his impressive career in the industry.
During his waste projects officer apprenticeship, Stuart learned the ins and outs of project management, from organising bin deliveries to conducting site visits and handling customer inquiries. He found himself thriving in roles that combined outdoor and office work, which kept his job exciting and varied.
Stuart has held several roles throughout his career, from weighbridge operator to assistant waste collections coordinator, and now as a waste disposal technician. He enjoys mentoring apprentices, ensuring they have the same rewarding experiences he had when starting out. His advice to them: “Don’t worry about the smell—you’ll get used to it. Embrace every opportunity to learn and ask questions.”
Growing up in Germany instilled in Stuart a strong commitment to recycling. His role in waste management has only intensified this dedication, and he often encourages friends, family, and neighbours to recycle correctly.
Stuart is eager to pursue a career in consultancy, where he can apply his problem-solving skills and develop innovative solutions. Committed to furthering his expertise, he recently joined the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) as a Technical Member after completing his WAMITAB qualification—his highest achievement to date. Having navigated the challenges of dyslexia, Stuart takes great pride in this milestone and hopes to inspire other young people, showing that with perseverance and determination, they too can overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.
Stuart passionately explains the complex processes involved in waste management to the public, highlighting the fact that most people don’t realise how much effort goes into handling waste after it’s picked up. He’s committed to debunking the myth that the waste industry is dull and emphasizes its diverse and intriguing nature.
Stuart encourages the younger generation to explore the waste industry and embrace the opportunity to try new things. He emphasizes the importance of curiosity, adaptability, and courage in pursuing various roles within the field.
Useful Links
Stuart Stockman Linked In Profile
Environmental News Updates
During this episode, we discussed the potential Bin Strikes and the impacts of this, fortunately this has now been suspended following our recording. Updated News Item:
Unions suspend planned bin strikes in Scotland after new pay offer
Planned strike action by council waste and street cleaning workers across most of Scotland has been suspended.
Unison, Unite and GMB members in 26 of Scotland’s 32 council areas were due to walk out between 14 August and 22 August after rejecting two previous offers by local government body COSLA.
The unions will now put the industrial action on hold as they ballot members on a fresh pay deal that would see a 3.6% increase for all grades, with the lowest paid getting an extra 5.63% (£1,292).
COSLA said this equates to an overall offer value of 4.27%,said to be better than that made to local government workers in the rest of the UK.
Larac sounds alarm on councils and EfW emissions trading
Councils must be protected from the costs of energy-from-waste (EfW) being included in the UK’s
emissions trading scheme (ETS).
The warning has come from the Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee (Larac), which said extended producer responsibility (EPR) should be imposed on materials beyond the intended inclusion of packaging to help defray the costs.
In a response to a Government consultation, Larac said it supported inclusion of waste in the scheme, but measures were needed to “avoid it becoming an unavoidable expense passed down to local authorities” at a time when their budgets were already severely stretched.
Carrier bags on beaches fall by 80%
The average number of carrier bags washed up on UK beaches has fallen by 80% since the introduction of carrier bag charges in 2015. A beach litter survey from the Marine Conservation Society recorded a total of 4,684 plastic carrier bags across the UK and Channel Islands.
The charge on single-use plastic carrier bags was introduced for supermarkets in October 2015, and for all retailers from May 2021. More than 7.6 billion single-use carrier bags were given to customers by major supermarkets in England in 2014.
Start-up aims to give sailing waste a second life
Biotechnology sees plastic sails transformed into synthetic vanilla flavouring.
Waste textiles from sailing boats could be given a new lease of life as a result of a research project upcycling plastic fibres from sails into new chemicals such as vanillin – the compound used in cosmetics and food products for a vanilla flavour and smell.
Around 2,000 tonnes of polyethene terephthalate (PET) sails used by the marine sector worldwide are decommissioned or damaged beyond repair every year, with the majority either remaining in storage or sent to landfill sites to decompose. Sustainable Sailing – a start-up established by two brothers with backgrounds in both sailing and chemistry – is aiming to find alternative ways to process this type of waste.
Why Scotland is at the heart of a global vanadium battery revolution
This was a chemistry demonstration that did not go bang and pop. In a factory in Bathgate, two test-tubes of vanadium electrolytes were mixed, one purple and the other orange, and all that happened was the thermometer reading rose to 33C.
But that lack of explosivity, said Dr Elisha Martin, lead research scientist for Invinity Energy Systems, is the point. “With lithium batteries, there are many concerns about excessive heat generation, thermal runaway and eventual issues with fire and explosions. But this demonstration is designed to show that with our systems, we don’t have the same concerns.”
Albion News
Albion has recently allocated a Share Incentive Plan to all remaining staff, making all staff members, registered shareholders of the company. The staff that were registered this month will receive shares this time next year!
Our youngest team member, Mia, recently celebrated her 21st birthday, marking the first 21st birthday celebration at Albion!
After weeks of Simon Glenn’s Episode 7 being the most listened to, Alasdair has now swooped in and taken the top spot! Alasdair is thrilled about it and made sure to let Simon know! Click here to listen to Alasdair’s episode.
Upcoming Training Courses!
1 Day HWRC Course – Household Waste Recycling Centre Operators Course
Thursday 29th August 2024
Soil Waste Classification Course
Thursday 5th September 2024
Thursday 26th September 2024
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