Company News
BIKBBI URGES INDUSTRY TO FIX ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT A survey conducted this month concludes that installers are unclear who is responsible for safely disposing of environmentally harmful appliances and struggle with costs of taking goods to approved recycling sites. • Over a third of installers mistakenly believe customers have full responsibility to dispose of old appliances - despite electrical waste regulations placing responsibility with retailers and producers( a term that includes manufacturers, sellers and distributors). • Majority of installers unable to meet additional costs of transporting old appliances for recycling, instead leaving them for collection by local authorities or scrap collectors • 70% of installers expect new regulations to influence how they operate but 78% fear Government does not understand nature of their business
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fforts to reach the UK’s target of net zero carbon emission are being hampered by thousands of used household appliances like fridges and washing machines being disposed of in unsustainable ways. A survey of over 1000 kitchen, bedroom and bathroom installers has found that a clear majority are unable to meet the additional costs of taking used appliances to approved recycling sites, with over a third mistakenly believing that customers have a responsibility for safe disposal - despite it sitting with retailers and producers who have to offer a take-back service of old appliances. Carried out among members of the British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom Installation (BIKBBI), the results of the survey suggest that a major awareness-raising campaign is needed to ensure that installers fully understand who is responsible for the safe disposal of used appliances. This would avoid appliances being left for collection by scrap traders or dumped into skips with general
waste, contributing to the 155,000 tonnes of electricals that are discarded in the UK every year, instead of being reused or recycled correctly. The survey revealed:
• 34% of installers believe it is the responsibility
of customers to safely dispose of old materials and appliances when installing a new kitchen, bedroom or bathroom - despite current Waste Electrical and Electronic (WEEE) regulations making it the responsibility of retailers and producers;
• 53% of installers believe it to be appropriate to leave appliances in the hope that local authorities will pick them up, alongside a small number who believe it appropriate to use a skip (15%) or leave appliances on the roadside for scrap metal collectors (10%)
• 72% of installers are aware of Government
approved sites to dispose of old fridges but only 32% use them on all occasions, with 66% citing costs as the reason for not doing so.
INSPIRED VILLAGES APPOINTS LEGAL & GENERAL’S STEPHEN HALLIWELL AS CFO
RRNews - Issue 52
Inspired Villages, an operator and developer of later living communities across the UK, announces that Stephen Halliwell has been appointed as its new Chief Financial Officer from January 2022.
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tephen is transferring to Inspired Villages from his current role of CFO at Legal & General Capital (LGC) which he has held for the last five years. Previously he held leadership roles at FTSE100 and FTSE250 companies. The seniority of the appointment reflects the growth and evolution of the business, as
well as its aspirations to become the best retirement operator in the world. The appointment follows the announcement that Legal & General has entered into a 15-year joint venture partnership with NatWest Group Pension Fund, the defined benefit pension scheme of NatWest Group,
Carried out among members of the British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom Installation (BIKBBI), the results of the survey suggest that a major awareness-raising campaign is needed to ensure that installers fully understand who is responsible for the safe disposal of used appliances. The results of the survey are particularly concerning given the important role that installers have in helping to reduce the environmental impact of end of life appliances. Around a quarter of the major domestic appliances, such as fridges and washing machines, sold in the UK every year are for new kitchen installations. The vast majority of these are replacements which create a huge amount of waste appliances.
to invest £500m of equity to build later living communities which will be developed and operated by Inspired Villages. Stephen will support Inspired Villages in its next stage of significant growth, with a commitment to back a portfolio of 34 sites - equating to around 5,100 homes, 8,000 residents and an estimated Gross Development Value (GDV) of c.£4bn – as part of the new landmark joint venture. Stephen Halliwell said: “I am delighted to be joining Inspired Village at this exciting point in its growth. Having recently established a landmark joint venture with NatWest Group Pension Fund which aims to deliver around £4bn of GDV, I am excited to be playing a leading role in helping the business meet its significant growth ambitions whilst it also looks to deliver the UK’s first two net zero carbon later living communities and meet the fast-growing need for specialist later living accommodation.”