Counties join EU recycling initiative
China trade hub to boost economy The first phase of a massive international China trade hub in the Midlands has been given the go-ahead by planning authorities. Bigger than Dublin’s Liffey Valley and Blanchardstown shopping centres put together, the overall exhibition centre is reckoned to be the largest development built in Ireland. The €175m first phase of the Europe China Trading Hub at Creggan, near Athlone, will be a base for Chinese companies to promote trade and commerce with Europe and the rest of the world. The site will employ 1,530 people after an initial boost of 1,200 construction jobs. The development – which will also have a special Irish division to promote domestic business – aims to provide buyers, traders and manufacturers with a one-stop shop to assess products before placing bulk orders. While discussions have taken place with some Chinese manufacturers, no companies have signed up to base themselves at the Athlone facility.
FTA launch transport guide
The Freight Transport Association has published the 17th edition of its annual European Road Transport Guide for UKbased road transport operators visiting countries in the EU and beyond. Formerly known as the International Road Transport Guide, it has been re-named in order to avoid confusion with some of FTA's newer offerings which cover a larger geographical area than FTA's mainly European road freight interests. The FTA European Road Transport Guide uses country profiles to equip transport managers with the information needed to avoid delays and deal effectively with roadside enforcement. Once again the country sections have been updated and include amended information on public holidays, weekend lorry bans, toll prices and other essential facts for fleet operators in both the own account and hire and reward sectors. This year Liechtenstein and Monaco have been added to the list of countries in the guide.
The Limerick/Clare/Kerry Region, through the Regional Waste Management office, has signed up to participate in a European wide waste recycling project. The region has become an active partner in the ‘Regions 4 Recycling’ Interreg IVC European project, a partnership initiative comprising 12 European Regions with the ambitious target to promote regional contributions towards a European Recycling Society. “Under the project, local authorities in Clare, Limerick and Kerry will join other participating authorities in making performance comparisons via a common methodology and exchange of good practices in order to improve their recycling performances,” explained Philippa King, Regional Waste Co-ordinator, Limerick/Clare/Kerry Regional Waste Management Office. Ms. King added: “European municipalities are subject to common EU waste management regulations but have taken different approaches to reach the recycling targets. Differences between the recycling performances are evident, ranging from less than 10 % to more than 70 % from one region to another. Some of the differences can be accounted for by different data compilation practices between regions.” The ‘Regions 4 Recycling’ (R4R) project is led by the Ilede-France Region Waste Management Observatory (ORDIF). Meanwhile, the overall project communication is managed by ACR+ and the technical component is coordinated by the Public Waste Agency of Flanders (OVAM). The 3-year project aims to work on a common framework for waste data observation, selective collection and recycling rates where by assessing the local instruments (technical, economic or legal) with the aim to reduce the recycling performance gap between the EU regions.
A Friend in need ... true friends Truck drivers Gerry Campbell and Brian Gaskin from Dundalk share a lifetime bond and friendship. The two friends underwent one of Ireland's first and very rare living kidney transplants operations involving a non-relative (not involving a family member to another) Not wanting to see his friend 's health deteriorate further while undergoing gruelling dialysis treatment, Brian demonstrated true friendship by donating one of his kidneys to Gerry two years ago in August 2010. Both friends work for the same haulage company in Dundalk. The two men are supporting this week’s Organ Donor Awareness Week which will continues until 7th April, by asking people to carry an organ donor card and buy a forget-me-not flower (the symbol of transplantation). For organ donor cards freetext the word DONOR to 50050 or contact the Irish Kidney Association locall 1890 543639
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Kidney transplant recipient, Gerry Campbell and his grandson Tadhg (age 4) and kidney donor friend Brian Gaskin IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS