WEEE regulations guidance published by BIS

Businesses have received help to prepare for the upcoming modifications to the WEEE system, in the form of guidance on the applicability of the new regulations issued by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), Collect and Recycle (http://www.collectandrecycle.com) can report.

The guidance, which was released on Friday, November 1, is aimed at such organisations as electronics producers, retailers, local authorities, waste management firms, WEEE recyclers and producer compliance schemes. In addition to outlining the scope of WEEE regulations that will apply from January 1, it informs businesses on how they can ensure compliance.

BIS explained in the guidance how the obligation of each producer compliance scheme will be calculated. It stated that by March 31, schemes will be informed of their collection requirements, which are in proportion to the amount of new material that their members place on the market.

What has not yet been finalised, however, is the methodology used to set the compliance fee, which will need to be paid by schemes in the event that their individual collection targets are not met. BIS has told these WEEE recycling stakeholders that approval of a methodology is set to take place during the compliance period.

BIS said that the methodology would incorporate the various costs associated with WEEE disposal, collection, treatment and recovery. This will be followed by the re-investing of the funds from this process in the collection network, with a view to a heightening of collection rates through local councils.

Also covered by the guidance is how electronics goods distributors will be required to meet their obligation to provide takeback facilities for small WEEE items with a length of less than 25cm. They will need to offer their customers free of charge takeback, either in store or through the Distributor Take-back Scheme (DTS).

Local authorities can expect an electronic recycling regime with a broadly similar impact to the present one under the new regulations, according to BIS, except that councils will now also be able to opt to self treat specific WEEE streams deposited at designated collection facilities (DCFs).

BIS will require notification by January 31 from local councils intending to self-treat one or more WEEE streams. In addition, such authorities will need to supply tonnage data for the WEEE stream collected at the relevant DCF in the previous year.

It was last month when BIS first revealed changes to the administration of the system for financing WEEE collection and treatment. The changes were designed to address producer concerns about the costs of complying with the regulations not reflecting the true cost of electrical waste recycling, as well as to bring the recast EU WEEE Directive's requirements into UK law.

Get in touch with Collect and Recycle (http://www.collectandrecycle.com) for more information about our cost-effective, fast and fully compliant computer recycling service, also encompassing the disposal of TVs, photocopiers, printers, TVs and more.

Editor’s Note: Collect and Recycle (http://www.collectandrecycle.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Turn to Visual Arena for a well-produced video - and reap the SEO benefits

Let's imagine that you run a small business - one that may have existed for many years, or that has only just started up. You're aware that the Internet is everything when it comes to success in the early 21st century, digital age, and you're equally aware of the need to ensure high search engine rankings. But where does professional video production, like that offered by Visual Arena (http://www.visualarena.co.uk), come into this?

In short, corporate video is a highly effective way of building your small company's authority and success online. This may seem surprising at first, given the lack of obvious keywords, but video really is extremely powerful, for reasons that far transcend mere keywords. Besides, the overuse of keywords has long attracted stiff penalties from the search engines, unlike a content-rich video.

In today's search engine landscape, you need to ensure high quality and relevant content, above all else - content that your site visitors and prospective customers will not only be engaged by, but also want to share. At the very least, a location video on your site will make your company so much more memorable.

Long after your site visitor has clicked that browser 'back' button, left your site and forgotten about your exact products or services, they will still remember a video of you enthusing about said products or services. This boosts awareness among your target customers. People are often much more willing to watch a few minutes of video, than they are to trawl through a couple of paragraphs of text, making what may have once seemed a luxury a highly cost-effective and indispensable promotion tool.

The more people who visit your site and are attracted to your video, the more your reputation in your field can be enhanced, attracting yet more interest. These days, even small firms don't just have a static company website - they also have regularly updated blogs covering topics of interest to their customers, and a presence on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter - through which  business promotional videos can be even more easily viewed, shared and commented upon.

It's important to remember that search engines exist to serve the human user, so the algorithms of Google and Bing are designed to rank the highest quality, most relevant content highest for particular search terms. Once your promotional, location and/or events video has been created, there are so many things that you can do with it to spread the word and enhance your rankings - from embedding it into blog posts to breaking one long video into multiple shorter ones.

However, success with all of these strategies depends on your corporate video productions being of the very highest standard. Here at Visual Arena (http://www.visualarena.co.uk) in Bath and West London, our passionate team - led by Graham Precey - takes pride in ensuring exactly that, working closely with you from the start to finish of a project.

Editor’s Note: Visual Arena (http://www.visualarena.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Finish your shave with style

So, you've carried out the most meticulous preparation for your shave, taking a hot shower prior to the shave so that your skin is cleansed, its pores suitably loosened up and the hairs softened, all enabling a closer shave. The shave itself has also gone well, with the razor gliding smoothly and your face thoroughly rinsed and patted dry once everything is done. You've even invested in the complete set of shaving products for the task, including Traditional Shave Cream, Pre Shave Oil, Daily Moisturiser and more from Gentlemen's Tonic (http://www.gentlemenstonic.com). The question is... what's next?

Well, it makes sense that you will want to complete your shave with style, and you may need to carry out some quick remedial action after your shave, stopping the bleeding from any cuts or nicks with an alum block. Some men invest in a post-shave serum that allows them to directly calm irritated skin and relieve razor bumps and ingrown hairs. Others turn to the Gentlemen's Tonic online store or its Mayfair establishment in search of an alcohol-free moisturiser balm or gel that helps to close skin pores and soothes, as part of the wider refreshment and regeneration of their skin.

This part of the shave isn't any less important for being the last, and yet is ignored by all too many men. Nor is there much excuse for that, given the reputation of Gentlemen's Tonic's Aftershave Cream for its effective hydration of the skin, razor burn calming and healing of those annoying nicks. This highly rated traditional male grooming product not only allows you to end your shave in the most comfortable way, but is also a fine moisturiser for use at any time of day. It helps to maintain the natural moisture of the skin, while mineral rich ingredients like babassu oil and bergamot oil, with the naturally derived fragrance that results from them, even remove the need for a cologne.

But that isn't all that Gentlemen's Tonic stocks in the aftershave department, with a Soothing Aftershave Balm also being available that is suitable for all types of freshly shaved skin, soothing, moisturising, rejuvenating and nourishing - particularly skin that can be very dry or sensitive after shaving. Key ingredients like gotu kola, with its anti-inflammatory properties, as well as soothing arnica and birch, a natural astringent that aids in the closing of pores, the soothing of burns and the healing of nicks, all help to restore the natural moisture of the skin.

By visiting the Gentlemen's Tonic (http://www.gentlemenstonic.com) traditional barbershop or the well-stocked online store, you can discover our full range of useful male grooming gifts, including acclaimed branded shaving products ranging from Pre Shave Oil to Savile Row Horn, Ivory and Ebony Razors.

Editor’s Note: Gentlemen's Tonic (http://www.gentlemenstonic.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Students offering especially strong average rental yields, says TBMC

Landlords rent insurance policyholders will find plenty to like in the latest Landlord Profile Tracking Index of TBMC, which tracks developments in the UK's buy-to-let mortgage market. The report's findings for the third quarter of 2013 confirmed the continued stability of the residential property investment environment throughout the year to date, with good rental income assured by high tenant demand and competitive rates also available on buy-to-let mortgages, Advanced Rent (http://www.advancedrent.co.uk) reports.

The most recent report highlighted a series of trends that will interest rent factoring policyholders, including continued strong average rental yields, continued low buy-to-let mortgage rates, fairly evenly split demand for variable and fixed rates and evenly split demand for purchase and remortgage products. The result of these trends is an average rental yield exceeding 6 per cent since the turn of the year. In the third quarter of 2013, there was a 6.06 per cent average rental yield for buy-to-let applications that TBMC had processed.

However, the Landlord Profile Tracking Index also showed that by far the highest returns were consistently delivered by student tenants, with the average rental yield from a student during the third quarter being 7.5 per cent - compared to the 6.06 per cent overall average. TBMC's chief executive Andy Young said: "It is surprising therefore that such a small percentage of applications processed by TBMC have been for properties rented out to students." He said that only nine of the 425 applications sampled in the third quarter were for student properties, making up just 2 per cent of the total - compared to 62 per cent and 33 per cent for families and professionals respectively.

Young admitted that there may be reservations among prospective rent guarantee scheme policyholders about student renting, perhaps including that such tenants would not be reliable payers or would cause a heightened property maintenance bill. However, potential holders of a rent indemnity policy may want to cast their eye over recent National Landlord's Association research, showing that students are actually among the most reliable tenants - with only 38 per cent of student landlords experiencing arrears over the past year, compared to 59 per cent of those that let to blue collar workers, 40 per cent that rented out to families and 71 per cent letting to those receiving benefits.

The report for 2013's third quarter also showed continued low interest rates being offered, with the average variable rate chosen for mortgage offers that TBMC processed during the period being 4.25 per cent, while the average fixed rate was 4.15 per cent. It would seem that such attractive fixed rate deals are certainly drawing in landlords, with 56 per cent of the offers processed by TBMC during the quarter being for fixed rate products.

Certainly, the Index should give prospective or current landlords greater confidence to start or add to their portfolios over the coming months - and with products like Rent Guaranteed from Advanced Rent (http://www.advancedrent.co.uk), they can be assured of even greater financial security.

Editor’s Note: Advanced Rent (http://www.advancedrent.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

How those with dementia can keep active and involved

Inevitably, with the development of dementia comes compromises to the affected person's ability to carry out certain activities. However, this does not mean that the person with dementia should completely abandon such activities. Indeed, many of those receiving home help in Gloucestershire from Bramble Home Care (http://www.bramblehomecare.co.uk) greatly appreciate staying active and involved in activities that interest them, from everyday tasks to long-time hobbies.

It is often the most simple, everyday activities - such as folding clothes or setting the table for a meal - that can be most beneficial to those receiving domiciliary care in Gloucestershire. However, a link to hobbies and interests that the person enjoyed prior to their dementia diagnosis can also help them to feel that their life is still meaningful. Such activities as walking, cooking and painting can assist in the preservation of that person's dignity and self-esteem, giving them a continued connection to normal life and in some cases, emotional connections too.

When a person with dementia keeps stimulated and occupied in everyday life, they can improve the quality of their life as well as that of their carers. Such activities can introduce fun and playfulness into their lives, making them feel free to communicate with others and express their feelings. These activities help to maintain social inclusion for those with dementia, as well as encouraging independence - as we know is a major priority for service users of our respite care in Gloucestershire. Carers, family and friends often benefit from an improved relationship with their loved one as a result of taking part in activities with them, which can also give them a break from the stresses and strains of everyday care.

By talking to your loved one with dementia about what they enjoy, you can soon establish suitable activities for them. Don't be afraid of making a mistake first time around, as you may find the right activity in the process. Above all, you should ensure that the person for whom you care enjoys the activity and feels that it is meaningful for them, rather than focussing on the 'result' of that activity. Many of those with dementia find meaning simply in talking to others, for example, while others may like to partake in relaxing creative pastimes like drawing, painting, woodwork and knitting.

Exercise can also be greatly beneficial to those with dementia and their carers, with potential examples including walking, gardening and swimming. For those with limited mobility, a seated game of bowls or chair aerobics could be a good activity. There are so many other activities that can be suitable for those in receipt of our dementia care in Gloucestershire here at Bramble Home Care (http://www.bramblehomecare.co.uk), from puzzles, games and listening to music to simple reminisces about the past. There should also be many community-oriented events in your local area, in venues such as art galleries, pubs and churches, that can give the person with dementia an even greater sense of belonging. 

Editor’s Note: Bramble Home Care (http://www.bramblehomecare.co.uk) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

Oriel Systems - specialising in the most cutting edge SCADA software

If there's any acronym that will be more than familiar to those in such industries as water and waste control, energy, oil and gas, telecommunications and transportation, it is SCADA, referring to supervisory control and data acquisition. This is the term for a computer system that gathers and analyses real time data from industrial processes, as has such fundamental importance in the monitoring and control of a plant or equipment. Certainly, Oriel Systems (http://www.orielsystems.com) is noted for the high standard of its own AWAX SCADA software, which is as cost-effective as it is cutting edge.

SCADA systems are types of industrial control system (ICS) that have been historically distinguished from other such systems by the large scale processes involved, potentially encompassing very large distances and multiple sites. Examples can include industrial processes like manufacturing, fabrication, production, refining and power generation, or public or private infrastructure processes like wastewater collection and treatment, oil and gas pipelines, large communication systems and water treatment and distribution.

Also potentially covered by SCADA systems are facility processes in various public and private buildings, ships, airports and space stations, with the likes of ventilation, heating and air conditioning systems being monitored and controlled. There are various subsystems that tend to make up a SCADA system, including the human-machine interface or HMI that presents the human operator with processed data, which enables the monitoring and control of the process. Other subsystems include a supervisory (computer) system that acquires data and sends demands, as well as the remote terminal units (RTUs) that connect to sensors, converting sensor signals into digital data that is then sent to the supervisory system.

When people talk about SCADA, they are generally referring to centralised systems for the monitoring and control of entire sites, if not complexes of systems of a large geographical spread. So the term could refer to the processes of one industrial plant, or an entire nation. It is the RTU at which the remote monitoring systems begin acquiring data, with the resultant meter readings or equipment status reports being communicated to SCADA as required. This is followed by the compilation and formatting of the data in such a way that supervisory decisions to override or adjust normal RTU controls can be made by a control room operator making use of the HMI.

Those with an interest in the most reliable, scalable and powerful telemetry systems - of which AWAX SCADA software can be a key part - are advised to get in touch with Oriel Systems' (http://www.orielsystems.com) technical team. The company's own SCADA software connects to its own range of remote units, as well as to most programmable logic controllers (PLCs)and various other hardware types, including the remote units of other vendors. Continual program development has seen the introduction of greater functionality to the software, so that it embraces the most recent technological advances and remains absolutely relevant to current needs.

Editor’s Note: Oriel Systems (http://www.orielsystems.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.

The substances that do - and don't - protect your hair

Getting up on a morning and finding hair on the pillow or on their brush may be the moment that so many men dread, but perhaps the first thing that such a man should know is that the fate of their hair is largely down to their genes - with hereditary reasons accounting for 99 per cent of prematurely thinning or balding scalps. But that does not mean that there aren't also certain substances that either encourage the balding or combat it, with Gentlemen's Tonic (http://www.gentlemenstonic.com) certainly offering no shortage of male grooming gifts in the latter category.

But some of these substances are easier to address than others, with the male hormone DHT (dihydrotestosterone), thought by medical researchers to be the biggest single cause of baldness, often only able to be reduced after discussion of the best course of action with a dermatologist or trichologist. However, recent studies have pointed to the formation of DHT in the scalp being blocked by zinc sulfate, saw palmetto extract and azelaic acid, so there may well be hope for you, beyond the use of Gentlemen's Tonic's traditional male grooming products.

But of course, it's impossible to forget the role that diet can have in slowing or accelerating hair loss, with dryness of the hair and scalp often caused by deficiencies in such important minerals as zinc and iron. In many ways, ensuring hair health is about ensuring all-round body health, with the likes of fresh vegetables and salads more advisable than acid-making foods such as breads, potatoes and milk and dairy products, given how they alter the body's pH value.

The healthier the food you eat, the stronger and more durable your hair should become. But be wary of substances that can both help and harm. For example, recent studies have shown copper to have a very positive effect on the hair, but your hair and scalp can also be unduly dried by high levels in your water. Plus, there are always the usual vices - like smoking and alcohol - to be aware of, plus various drugs that can lead to hair loss in some patients, including certain Parkinson medications, ulcer drugs and cholesterol-lowering drugs.

But there are certain other beneficial substances to be aware of - namely, those in such Gentlemen's Tonic offerings as the Mayfair establishment's Protein Conditioner. A wide range of key ingredients, including yucca vera extracts that help to penetrate the hair shaft, wheat protein that improves hair strength and the moisturising and healing agent that is hydrolyzed silk, assist in detangling, protecting and strengthening male hair, leaving it feeling soft and manageable.

Combine this highly rated product with men's traditional shampoo and Sculpt hair styling products consisting of natural waxes and ingredients, such as beeswax and bentonite, and it's clear that Gentlemen's Tonic's (http://www.gentlemenstonic.com) master barbers know all about the substances that best help hair, rather than hinder it. These have consequently been incorporated into some of the market's highest quality traditional male grooming products.

Editor’s Note: Gentlemen's Tonic (http://www.gentlemenstonic.com) are represented by the search engine advertising and digital marketing specialists Jumping Spider Media. Email: info@jumpingspidermedia.co.uk or call: +44 (0)20 3070 1959 / +34 952 783 637.