Latest news with #GavinGriffiths
South Wales Guardian
04-08-2025
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
West Wales firm steams ahead with new Japanese knotweed treatment
Their new systems is the UK's first mobile soil treatment technology designed to combat invasive species that threaten biodiversity and native ecosystems. The new system, launched at the company's Cwmgwili site in South Wales, uses superheated steam to eliminate harmful pathogens, invasive root systems, and seed banks from contaminated soil. The chemical-free process enables the recovery and reuse of treated soil, supporting habitat restoration, climate action goals, and circular economy principles. South Wales is a European hotspot for Japanese Knotweed, a fast-spreading invasive plant that damages ecosystems and infrastructure alike. Invasive non-native species (INNS) cost the UK economy over £1.8 billion annually and are identified by the UN as one of the top five drivers of global biodiversity loss. Gavin Griffiths, Managing Director of Gavin Griffiths Group, explains: 'We see the restoration of healthy soils as critical to fighting climate change and reversing biodiversity decline. "This technology allows us to treat soil in a chemical-free system that both remediates the land and retains its ecological value. It's a real game-changer for conservation and regeneration projects.' The soil treatment unit has already gained the support of environmental consultants, ecological surveyors, and regulators. The technology enables previously contaminated land to be brought back into beneficial use without contributing to landfill, making it highly suitable for use on protected sites, former brownfields, nature recovery zones, and community green spaces. The unit is fully mobile, allowing deployment on-site for ecological restoration projects across the UK. Its introduction complements the company's broader environmental portfolio, which includes the recovery of aggregates from construction waste through its established wash plant. Gavin Griffiths Group's Innovation and Remediation Division has been instrumental in driving forward the investment in the unit. Its impact on a range of different sectors including farming and property development will be hugely positive, according to Aled Owen, partner at HCR Law which specialises in agriculture, environment and estates. He comments: 'Japanese knotweed according to government reports can cause damage of up to 10% on property and production values, if left untreated. The damage and nuisance claims resulting from such a failure to address these issues are significant and costly. 'The legal duty to manage and control this invasive species is fiercely enforced with the complete range of civil and criminal penalties involved. "The introduction of this system bringing the best of industry standards would be a significant tool in addressing an important environmental issue and addressing a landowners duty of care or a robust defence. "The use of such new innovative processes must be considered a positive change in the farming and other property sectors. ' The traditional options of excavation, herbicide treatment, or burial are often ecologically damaging, legally complex, and carbon-intensive. In contrast, this new steam-based solution provides an evidence-based method to restore degraded land while improving outcomes for wildlife, soil quality, and water safety. To find out more about the steam soil treatment unit, visit:
Business News Wales
01-08-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Recycling Firm Launches Groundbreaking Technology to Tackle Japanese Knotweed
L – R Gavin Griffiths, Kate Griffiths, Jake Stephens, Jonathan Hearing and Chris Taylor-King Waste management and recycling company Gavin Griffiths Group has launched a new piece of technology that kills pathogens in soil using steam treatment. The firm has invested in a new unit, which is the first of its kind in the UK. The technology is capable of eradicating Japanese Knotweed and restoring soil health without the use of chemicals. The firm described it as 'a major step forward for sustainable land management' and said it will benefit a wide range of landowners, industries and private homeowners. The technology was launched at Gavin Griffiths Group's Cwmgwili site and was attended by industry stakeholders, academics and government representatives. Invasive plant species such as Japanese Knotweed are one of the leading threats to biodiversity and infrastructure in Europe. Over 500 million tonnes of soil are dumped in landfills annually across the EU because of harmful pathogens. According to the United Nations, up to 90% of the world's topsoil could be at risk by 2050 unless new remediation practices are adopted. The traditional removal methods of spraying, weeding or burial are costly, time-consuming and largely ineffective. This new technique of soil treatment uses superheated steam to neutralise weeds, seeds and harmful pathogens in the soil, allowing soil to be safely reused. Other territories in Europe, such as Scandinavia have already widely adopted this new system where it's been shown to reduce soil disposal by thousands of tonnes and cut project costs dramatically. Gavin Griffiths, Managing Director of Gavin Griffiths Group, said: 'We are proud to be the first in the UK to bring this game-changing technology to market. Our Innovation & Remediation Division has been searching for a solution like this for some time as it's one of the biggest issues to face our clients. This technology not only helps us to protect native ecosystems, but it also supports our circular economy goals by allowing treated soil to be reused safely and sustainably. We believe that this is a crucial step towards greener land management. 'This new addition to our portfolio of sustainable land remediation solutions complements our wash plant facility in Cwmgwili which already processes hundreds of thousands of tonnes of construction and demolition waste, recycling it into washed, recovered aggregates that can be re-used on other projects. Our commitment to innovation and bringing forward technology that enhances the environment is at the forefront of our operations and we are excited to see the impact that this can have for clients in South Wales and throughout the UK.' Its impact on a range of different sectors including farming and property development will be hugely positive, according to Aled Owen, partner at HCR Law which specialises in agriculture, environment and estates. He said: 'Japanese knotweed according to government reports can cause damage of up to 10% on property and production values, if left untreated. The damage and nuisance claims resulting from such a failure to address these issues are significant and costly. 'The legal duty to manage and control this invasive species is fiercely enforced with the complete range of civil and criminal penalties involved. Action to take practical, immediate and diligent action is determinative to show that the landowner has acted correctly so there would be for the landowner a defence or limitation of liability. The introduction of this system bringing the best of industry standards would be a significant tool in addressing an important environmental issue and addressing a landowners duty of care or a robust defence. The use of such new innovative processes must be considered a positive change in the farming and other property sectors. ' The unit is based at Cwmgwili but can be transported to larger remediation project sites throughout the UK as required.
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'I'm completely blind but I'll play at Wimbledon'
For those unfamiliar with parasports, it might be hard to believe that someone with no eyesight whatsoever would be able to play is a common misconception that Gavin Griffiths for the third year running, the 52-year-old is due to play at Wimbledon in August as part of a national competition for visually impaired competitors."You get some people that are totally awestruck by it, other people don't believe a word you're saying. All I can tell them is go look it up on YouTube, said Mr Griffiths, from Nottingham. His third year at the legendary venue will see him compete in the Vodafone Play Your Way to Wimbledon national finals."To know you're walking and playing where people like my heroes Federer, Djokovic, Nadal, Raducanu, other players like that have walked and played... you feel it in the ground," he said."It's awe-inspiring for us as visually impaired players to know that we are being taken seriously and that we're given the chance to show our skills." Mr Griffiths was not born blind. At the age of two he had to have both eyes removed to stop the spread of a rare cancer called has been "totally blind" since the procedure but the setback has not stopped him from living a fulfilling he played international visually impaired cricket, representing England, as well as football."Life wasn't ever going to deal its cards to me. I deal my cards to it, and if it likes to send them back then I'll deal with them that way," he said. "That was always me and it still is me."He said he picked up tennis in 2019 because he "fancied a sport where you're on your own", which provided him with a change of pace from the other sports he played."Instead of being part of a team and part of a cog in a machine, I wanted a sport that was down to me. If [I make] a bad decision, it's my problem to deal with," he added. How is tennis adapted? The LTA, the governing body of tennis in Great Britain, recognises five categories of visual impairment, from B1 (no sight), down to B5 (the most partial sight).For B1 players such as Mr Griffiths, the court of play is significantly reduced in size, the net is lowered, and the ball is allowed to bounce up to three the ball itself is also altered to make noise when it is hit and when it Griffiths said that despite being completely blind, it was standard procedure to play with a blindfold shade regardless, to stop anyone with a degree of light perception from having an advantage. Looking ahead, Mr Griffiths hopes other people with visual impairments will be inspired to take up tennis as a sport, whether young or said that anyone who wanted to find out more information about getting involved could visit the LTA website or the British Blind Sport website."They'll get you in touch with the nearest [visually impaired] tennis club. There's not loads of them, but if you can it's worth finding the nearest," he said."All I can say is come and have a go, because once you've tried it, you won't be able to let go."
USA Today
08-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Gavin Griffiths becomes first Nebraska basketball player to enter transfer portal
Gavin Griffiths becomes first Nebraska basketball player to enter transfer portal A Nebraska men's basketball forward has entered the NCAA transfer portal. Gavin Griffiths is the first Husker to enter their name into the portal this offseason. The 6 foot 7 inch sophomore played in 16 games last season and averaged 2.1 points and 1.6 rebounds per game. This was Griffiths' first season at Nebraska after transferring from Rutgers. He was a four-star prospect and top-50 recruit coming out of high school. Griffiths did not play during Nebraska's run at the College Basketball Crown Championship after dealing with a reported ankle injury. The forward is the team's first official departure since the portal opened. The Huskers have also added a couple of players to the roster in the last several weeks. Those two players are Pryce Sandfort from the Iowa Hawkeyes and Ugnius Jarusevicius from Central Michigan. Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.
