Envirowise launches online waste-reduction course
October 15, 2009 by administrator
Filed under Business Support
Reducing the waste your business produces could save you as much as £1,000 per employee
Envirowise is targeting packaging manufacturers with a new waste reduction initiative that it says could help save companies £1,000 per employee.
‘Rethink Waste’ is an online course that looks at benchmarking data and developing and implementing a waste-saving strategy that Envirowise hopes will help companies discover the true cost of waste to their business.
Envirowise production specialist Michael Savage said raising landfill costs were an economic imperative to minimise waste at every opportunity.
“While many UK manufacturers have enthusiastically adopted recycling measures, there are many opportunities to reduce and re-use materials - actions that could substantially benefit the bottom line,” he said.
The course has been developed in conjunction with manufacturers’ organisation EEF. Head of environment Gareth Stace welcomed support for manufacturers to “get the best from their resources.” “Free initiatives such as ‘Rethink Waste’ offer practical and accessible route to resource efficiency,” he said.
The courses will run in early 2010 and participants will have access to a virtual factory tour, audiocasts and a resource efficiency conference.
Click here to register online before 31st December.
East of England Hospitality Sector fails to check-in for cost savings
October 13, 2009 by administrator
Filed under Business Support
Hopsitality businesses in the East of England could be missing the opportunity to improve their environmental performance because they wrongly assume it is a costly process.
Research by the Institute of Hospitality and sustainability experts Envirowise found that more than half of managers surveyed in the hospitality sector felt ‘going green’ would increase their costs. And around 40% said that the current economic climate has added an additional barrier to change.
However Envirowise experience has shown that hospitality businesses could save around £250 per employee per year by taking action to reduce waste - not to mention improving their green credentials for eco-conscious tourists.
Envirowise Regional Manager Simon Best, says “An estimated four out of five British tourists stayed in the UK on August Bank Holiday Weekend, despite the changeable weather. It’s crucial to ensure this hard-earned revenue is not going down the drain through unnecessary waste.
“The average UK restaurant disposes of more than 100 tonnes of waste each year, including paper, cardboard, plastic and food waste,” continues Simon. Yet simple steps could help the hospitality sector reduce waste and save money.
Institute of Hospitality, Chief Executive Philippe Rossiter adds, “While some managers do regard the introduction of more sustainable operating methods as adding costs to their business, there are also encouraging signs from the survey that the industry does increasingly recognise the importance of reducing its environmental impact.
“Of particular note are the welcome steps towards higher levels of recycling now seen throughout the sector. Nevertheless, there is no room for complacency, and much more can be done by the hospitality sector to reduce waste in all areas.”
A series of fact sheets are available from Envirowise covering a range of business areas including Food Preparation, Drinks Service, Guest Room Facilities and Ground Maintenance. They offer advice on everything from energy use to water efficiency, including the benefits of using flow restrictors on taps or water displacement devices in toilet cisterns. For premises using cooking or refrigeration equipment, careful monitoring of heating and cooling processes is also essential to ensure energy - and money - is not being lost unnecessarily.
For more information visit www.envirowise.gov.uk/hcfactsheets or call the Envirowise Advice Line on 0800 585 794.
1. The survey was conducted by the Institute of Hospitality in partnership with Envirowise. More than 450 responses were reviewed fro IOH members working in the hospitality industries across the UK
New guide could cut waste costs by as much as 40% for builders
June 30, 2009 by administrator
Filed under Waste Management and Recycling, Waste Management, Recovery and Recycling, Water Management
Small builders working in challenging economic conditions could unlock valuable cost benefits by using a new waste-saving guide from sustainable business experts Envirowise.
The free guide, available online at www.envirowise.gov.uk/EN922 outlines a step-by-step review process that can help businesses identify the main causes of waste around their site and save up to 40% on waste disposal costs.
With as much as 89.6 million tonnes of construction waste generated across England alone each year1, the cost saving potential for the UK runs into millions of pounds.
Savings can be made by making simple low-cost or no-cost changes such as segregating waste at source. For example, by reducing waste by 20% a businesses can cut waste disposal costs by 40% and waste to landfill by 60%. With annual landfill tax rises confirmed until 2013, there is clearly a need for businesses to take action.
Envirowise Construction Specialist, Chris Hodgson, said: “The Federation of Master Builder’s latest State of Trade survey shows that economic conditions for small builders in the UK continue to be very challenging2. However, reducing waste costs is a straightforward, effective way to help improve the bottom-line and this new guide demonstrates how to secure significant cost savings with little or no up front investment required.
“Running a resource efficient business can also help builders to better manage their potential liabilities, reducing their exposure to costly fines from improper waste management processes, as well as ensuring they are well placed to make the most of the recovery when it comes.”
For more general advice regarding resource efficiency in construction builders can visit www.envirowise.gov.uk/construction or call the Envirowise Advice Line on 0800 585 794.
Footnotes
1. Defra - Estimated re-use, recycling and disposal of hard construction & demolition and excavation waste by region in 2005
2. FMB State of Trade Survey 2009 Q1
Wizard could help businesses save money
June 30, 2009 by administrator
Filed under Business Support, Energy Management / Efficiency
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Whilst there is no magic formula for improving resource efficiency and saving money, sustainable business experts Envirowise say businesses can increase their chances of success by using the org
anisation’s online Publications Wizard tool.
Since its launch, the ‘Wizard’ has helped 3,000 businesses to build their very own resource efficiency plan, tailor-made to their individual business needs.
The five most popular topics searched as components of the bespoke guides to date are:
1. Waste management
2. Environmental Management Strategies
3. Raw material use
4. People issues
5. Recycling
Results have shown that preventing waste is taking precedence over end of life recycling. Envirowise East of England regional manager, Simon Best, believes that this is an indication that businesses are developing a more complex understanding of resource efficiency as a means to unlocking working capital and combating the economic downturn.
He says “By being more efficient with resources to prevent, rather than responsibly disposing of waste, businesses can free up time and money to focus on building and defending their market position at a difficult time. It’s encouraging to see so many businesses, diverse by region and sector, looking at such measures to reduce their costs and proactively seeking out support through the Envirowise Publications Wizard.”
“For those companies who are interested in the business benefits of resource efficiency, but don’t know where to begin, the Wizard is a simple starting point that help them get up and running quickly.”
The Publications Wizard asks a series of straightforward, multiple choice questions to determine business sector and understanding of resource efficiency. Specific areas of support are then identified, allowing the user to tailor-make a personalised PDF document that gives specific guidance based on their individual business circumstances.
To try out the wizard, please visit: www.envirowise.gov.uk/publications
Clean technology venture investment reaches record $8.4 billion in 2008 despite credit crisis and broadening recession
Even with diminished 4Q08 results, clean technology investment fundamentals remain strong.
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The Cleantech Group™, founders of the clean technology investment category and providers of leading global market research and other services for the clean technology ecosystem, today announced preliminary 2008 results for clean technology venture investments in North America, Europe, China and India totaling a record $8.4 billion, up 38% from $6.1 billion in 2007. The 2008 total represents the seventh consecutive year of growth in venture investing, widely recognized as a leading indicator of overall investment patterns:
Preliminary results for 4Q08 indicate venture investment commitments worldwide of $1.7 billion across 99 disclosed investments, the smallest quarterly total in 6 quarters. 4Q08 was down 35% from 3Q08, yet down only 4% from 4Q07 despite a much more difficult economy. The top clean technology sectors in 2008 were solar, biofuels, transportation, and wind. Solar accounted for almost 40% of total clean technology investment dollars in 2008, followed by biofuels at 11%. “2008 saw solar take a 40% share of clean technology venture investment dollars, led by mega-investment rounds in thin-film solar, concentrated solar thermal and solar service provider companies,” said Brian Fan, Senior Director of Research, Cleantech Group. “Investors also continued to migrate from first-generation ethanol and biodiesel technologies to next-generation biofuels technologies, led by algae and synthetic biology companies. Other sectors with healthy investor interest included smart grid companies, small-scale wind turbines, plastics recycling, green buildings and agriculture technologies.”
EUROPE AND ISRAEL The most significant country growth was seen in Germany ($383 million invested, an increase of 217% from 2007) and Israel ($247 million invested, an increase of 224% from 2007), both led by very large solar deals. Germany overtook the UK as the country receiving the most venture capital in 2008, helped significantly by the region’s largest solar deal of 2008, the $133.7 million investment in Berlin-based solar thin-film manufacturer Sulfurcell Solartechnik. The UK’s decline in total investment ($337.8 million, down 11% from 2007) left it second in the country league table, with Israel moving into third place from sixth in 2007. CHINA: As expected, 2008 witnessed steady gains in clean technology investment in China. Solar accounted for 60% of the total, reflecting the continuing migration of solar module manufacturing from Europe and the US to China, as well as the opportunity of a large domestic market for solar water heating. Other active sectors include agriculture, lighting, and wind. The underlying fundamentals driving cleantech investment in China, including government efficiency targets in energy, water and resource utilization, emission reduction targets, government and corporate goals for cleaner supply chains and industrial operations, and corporate social responsibility goals, remain in place. INDIA: The clean technology sector in India remains nascent compared to more mature markets such as North America and Europe. Much of the interest has been in addressing the energy shortage challenges faced by the country, therefore, energy generation and infrastructure, with solar and wind deals leading the way, attracted the majority of investment dollars. However, new sectors received capital, such as electronic waste recycling, energy efficiency and water management. NORTH AMERICA: TOP INVESTORS:
Key takeaways reviewed in webinar next week Cleantech Forum® XXI San Francisco February 23-25, 2009 About the Cleantech Group, LLC |
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Internationalising Environmental Solutions
March 9, 2009 by John Pickstone
Filed under Events
| April 16, 2009 |
East of England International (EEI) in conjunction with EnviroTech is running a one day seminar to introduce new initiatives to help environmental companies in the region. The programme will provide networking opportunities with like minded individuals, and the chance to have one to one meetings with sector experts. The seminar will cover the following topics:
An introduction to EEI’s new three year programme, backed by £300,000 of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) called Envirotrade. The programme will provide high level strategic direction from world class consultants, to help environmental companies in the East export into new territories.
The official launch of EnviroTechs Environmental Solutions DVD, which features companies and ideas tackling an array of environmental problems.
A preliminary insight into the proposed UKTI National Low Carbon Strategy entitled ‘Taking Low Carbon Mainstream’.
Internationalising Environmental Solutions Agenda
08:45 Registration opens
09:30 Welcome and Introduction
09:40 Dr Paul May, Executive Director of Innovation at EEDA.
10:10 Envirotrade - ERDF and UKTI National Low Carbon Strategy - John Tingle, EEI
10:40 Environmental Solutions DVD - Hugh Parnell, EnviroTech
11:10 Tea/Coffee Break
11:30 Ralph Ecclestone, i10. Following its successful funding bid of £192,000 to help regional businesses go low carbon, i10 has launched its ground breaking ‘£1k low carbon voucher scheme’.
11:50 Gareth Jones, Environmental Industries Hub Manager, UK CEED / CSEng. Environmental goods and services sector.
12:10 Dr. Carlos Ludlow-Palafox, Director, Enval Ltd. Enval is a company leader in recycling and environmental technologies.
12:30 Guest Speaker TBC
12:40 Question and Answer panel discussion
13:00 Lunch
13:45 Chance to meet with speakers and specific invitees: Envirotech Ltd, East of England International, UKCEED, Environment East, EEEGR, UEA, ExDRA, Beyond 2010 and Essex Innovation Programme.
For further information about this event including the agenda and to reserve your place please visit www.eei-online.com This is now a FREE event, and includes a networking buffet. Spaces are limited so please book early.
New UK guidelines on production of rubberised asphalt roads
January 27, 2009 by Gareth Jones
Filed under Sustainable Construction and Materials, Waste Management, Recovery and Recycling
Comprehensive research conducted by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme) has proven for the first time that rubberised asphalt for UK road surfacing can be successfully produced using certain combinations of UK-sourced materials, including rubber crumb from used tyres.
This modified material has been found to offer a series of positive benefits when compared to conventional asphalt mixtures - but despite being used for highway construction in the US, South Africa, Australia and mainland Europe for many years, the material has never been applied in the UK.
In addition to providing a sustainable outlet for used tyres as a construction material, rubberised asphalt is also said to offer a selection of desirable qualities, ranging from increased durability and reflective crack reduction to increased skid resistance and improved flexibility.
Steve Waite, materials recycling project manager at WRAP, explained: “As the UK construction sector seeks more sustainable ways of working, there has never been a better time to identify new ways in which to incorporate recycled content into civil engineering projects. The findings of our research prove that rubberised asphalt can now be successfully applied as both a surface course and binder course in UK highways construction. This opens the way for more widespread use of the material in this country and anybody looking to specify rubberised asphalt now has all the background information and technical direction they need.”
Initially, researchers analysed the information that was already available; collating practical experiences and learnings from overseas and identifying the range of practical issues associated with rubberised asphalt. From this point, a series of rubberised asphalt and control mixes were manufactured using a wide range of materials readily accessible in the UK. The materials used included Venezuelan and Middle Eastern bitumen and recycled tyre rubber crumb of different sized grades - recovered from both truck and car tyres - along with limestone, granite and gritstone as the aggregate material.
Ian Walsh from Jacobs (UK) Ltd, who acted as an advisor to WRAP during the research, added: “These results prove - for the first time in the UK - that it is possible to blend recycled tyre rubber and bitumen to create a useable, valuable binder. This alone is a very significant finding. But the results of the testing go so much further, demonstrating as well that different types of bitumen and recycled rubber can be used to create a wide range of mixtures that have been proven suitable for use as both surface and binder courses in highways construction.”
WRAP’s research has been published in a report entitled Rubberised Asphalt Testing to UK Standards. It can be downloaded free from the WRAP website: www.wrap.org.uk
If everyone in the world were as wasteful as we are in the UK we would need 8 worlds to keep going
December 3, 2008 by News Service
Filed under Company News, Energy, Renewable Energy, Sustainable Construction and Materials, Sustainable Products and Services, Waste Management and Recycling
Peterborough Energypark has been designed to remove our reliance on landfill and reduce the amount of pollution created by our daily lives.
The energypark is a 66MW electrical power generating station that incorporates technology before and after electrical generation to ensure that the power produced is clean and green and that value from all materials is gained with nothing being wasted.
The thermal capacity of the plant is 234MW. The park will include a combined heat and power distribution grid to feed power and heat to the research and design building, the administration and vehicle maintenance and Compass Re-Use buildings.
The power and recycled materials produced from the park comes from its ability to process up to 650,000 tonnes of material per year. This material will be a mix of wastes such as municipal, commercial and industrial. In the case of municipal waste the waste received will be that left over after recycling has taken place. Along side wastes the energypark will support local agriculture by providing markets for their straws for use as a renewable fuel. The park will also take agricultural waste, and elements of the construction and demolish waste. Based on pre development discussions with waste providers, the Energypark will be processing in the region of 460,000 tonnes of material from local sources.
