Production (re)cycle

BD3-based LH Plastics, an injection mould manufacturer, is discovering the benefits achieved through sound environmental management. £30,000 worth to date.

The company’s Otley Road site houses the design, mould and assembly processes for products including TV digi-boxes. One of its customers requested that suppliers implement an Environmental Management System (EMS) to conform to international standard ISO 14001. Quality Director Paul Horvath then contacted BBEF and was advised about Envirowise Fastrack visits, Carbon Trust site surveys and Business Link grants. Kevin Prior of CookPrior Associates was recruited to provide expert advice on the implementation of the EMS.

Andy Wear was then given the task of developing the EMS in conjunction with LH Plastics’ Quality Management System, to do the following:

• Minimise waste

• Make significant savings

• Achieve a ‘zero discharge’ process whereby every item of waste is a resource or potential raw material.

The firm is not involved in the initial product design stage, meaning products are made to set specifications. Therefore the main environmental management focus concentrated on reducing key waste streams such as cardboard, paper, plastic, wood inks and solvents. Particularly reviewing the amount of plastic going to landfill.

Contrary to popular belief about EU Directives causing headaches, LH Plastics discovered that conforming to the legislation makes good business sense. As Kevin Prior says: “If companies are innovative in tackling EU regulations, they can stay ahead of the competition.”

What’s more this approach has saved LH Plastics at least £30,000 – making going green a sound financial benefit as well as an environmental one. The business has now:

• Reduced the amount of solvents in the spray-painting process

• Replaced solvent-based paints with 99 per cent water-based paint

• Re-used essential cleaning solvents via improved technology, so reducing emission into the air.

Playground manufacturing gets enviro friendly

An International supplier of playground equipment, Sutcliffe Play Ltd designs, supplies and installs play equipment, mainly for local authorities for children with differing abilities, from its new base in Upton, Pontefract. The Company has been certified to the Environmental Management System Standard, BS EN ISO 14001 for many years. The original environmental system was installed with consultancy assistance from Rosewood Management Services with grant support.

Anne Gobey, Design Office Manager at Sutcliffe Play was responsible for Health & Safety and Environmental matters at the time. She said: “Targets have been set now for the future on each environmental aspect. This building was purpose built so it was important we got things right from the start. Hamish has also advised on recycling waste which will be better for the environment. Without his help and funding we may not have been successful in achieving the standard. It’s made changes that were necessary a lot easier for us.”


Bertram get environmental help

The Bertram Group (formally know as Cypher) based in Morley, Leeds is a substantial enterprise with nearly 200 staff which provides book preparation services for publishers and libraries throughout the UK. The Company fits or applies protection to the books it processes, such as plastic jackets, sleeves or self adhesive film, and adheres internal and external labelling and coding, as required by the customer.

Bertram Management has practised a professional approach to quality and health and safety matters over many years and it was natural that it would in time seek to apply the same degree of good practice to its environmental activities.

Some environmental control was already exercised through the Company’s Quality and Health & Safety practices, however for sound business reasons the Company made a decision to expand, enhance and formalise its environmental activities. Also as they supply to government funded organisations such as libraries they were keen to put in place an environmental programme, some of which is required in the criteria when tendering for these contracts.

To achieve this end, the Directors set an objective to have a documented Environmental Management System in place and achieve certification of the system to BS EN ISO 14001. The EMS would be fully integrated with the Company’s existing BS EN ISO 9001: 2000 Quality Management System (QMS).

The work on saving energy has begun and the firm hope to show savings in their power bills this year. They are also now recycling their packaging which should reduce their land fill costs.

Wendy Brown, Personnel, Facilities and Health & Safety Manager, said: “We are now well on our way to helping to protect our environment but also help cut waste in terms of cost at Bertrams. By applying a few simple rules and practices in the way we carry out our processes we create a ‘win-win’ situation. Someone once quoted to me “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap – but the seeds you plant”. I think this saying helps put into perspective what we should all be doing to work towards a safer, cleaner environment for our children and our children’s children.”

Making savings at Marstair

Improving environmental performance, reducing waste and saving money have been at the forefront of Compliance Manager Roy Smith's mind now for a number of months. He's been in charge of organising the new environmental programmes for Marstair Ltd; one of the UK's leading manufacturers of air conditioning, heating and ventilating equipment, based in Brighouse.

Mairstair Ltd has been aided by £2,500 of grant funding. This enabled them to enlist the help of environmental experts Urban Mines Ltd; a charity who advise, inform and support firms in resource management.

Roy set up a working group from different departments, named the 'Green Team' who, with the help of Dan Clayton from Urban Mines, have implemented a number of worthwhile initiatives to improve environmental performance, reduce waste and save money:

• reduction of the number of wood waste collections from one or two a week, to two a month which will reduce costs by an estimated £1,500 a year.
  
• paper recycling within the whole organisation, saving an estimated £350 a year
  
• preparation for obtaining the BS EN ISO 14001 (environmental standard) which includes revising the Company's environmental policy, producing a register of relevant legislation, developing environmental objectives and an environmental assessment of the Company's products and services.