Resource Efficiency and Waste Minimisation

Presented by Tamma Carel Environmental Consultant at The Environmental Academy

Newcastle upon Tyne

8th and 9th April 2013

Presentation Outline

Resource Depletion

Sustainable Development

Resource Efficiency

Inputs, Operations and Outputs

Environmental Management Systems

Case Studies and Success Stories

Resource Depletion

Global Pollution

Using resources in an unmanaged and unplanned manner causes pollution of air, water and land:

• Has been growing since the 1950’s • 80% of the rubbish is from land • Weighs 3.5 million tons • Covers area twice the size of the USA • 90% of the rubbish is plastic

The Great Pacific Garbage

Patch

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Sustainable Development The Possible Solution to Resource Depletion and its

Environmental Impacts:

‘Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future

generations to meet their own needs.’ Bruntland Report

1987

http://safege.com/en/innovation/a-department-dedicated-to-research-and-

innovation/innovation-as-a-driver-of-sustainable-development/

Resource Efficiency

Inputs

• Plant

• Machinery

• Energy

• Oils

• Materials/goods

• Chemicals

• Water

Operations

• Site activities

• Manufacturing/processes

• Storage and use of chemicals

• Water treatment

• Transport

• Administration

• Purchasing

• Services

Outputs

• Products

• Waste

• Effluent

• Heat

• Pollution (hopefully prevented!)

Product Inputs: Energy Materials Water

Operations

Outputs: Emissions Fumes Odours Dust Noise

Outputs: Waste Effluent Waste Water

The Link Between Inputs, Operations and Outputs

Business Case for Resource Efficiency

Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

An EMS is a tool to

Control

Improve

Manage

Monitor

Environmental impacts

An EMS is:

Comprehensive

Structured

Planned

Documented

Plan Do Check Act (PDCA)

An EMS is structured on

Plan – Do – Check - Act

Setting goals or ‘continual

Improvement’ drives the

cycle

Also known as the PDCA or

Deming Cycle

Waste Minimisation and Resource Efficiency

Common Areas for Waste Improvements

Waste and Materials Management

Separate waste streams to reduce costs

Don’t over-order materials

Recycle and re-use

Process Control and Management

Make sure that controls are in place to ensure efficient operation

Ensure machinery is correctly calibrated

Shut down machinery when not in use.

Plan maintenance of equipment in order to reduce the risk of

breakdown and therefore loss of production time.

Case Studies

Resource Efficiency and

Waste Minimisation Successes Achieved by

Environmental Academy Clients through Environmental Management Systems

Waste Audit

Source: ‘Proportion of waste streams by weight (kg) across campus’. 2010 Waste Audit

Resource Efficiency

Source materials that are fit to purpose

Partition installation company won a large contract - 40,000+ boards were needed for the job. The rooms had been designed at a height that was in between the standard lengths of plasterboard. The company liaised with the supplier and arranged for their boards to be cut to size.

Environmental Improvement: Saving 15% material per board = £38,000 savings + 20 tonnes GHG Emissions

Resource Efficiency

Turney Wylde used to produce new signage for each project

They now provide split signs so that signage can be used for multiple projects

Environmental Improvement: Reduction in purchasing costs and material consumption Reduction in waste costs and carbon emissions

Resource Efficiency

Reuse materials

Reuse of 43,000 bricks

Carbon savings

= 21 tonnes CO2e

Implement a recycling scheme

Environmental Improvement: •70% Reduction in Waste to Landfill •Reduction in carbon emissions •50 reams of paper saved per month

Reduce Send out electronic invoices and remittances

Waste Legislation Awareness

Waste Transfer Notes

Company did not

monitor scrap metal uplifts and did not

receive waste transfer notes from the contractor over

the course of 3 years

Payout of £8,000

Site inspections

Company did not notice that paint in the skip was

leaking out of a hole in the bottom of the skip straight into a surface

water drain

Received a penalty fine from the Agency for

causing pollution

Site inspections

Fly tipped domestic and restaurant waste in the

skip, tyres and litter covering the area

Maintenance

contractor was not attending area, but had

been paid for 14 months!

Business Case for Resource Efficiency

The No.1 Reason for Environmental Management

Securing Contracts

Environmental Improvement: •60% Retention of clients as a direct result of EMS Implementation using Academy Services •Secured business with Laing O’Rourke •Secured business with the Ministry of Defence •Secured business with British Gas

Environmental Management scores PQQ points

EMS is a requirement of

large businesses and local government

Any Questions?