UK: Knauf Insulation has announced that from August 2013 all four of its UK manufacturing plants will send zero waste to landfill.
The achievement marks a significant milestone in the manufacturer's sustainability journey, in which it is constantly developing its products and processes to contribute towards greener and more energy efficient environments.
At its glass mineral wool sites in St Helens (where the company's headquarters are also based) and at Cwmbran in Wales, Knauf Insulation has introduced a number of measures to divert both production and office-generated waste. Baled glass wool waste is re-used by a ceiling tile manufacturer, while mixed glass wool and incidental packaging waste is collected by a recycling partner and re-processed for use as underground bedding.
Other waste is segregated at source to enable efficient recycling. A 'Bin the Bin' campaign was introduced as part of EcoWorks, an employee initiative designed to encourage best practice techniques and education around sustainable behaviour. Clearly marked recycling bins, desktop recycling folders and skips for cardboard and polythene have been distributed throughout the facilities, so that the waste can then be collected and recycled.
Kevin West, Health, Safety, Security and Environmental Manager at Knauf Insulation's St Helen's plant, commented, "As the UK's leading insulation manufacturer and the third largest manufacturer of insulation in the world, we take our social and environmental responsibilities seriously. True sustainability is about much more than simply producing 'green' products. It must be an integral part of the business, which is what we have sought to accomplish with our waste management strategy. Reaching zero waste to landfill is a fantastic achievement and is a clear demonstration of Knauf Insulation's commitment to improving our environmental performance."
