Businesses receive waste tips

Local businesses can now save time and money while helping the environment, thanks to a handy toolkit, produced by Ashford’s Future.

The free ‘Business Recycling Toolkit’ provides businesses in Ashford that want to change the way they deal with their waste practical help and advice to make a difference to the environment and their bottom line.

The Toolkit, which is being promoted by Ashford’s Future through their Growth Area Fund, provides businesses with step by step resources to help them identify their different waste streams, find alternative routes than landfill for their waste and potentially reduce costs.

By highlighting current waste and recycling practices through using the toolkit, businesses will be able to identify areas and waste streams that can be reduced or disposed of differently and by using local recycling companies the businesses may be able to reduce costs.

Companies using the toolkit have been impressed with the results. Shaun Windle from Scotland and Bates has been able to measure marked environmental improvements from using the Toolkit. He said: “Ashford’s Future’s new Business Toolkit has given me some really good ideas on ways to make my company ‘greener’.

"As a result of using their 5 Steps Action Plan I have started recycling both our office waste as well as waste arising from our operations as a Coach Company. I have become an ‘environmental champion’ for my company.”

This initiative is part of a project to raise awareness in waste and recycling to businesses in Ashford. The aim is to help businesses to view their waste as a resource by providing details of simple practical changes they can make in their daily business lives to improve environmental performance, gain green credentials and reduce waste disposal costs.

Businesses in the UK currently produce 68 million tonnes of waste each year with around 50% being sent to landfill.

 A recent report from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs (DEFRA) estimated that businesses could save £6.4 billion a year through low cost or no cost resource efficiency measures. Using the toolkit will allow Ashford businesses to take the first steps to achieving these savings.

The toolkit contains a Business Recycling Directory, a ‘5 Practical Steps for Reducing Waste’ guide, a Business Waste Action Planner, a Waste Audit checklist and a list of useful contacts and websites.

The ‘Business Recycling Toolkit’ can be obtained from the Ashford’s Future website which also provides waste advice through downloadable leaflets and case studies aimed at the construction industry.

Companies seeking to use the ‘Business Recycling Toolkit’ can find it on www.remade-southeast.co.uk/Ashford. Alternatively printed copies can be obtained by contacting Remade South East on 01732 876617 or by emailing l.hill@remade-southeast.co.uk

Media release 0252/10
24/08/2010