Waste and Recycling
- Corporate Responsibility
- Timber - The Sustainable Building Product
- The Sustainable Building Center
- Health and Safety Initiatives
- Waste and Recycling
- Charitable Work
Waste Management
Wolseley UK is currently introducing a 'Reduce, Re-use and Recycle' programme, with the aim of minimising the quantity of waste sent to landfill each year. Recycling measures are also being implemented in order to minimise our waste and impact on the environment, which will bring both environmental and cost benefits to the business.
Greenstar
Greenstar is one of the UK's largest recycling-led waste management companies, with a service covering the whole of the UK. Greenstar owns a number of recycling plants in the UK. Greenstar is working with Wolseley UK to implement measures to improve recycling and reduce waste to landfill by introducing waste storage facilities such as skips, wheelie bins and rear end loader bins to collect specific waste streams. The waste collection schedules have also been adapted to suit a specific site's requirements, with an ad hoc service available if necessary.
The findings demonstrated that there are potential recycling opportunities at all sites. Findings also showed the percentage split by waste stream correlated with the various brands. The waste streams identified at Wolseley UK sites include cardboard, paper, plastics, wood, metal, inert and general waste.
Recycling collections are already in place across a number of branches, and at both the Leamington Spa and Ripon offices, where paper and a number of other materials are recycled. A backhauling pilot project is being rolled out to recover plastics from over 100 branches to the distribution centres. Plastics have a high value, so recycling produces economic as well as environmental benefits. This project will provide cost savings for specific sites and the company as a whole.
Greenstar's on-line management system provides a mechanism to trace and calculate recycling and waste collections for all the Greenstar serviced sites. Greenstar is looking to extend its coverage to cover all Wolseley UK's sites.
Further benefits will become apparent as a result of the next phase of audits and as recycling increases across the distribution and branch networks.
Greenstar is also working with Wolseley UK on a series of other waste related projects such as the WEEE directive, packaging waste reduction and business development. The purpose of these projects is not only to reduce Wolseley UK's environmental impact, but also to provide commercial benefits to other areas of the business which in turn will create added value for the customer.
Recycling waste in the Wolseley UK distribution network
Wolseley has set a target of reducing waste sent to landfill by 5% and increasing recycling by 5% across the distribution network year on year. Four distribution centres are now recycling cardboard and plastic, which is monitored on a monthly basis. Greenstar has conducted audits at Marston Gate, Worcester, Melmerby and the National Distribution Center at Leamington Spa.
Data has been compiled from various sources, including invoices, waste weights and site visit information. Audits highlight areas for improvement, and generate proposals for making these improvements, as well as identifying potential cost savings. Obtaining the best price for recycled material has a large impact on the overall cost of waste management. A major area where improvement has been achieved is the development of a more efficient collection service. The number, type and size of bins required at each location are now more accurately calculated, reducing the weight of material sent to landfill. Mixed load collections are now implemented where appropriate.
The distribution centre at Marston Gate, near Milton Keynes, improved its cardboard recycling from an average of 8.7 tonnes per month in 2005/6 to 15.5 tonnes per month in 2006/7. Plastic recycling also increased from 4.3 to 6.3 tonnes per month over the same period.
Wolseley Center
Leamington Spa
CV31 3HH
01926 705000