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Scottish Go-Ahead For GRP Waste Reprocessing Is A UK First
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The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency has granted the building products manufacturer, Hambleside Danelaw Ltd, permission to recycle at its Inverness factory glass reinforced polyester (GRP) returned to the Group from rooflights and other products that have reached the end of their use.
The monetary value to the Group of using the grinded waste in its manufacturing processes is significantly greater than the cost of disposing it, demonstrating again that there is sound commercial sense in businesses going green.
SEPA's go-ahead for Hambleside Danelaw's take-back scheme, which has been granted under the powers of the Environmental Protection Act, is the latest in a series of environmental initiatives which has seen the Group switch its electricity supply to renewable sources, including wind power from the Isle of Gigha.
The scheme allows Hambleside to take back end-of-life products for recycling in-house. The Group has recently installed machinery to process the waste from glass reinforced plastic, making the Dalcross facility the first commercial fibreglass recycling plant in the UK.
Hambleside Danelaw is now working on developing other quality products to make from the new high strength, high quality materials that can be produced from this recycling material. These products will be available on the market in the near future.
Slashing of landfill waste to almost zero impresses Lib Dem leader
The Group has also announced that it is on track to achieve by the end of 2007 a reduction in its total landfill waste from 904 tonnes in 2001 to approximately 3 tonnes – the latter being equivalent to the waste of the average British household. This achievement should be measured against the fact that Hambleside Danelaw is manufacturing circa 1.5 million square metres of roofing materials each year.
News of the impending landmark was passed to Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, Nicol Stephen MSP, when he visited the Dalcross facility recently to see for himself the various green initiatives that have led to the Group winning numerous environmental awards.
Ray Khan, Hambleside's Quality, Safety and Environment Manager, said: “SEPA's official go-ahead for our waste take-back scheme is further recognition that business in fast-growing Inverness is leading the way in Britain in terms of combining enterprise with social and environmental responsibility. And what's more, these green initiatives can lead to increased profitability.”
