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FEBRUARY 2019 21
FMJ.CO.UK
DRINKING WATER SUPPLIER’S VIEW
TRACEY BAMBER,
MD AT ZIP WATER (EUROPE & MIDDLE EAST)
Here at Zip
Water UK, we
understand the
importance of
cutting down our
consumption
of single-use
plastic, and
empowering
others to do
so. As the
devastating
environmental
impact of
plastic waste is
unravelled, it’s
vital we make lifestyle changes.
As the Royal Statistical Society’s statistic of the year for
2018 highlighted, only 9 per cent of all plastic ever made
has been recycled. This is a shockingly low percentage
and there is clearly a long way to go towards a more
sustainable future. However, more and more high-profile
organisations and companies are taking a stand in the
war against plastics, inspiring much of the public to make
changes in their own lives. The BBC - who pledged to rid
themselves of single-use plastic by 2020 – is one company
influencing many individuals to follow suit.
With plastic waste growing at an exponential rate and
the recycling rate lagging behind, making changes on
an even larger scale is crucial. This is where facilities
managers can make a big di erence, as they are in a
unique position to make substantial improvements to
a building’s sustainability. Having the ability to specify
sustainable alternatives for public institutions and
corporate o ices o ers the opportunity to promote an
environmentally conscious way of thinking to larger
groups of people.
A great place to start is with the consumption of bottled
water. Not only are 7.7 billion plastic water bottles being
consumed every year in the UK, but they cost around
500-1,000 times more than tap water - plus, 90 per cent
of bottled water brands have been found to contain
microplastic contamination. It’s also estimated that since
2013, NHS trusts in England have purchased around 600
million disposable cups. Not good for the environment,
our pockets or our health.
Finding innovative ways to cut down on single-use
plastic waste should be a top priority for facilities
managers in a variety of settings. By simply implementing
a series of small changes, a big di erence can be made.
For example, specifying an easily accessible, filtered
drinking water system will directly result in reduced
purchases of plastic bottled water. Additionally, with
the advanced filtration systems available on the market
today, tap water has never tasted better!
Not only does this cut down plastic waste output and
costs for a business, but it could also influence the human
dynamic. With more sustainable options available to
employees, visitors and students, this in turn could create
a more environmentally conscious collective. Promoting
other sustainable initiatives, such as introducing a
penalty fee for using disposable plastic bottles or running
a recycling drive, will be much easier to implement with
groups who are already more environmentally aware.
All of this comes with the added benefit for the building
of increasing the chances of securing sought a er
accreditations such as BREEAM and The WELL Standard.
With the damage to the environment at risk of
becoming irreversible, facilities managers are invaluable
to the global movement to cut out single-use plastics
for good. FM’s have the power to impact on not only a
building, but all those inside it, helping inspire change on
a larger scale.
CONTRACT CATERER’S VIEW
ALLISTER RICHARDS,
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF GATHER & GATHER
There has been
a global, mass
movement
behind the plastic
catastrophe
our planet is
facing. The most
obvious e ort
to make in the
catering sector
is to switch from
single-use plastic
to more reusable
and sustainable
alternatives;
Gather & Gather was the first UK contract caterer to
publicly announce the removal of plastic straws from its
276 catering sites. This move saves over 80,000 straws
from clogging up our landfills every year. However, as we
know, simply removing plastic straws is not enough to
make real impact and protect our oceans. We all need to
do more.
For any caterer, waste reduction should also consider
what we buy and not just what we sell. For example, for
one client, Gather & Gather audited 5,000 product lines
to better review how plastic coming in to the business
could be avoided. Consequently, we noticed that by
ordering three-gallon pergals of milk rather than two litre
plastic bottles, we could dramatically reduce the amount
of plastic being discarded. Gather & Gather also bake
onsite wherever possible to avoid buying single-wrapped
products. By being more mindful with procurement, we
are able to reduce the demand for single-use plastic and
therefore the production of it.
Single-use plastic is ingrained in our sector, and we have
implemented many more changes in a bid to challenge
FM CLINIC
Tracey Bamber
Let us help change your world.
T: +44 (0)1708 251900
E: info@fsifm.com
www.fsifm.com
Allister Richards
ADVICE & OPINION
link
/www.fsifm.com