FOCUS WASTE MANAGEMENT
Every year, we throw out 1.6 million tonnes
of bulky waste in the UK, and about 19 per
cent of this falls into the textile category – largely
comprising sofas and mattresses, with most items
being sent to landfill. Despite the landfill tax having
pushed up the cost of putting rubbish in the ground
in the last 10 years, sending textile waste to landfill
remains the cheapest and most straightforward
disposal option.
The UK is overly dependent on landfill, which has a
potentially worrying impact on the environment. Bans
have already been imposed in many EU countries,
with governments and policymakers realising that
alternative, more environmentally friendly solutions
are required if countries are to move towards a circular
economy model and meet their carbon footprint
reduction obligations.
The circular economy is created when materials are
manufactured, used by the consumer, recycled and
reused as a new product, thereby starting the cycle
again. It’s a by far better alternative to the traditional
linear economy which results in materials ending up
as waste and going to landfill, damaging the land on
which we live.
One such initiative that has been implemented
in countries such as France and Japan is extended
producer responsibility (EPR), which requires that
all businesses who manufacture, import or sell
products are held accountable for dealing with the
waste they generate. In Japan, in particular, they
have implemented an EPR law for a range
of industries, demanding that some
manufacturers use recycled materials
in new products. EPR schemes seem
to be working in some UK industries,
with packaging, electronic goods,
batteries and cars all now subject to
EU requirements.
We would argue that one
particular policy that needs to
be introduced is a recycling levy
40 JUNE 2019
placed on all non-biodegradable products, to pay for
the responsible recycling of goods at the end of their
useful life. However, despite various announcements
such as the government’s 25-year environment plan,
the resources and waste strategy and proposals for an
environment bill, everything so far seems to be little
more than putting a sticking plaster on what is a much
larger, long-term issue.
Hopefully, we may soon see the UK government
implement a policy for mattress recycling, placing a
legislative requirement on all those responsible for
mattress disposal to dispose of end-of-life mattresses
in an environmentally acceptable way.
Action needs to be swiŠ , as we estimate the UK’s
landfill sites could burst their banks in as little as four
years if nothing is done to stem the current amount of
waste being sent to these sites.
BARRIERS TO SUSTAINABLE DISPOSAL
Why are schemes for the recycling of bulky items
taking so long to evolve and gain acceptance? Cost is
an important factor, as there is no doubt that landfill
remains the cheaper option. Other barriers include the
lack of outlets and services that could help FM teams
dispose of such items in an environmentally friendly
way, such as sending them for recycling.
We definitely need to change our attitudes towards
recycling in this country – and it starts at the top. A
study by FM service, Direct365, revealed that more than
one in four employees want the companies they work
for to step up for the environment.
If employees see management actively encouraging
recycling, the endorsement will help to promote
change in the company culture. Shockingly, 90 per
cent of businesses in the UK still don’t have a recycling
policy. But by educating both sta˜ and stakeholders on
what is actually recyclable and how waste a˜ ects the
environment, we can create workable recycling policies.
Many businesses now include corporate social
responsibility (CSR) and triple bottom line (TBL) as a key
part of their business models. The importance of CSR
in business has been gaining momentum over the past
decade. TBL accounting incorporates profit, people and
the planet, also referred to as the three Ps, as opposed
to a traditional single bottom line: profit. In other words,
a business can choose to consider the social and
environmental impact of its activities in the pursuit of
profit and improve its corporate image in the process.
High-profile organisations and brands are
increasingly implementing sustainability plans
to improve their reputation and help them meet
government targets. Marks and Spencer, for example,
launched a sustainability strategy called Plan A in
2007 at a predicted cost of £40 million. AŠ er 10 years
of reducing packaging materials, cutting food waste,
installing energy-e˜ icient LED lights in stores and
warehouses, and monitoring real-time energy and
water use, the company reported a £176 million
business profit before tax in 2016-17.
Cosmetics company Estée Lauder is another example
of a business demonstrating strong commitment
to good environmental practices. Since 2003 its 23
manufacturing and distribution facilities have sent zero
waste to landfill. Any waste that cannot be recycled
gets converted into energy.
For more senior managers, a way to establish
workable recycling policies is by building new
partnerships and/or expanding existing ones. By
collaborating with other organisations, recycling pacts
can be formed and infrastructure shared.
Since Unilever went zero-waste with its nonhazardous
waste in at least 240 factories and 400
sites, it has saved £174 million and created many
new jobs in the process. It has since partnered with
telecommunications company 2degrees to share its
zero-waste model with other corporations. Unilever
even went so far as to create a new technology to
address recyclable packaging concerns.
FMs need to keep abreast of new developments and
position themselves to be ready to respond to any new
legislation that comes into force. Their role makes them
ideally placed to be part of the conversation, proposing
and implementing strategies and policies that help
both the environment and the business. Part of this
should be a review of procurement practices, ensuring,
for example, that purchased furniture contains a
proportion of recycled content and includes recyclable
components to help with later disposal and reuse.
PLANET BEFORE PROFIT
Nick Oettinger, Managing
Director of The Furniture
Recycling Group, looks at the
need for eff ective policies
to recycle bulky waste and
promote a circular economy