Waste Disposal to Landfill
Target:
To reduce waste disposal to landfill by 20% per £million
sales, against a 2001 baseline of 7.3 tonnes/£million sales,
by 2006.
Achievement:
45% reduction with 3.9 tonnes to landfill in 2003. A new waste
reduction target will be the subject of future discussion by
the Group EHS Committee.
We recognise the importance of waste disposal and the need to
reduce society’s dependence on landfilling as a disposal
option. After allowance is made for the companies sold during
the year, the total amount of waste generated by Smiths’ continuing
operations decreased by 10 per cent compared with 2002, to just
over 20,877 tonnes (23,280 tonnes in 2002, corrected for sold
companies). This reflects further improvements in data quality
and the positive impact of our waste minimisation initiatives.
The measurement and reporting of waste has been undertaken in
accordance with guidelines developed by the UK’s Department
of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). This involves
a mix of waste weights, provided by our waste contractors and
estimation based on volume and appropriate conversion factors.
We do not include construction/demolition waste in these figures,
nor waste arisings from the remediation of contaminated land.
Our reduction programme for waste to landfill has been particularly
successful. Our 20 per cent reduction target/£million sales
has been achieved three years ahead of schedule. Segregating
and recycling waste as well as incinerating waste for energy
recovery have been particularly effective and reductions in total
waste to landfill as high as 50 to 80 per cent have been achieved
at a number of sites.
Community programmes have also helped us to meet our waste reduction
targets. King Fifth Wheel (Aerospace) in Canada donates computer
equipment to local schools for re-use that would otherwise be
disposed of as waste. John Crane Ireland collects used printer
cartridges and mobile phones from its factory in Shannon to help
provide funds for the Temple Street Children’s Hospital
Recycling Appeal in Dublin.
Tri-Industries wins local environmental
award
Tri-Industries (Aerospace) based in Terre Haute,
Indiana, USA received a local Chamber of Commerce award for its
waste recycling and energy reduction programme. A group of environmental
managers from local companies nominated the business for the
award after touring the facility to find out more about Tri-Industries
ISO 14001 programme.
Fibre Fuel Reduces Waste to Landfill
John Crane (Specialty Engineering) in Slough
in the UK achieved an impressive 70% reduction in waste to landfill
by sending waste to Fibre Fuel Ltd located on the same industrial
estate. Waste cardboard, plastic and paper are processed into
fuel pellets and subsequently incinerated with energy recovery
by Slough Heat and Power Ltd, their neighbour. The power station
then supplies the industrial estate with power and heating.
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