A joint initiative between Hills Waste Solutions and Honda of the UK Manufacturing Ltd (HUM) has won top honours at the 2010 Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) Awards for Environmental Excellence, which recognise and reward good practice in sustainable waste and resource management.
The two companies scooped the Sustainable Facilities Management Performance of the Year award against stiff competition.
Hills Waste Solutions and HUM achieved ‘zero waste to landfill’ at the 370 acre car manufacturing plant in Swindon 3 months before the December 2010 target date. The partnership initiative resulted in a recycling rate of more than 95% with only a small amount, less than 5%, sent for energy recovery. The results include:
· Reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill from 71kg/car to zero, diverting an average of nearly 4,000 tonnes per annum from landfill
· Improving waste separation and minimisation to reduce the amount of non-hazardous material handled through the onsite compactor by 75%
· Working with supplies to introduce returnable packaging for parts and consumable materials to the point where over 99%of local suppliers are now using returnable packaging as standard
Accepting the award, Mike Webster, group director – Waste Solutions, reflected on the work that Hills and HUM had undertaken over the past 10 years to achieve this milestone. “All the staff involved should be justifiably proud of themselves. The CIWM award is fantastic recognition of our joint success.”
Mike Godfrey, chief engineer – environment at HUM acknowledged the prestigious award as “both a reflection of the hard work to achieve the zero waste to landfill objective and the companies on-going campaign for environmental improvement.”
CIWM chief executive Steve Lee said, ““This partnership approach between Honda and Hills Waste Solutions demonstrates clearly the benefits that can accrue from setting clear goals on waste reduction and diversion from landfill. By using the EU Waste Hierarchy as the overriding framework, the initiative has focused on delivering the maximum environmental benefits and it sets an excellent example for others to follow.”
The award ceremony, held on 18 November, was hosted by journalist and news presenter Kate Silverton. Judges included Dr Liz Goodwin, chief executive of the Waste & Resources Action
