Our Corporate Environment Policy, which has been agreed with our key external environmental stakeholders, reflects the company view that our business is dependent on environmentally sustainable operations. We consider our waste management practices to be a key element to our environmental responsibilities, hence within our Policy we have a commitment to;

‘Seek to use materials efficiently, and promote the application of the waste hierarchy.’

Our ultimate aim is to REDUCE at source and therefore limit the amount of waste sent for disposal. As next steps in our waste hierarchy we then aim to REUSE and RECYCLE our materials.

Yorkshire Water

The recycling scheme which we have set up at our Yorkshire Water head office in Bradford is a process which enables us to reduce our waste disposal and haulage costs through minimising waste going to landfill sites and its associated environmental impact.  Our waste disposal provider estimates that we have achieved a cost avoidance sum of 30% by segregating our waste ourselves rather than by the waste disposal provider. 

Further to our strategy we recycle all cardboard and, where possible, cans, plastic and glass. Computer consumables are returned for reuse and the funds collected from this are donated to a local charity. Furniture is donated to local community organisations, or to our contract partners who will in return donate a monetary contribution to Water Aid. Finally, for all wastes which we are unable to reuse or recycle we have an on-site waste compactor which reduces the volume of our waste going to landfill.

Loop

A similar scheme is being implemented at the Bangor offices of our customer relations company, Loop. Using the REDUCE, REUSE and RECYCLE principle, it appears that we have succeeded in reducing the amount of paper bought into the company by almost 35% from 2002 to 2004. Paper is then taken by a local charity for recycling, thus our management practices support our local communities too.

In addition to paper recycling, Loop is also successful in encouraging colleagues to recycle toner cartridges, plastic, cans and glass.

Other Companies

Kelda Groups’ approach to recycling aims to result in the implementation of a step change in the waste management culture of the company, embedding the message ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ into day to day tasks. By reducing the amount of waste going to landfill sites, we are successfully reducing our environmental impact, and our other initiatives have benefited charitable organisations and supported local communities.