the environmentalist gives a round up of environment management news from companies including Kingspan, Mars and Thomas Cook
The aluminium sector has established a new standard to improve the industry’s environmental, social and governance performance. It includes plans to reduce the industry’s greenhouse-gas emissions. The Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) performance standard addresses issues linked to the production and stewardship of aluminium, from extraction of bauxite to the recycling of pre- and post-consumer scrap. It was developed by Rexam, Constellium, Hydro, Novelis, Rio Tinto Alcan and 15 NGOs.
Installing an energy management system has halved energy consumption at the Worcestershire manufacturing plant of Harris Brushes, saving the company £133,00 over two years. The firm worked with Vickers Energy to install the system, which regulates the site’s 55 gas- and oil-fitted warm air heaters to ensure they operate at maximum efficiency. The overall cut in energy use between 2012 and the end of 2014 totals more than 2 million kWh.
A study commissioned by Kingspan Insulated Panels claims that improving lighting systems could save the UK business community around £3.7 billion a year. The average business lighting electricity cost would fall from £25,583 to just £3,837, it found. The study accompanied Kingspan’s launch of a system that combines in a single package rooflights, LED lighting with smart controls, and photovoltaic technology.
Mars is strengthening action on deforestation. It has launched three policies to tackle deforestation in its beef, soy, paper and pulp supply chains. Its pulp and paper policy sets two targets: all of its virgin pulp and paper-based packaging is to be traced to at least the country of origin by the end of 2016; and all such packaging to be purchased from certified, verified or recycled sources by the end of 2020.
Thomas Cook Group Airlines says it has reduced its carbon emissions by 385,000 tonnes since 2008. The firm also reports that it is on track to meet its 2020 target to improve the fuel efficiency of its fleet by 12%, having achieved a 5.6% uplift since 2009 by introducing of new lightweight seats and trolleys onboard its planes.
