DIY firms cut waste to landfill by 83%

Ministers have praised a group of DIY retailers and paint companies for reducing the amount of waste they send to landfill by more than 80% in five years

Defra minister David Heath has been joined by his counterparts in the Scottish and Welsh administrations in congratulating the signatories of Wrap’s Home Improvement Sector Commitment for cutting waste to landfill far beyond their agreed targets.

In 2009, firms including Argos, B&Q, Crown Paints, Homebase and Wickes, agreed to cut operational waste to landfill by 50% on 2007 levels and to reduce packaging waste by 15% by the end of 2012.

At the close of the scheme Wrap figures confirm that the signatories had actually reduced waste to landfill by 83% and packaging waste by 25%.

“It’s fantastic to see DIY businesses working together to cut waste and unnecessary packaging and exceeding the challenging targets set in this agreement,” said Heath. “Cutting waste is not only good for the environment, but can help businesses save money and boost economic growth.”

Under the commitment, B&Q, for example, introduced reusable packaging for delivering kitchen worktops and components to customers which cut its costs by £1 million through reducing the amount of packaging it used and preventing damage to products in transit.

The retailer has also reduced the amount of cardboard it uses through better packaging designs for bathroom accessories and kitchen taps, and committed to ensure all of its packaging is recyclable.

At the same time, AkzoNobel Decorative Paints, whose brands include Dulux, has changed its paint pots to ensure that now up to 25% of the plastic can be reused, and has trialled an “eco-pack” for its paint which has 70% less packaging than a standard 2.5 litre paint can. The firm has also redistributed more than 650,000 litres of unwanted paint collected through a take-back service over the past three years, preventing it from being landfilled or incinerated.

Scottish environment secretary Richard Lochhead commended the DIY firms for their efforts. “As these companies have demonstrated, finding ways to use resources more efficiently makes economic sense as well as delivering environmental benefits.”

Meanwhile, Alun Davies, Welsh natural resources minister, said: “I am very impressed by these results. It is vitally important that we continue to reduce the amount of waste we produce. I encourage Welsh retailers and manufacturers to learn from this initiative.”