RPS is extremely proud to announce that it received a Gold award in the latest Lets Recycle Zero Waste Awards. We are one of three companies that achieved the prominent award demonstrating our commitment to continually improving the way we handle waste. Our objective is to reduce our overall waste whilst at the same time increase our environmental awareness and responsibility.
The Judges
The awards were judged on Wed 12th June by John Holbrow from the Federation of Small Businesses, SarahJane Widdowson from consultancy Ricardo-AEA, Amy North, features editor at letsrecycle.com, and John Woodruff chairman of the National Association of Waste Disposal Officers.
The judging panel awarded RPS with the Gold accolade for its leading position in the recovery and reuse of packaging. RPS supplies transit packaging but what is unique to our service is our proactive recovery of the packaging for reuse. RPS focus on recovery for reuse to ensure all businesses we work with drive waste up the waste hierarchy and reuse their existing packaging assets where possible. Businesses that use several thousands of pallets and recover them for reuse not only push the packaging they handle up the waste hierarchy but also generate a substantial economic benefit as a recovered pallet is considerably cheaper than a new pallet.
How RPS does it
As our case studies suggest, the Zero Waste Awards judges were particularly impressed with RPSs engagement with the local community and with its customers. In 2012 RPS, working with one customer, managed to divert 1,940 tonnes of wood and 160 tonnes of plastic packaging waste from landfill.
In addition to helping our customers divert waste from landfill, RPS work hard at our Middlesbrough site to ensure all waste is responsibly segregated and recycled responsibly. All of our organic waste is composted using a wormery, with any excess organic waste being deposited in a HOTBIN which composts at heats of up to 60 degrees Celsius, rather than placing it in the general waste.
The majority of the waste handled by RPS is excessively damaged wooden pallets that are beyond the point of repair. Where possible every pallet will be repaired in order to be reused, however ones that cannot be refurbished are segregated and sent to two local firms for heat recovery.
‘Challenging waste streams targeted’
Commenting on the latest Zero Waste entries, Ms Widdowson said: “Resource efficiency is evidently at the heart of the organisations taking part, and they clearly understand that it makes good business sense as well as providing fantastic environmental improvements.
“It was particularly pleasing to read about organisations that are driving waste up the hierarchy: recycling activities were maximised and even challenging waste streams were targeted; reuse was championed and waste prevention activities prioritised. I believe there are best practice examples that we can all learn from and I look forward to the results being announced so that the organisations receive the recognition they deserve.”
The awards, which are sponsored by SAICA Natur and WasteCare, are judged quarterly and are open to all business and associations that demonstrate a commitment and innovation in reducing waste and recycling. There were a further 22 UK businesses that achieved either a Silver, Bronze or Highly Commended award including The University of York and WEEE handling company Innov8 Disposal who received Silver. Innov8 Disposal is a business local to RPS and who we work with closely to maintain zero electrical equipment waste to landfill. It is an extremely positive achievement for two north east based firms to be rewarded for their hard work and commitment to the environment by receiving these prestigious awards.
For more details about RPS please visit our website or get in touch on 01642 465556. For more details about the Zero Waste Awards please follow this link to the Lets Recycle website.
