Throwing your business away?
The Environment Agency and Liverpool City Council have today launched a campaign to advise businesses across Merseyside on the economic and environmental benefits of reducing, recycling and reusing their waste. The campaign is part of the Year of the Environment programme.
Every year over 480,000 tonnes of waste are sent to landfill by businesses on Merseyside, costing over £48million. It is estimated that 100,000 tonnes is readily recyclable and a further 300,000 tonnes of this could by recycled if materials were separated at source. This would not only help to protect our environment but could also dramatically reduce the operating costs of a business.
The ‘Make Waste Your Business’ campaign will inform and educate business owners on ways they could better manage their waste, as well as ensuring that they understand the environmental legislation which they need to comply with. In addition to a programme of direct contact with businesses, information will be made available via the Liverpool City Council website and through business organisations operating in the Liverpool area.
With the economy and the environment continuing to dominate the news agenda, this campaign aims to provide practical advice to businesses to help them tackle the challenges presented by both of these issues. By showing good environmental awareness businesses can gain an advantage over their competitors, as the role of the business community as responsible, environmentally aware members of society is becoming increasingly important.
Nick Hopwood, Environment Manager for the Environment Agency said:
“In the current economic climate businesses are always looking for ways to remain competitive. By looking at how much waste they produce, and how this is disposed of, businesses could identify waste efficiencies.
“The ‘Make Waste Your Business’ project offers education and advice on commercial waste recycling and disposal for local businesses. By combining this with links to other sources of information, we hope to empower businesses to make informed choices about their waste management practices. I really hope that business organisations in Liverpool will take advantage of this opportunity in Year of the Environment. ”
Berni Turner, Executive Member for Liverpool City Council said:
“Waste is a pressing issue that all businesses need to address. During Year of the Environment Liverpool City Council is committed to helping businesses to manage their waste efficiently, by recycling as much as possible. Sustainable management of commercial waste is imperative in mitigating the effects of climate change. We are hopeful that this project will aid in reducing the amount of commercial waste sent to landfill and encourage businesses to become members of the recycling community”.
