News
Waste Prevention Programme For England Unveiled
The government has launched a new waste prevention programme for England, setting out how action can be taken across key sectors such as textiles, construction, packaging, plastics, food and so on, to make strides towards a more resource-efficient economy, minimising waste.
The plans were revealed on Global Recycling Day, which took place on March 18th, including steps to make more efficient use of resources, as well as designing and manufacturing products for optimum life and repair, and reusing more items.
Where textiles are concerned, the fashion industry is estimated to make up four per cent of annual global carbon emissions, with textile production generating emissions equivalent to the emissions of France, Germany and the UK.
The sector has made progress, however, with the Sustainable Clothing Action Plan, which is a voluntary agreement coordinated by WRAP. Signatories include retailers like Next, ASOS and M&S, with those involved collectively reducing their water and carbon footprint per tonne of clothing by 19.5 per cent and 15.9 per cent respectively between 2012 and 2019.
And the government intends to drive action by those in the industry through Textiles 2030, a new voluntary agreement that will cover the next decade, aiming to reduce the textiles sector’s environmental footprint through science-based targets.
CEO of WRAP Marcus Gover said: “We will not achieve net zero without taking action on the way we produce, use and dispose of the products we rely on to live our lives.
“When we throw things away, we waste all the carbon, water, materials and labour that have gone into making them. Our new Textiles 2030 business collaboration commitment exemplifies the ambition of COP26 and will halve the impact of textiles sold in the UK by 2030.”
From a business perspective, there’s a lot that can be achieved where water is concerned and, given how much pressure is now being put on freshwater resources around the world, this is actually a brilliant place to begin if you are keen to start operating more sustainably as a company.
Get in touch with the team here at H2o Building Services to see how we can help you make your business more water efficient. We can carry out a water audit that will help to reveal any weak or vulnerable areas of your operations, allowing us to identify and implement the most appropriate water-saving solutions for you.
An audit involves comparing your water use, including volumes, with what you’re being charged for. This then reveals any discrepancies that could have resulted in you being overcharged. It’s possible to see a 30 per cent reduction in charges for water supply and wastewater disposal, as a result!