2023 New Regulations around Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
From 1st January 2023 new legislation from the Environment Agency came into effect regarding the storage and disposal of waste upholstered domestic seating containing Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
From this date, upholstered furniture containing POPs cannot be safely disposed of in general waste or in landfill sites and should be treated as a separate waste stream. This means that these items must be safely disposed of through incineration.
POPs are poisonous chemical substances that remain intact in the environment for long periods and are harmful to the environment, wildlife and humans if they are not disposed of safely.
Investigative work carried out by The Environment Agency has identified quantities of POPs and other hazardous chemicals in the foam of upholstered seating.
Upholstered waste domestic seating examples, this includes any part made of or containing leather, synthetic leather, other fabric, or foam:
- Sofas
- Sofa beds
- Armchairs
- Kitchen and dining room chairs
- Stools and foot stools
- Home office chairs
- Futons
- Bean bags, floor and sofa cushions
The following items of domestic seating are unlikely to contain POPs:
- Items that are not upholstered, without cushions.
- Deckchairs
- Wastes from manufacturing new domestic seating (and the manufacturer can demonstrate do not to contain POPs)
- Mattresses, curtains, blinds and beds are not domestic seating and are not covered by this guidance.
POPs may also be found in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), this may include:
- Office equipment – non-household types such as photocopiers and printers
- Printed circuit boards
- Cables and granulated cable plastics
- Plastic cases from display devices (flat panel displays and cathode ray tubes)
For more details on WEEE that may contain POPs please visit the .gov website for further details.
Customers must inform us if they have any upholstered furniture containing POPs so we can arrange safe and legal collection. Please note we are no longer able to collect any of these items if they are left outside as part of your general or other waste.
For further information about the new regulations, visit .gov.
PANTHER PARTNERS WITH FOOTPRINT RECYCLING TO TAKE SUSTAINABILITY PLEDGE TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Leading two-person white glove delivery specialist Panther Group has joined forces with total waste management firm Footprint Recycling to help them reduce their carbon footprint, taking them a step closer to achieving their Net Zero pledge.
In recent years, as a part of its ESG pledge, Panther has vastly increased its commitment to improving its environmental impact by keeping its waste unpolluted and to a minimum by following best practices. They have increased recycling measures, conserved energy more efficiently, and used environmentally friendly technologies.
To take its commitment one step further, the business has even set a target to implement a zero-waste culture throughout every aspect of its operations.
Having provided a comprehensive range of sustainable waste and recycling solutions to a wide range of sectors since 2008, Footprint Recycling is passionate about helping businesses manage their waste, reduce their carbon footprints and achieve their sustainability goals.
Since partnering with recycling specialist Footprint, Panther has greatly improved their recycling and environmental credentials. To date this year alone, Panther has recycled more than 453 tonnes of cardboard, plastic, and expanded polystyrene, 226 tonnes of general waste, 144 tonnes of TVs, and over 50,000 old mattresses collected and recycled on behalf of its customers and 25,000 tonnes of metal from washing machine bodies also recycled. The company’s carbon footprint by installing energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the depots has also improved by 60%.
And ever mindful of the need to provide a ‘green’ ethical service, Panther provides a furniture recycling service and closely adheres to the WEEE Directive.
Panther can now boast that 80 percent of its waste is recycled – with an aim to increase that figure to 90 percent over the next 12 months.
As part of its long-term sustainable energy programme the company is collaborating with Ev3power and is considering solar, wind turbine, and hydrogen options to power its operations and are also considering electric and hydrogen options for its fleet.
In recent weeks Panther has conducted a number of electric vehicle trials and now boasts a forklift fleet that is 60 percent electric.
Guy Burgess, Logistics Director commented: “With combatting climate change currently at the forefront of the global agenda, we have chosen to partner with Footprint Recycling to further improve our environmental impact and make a positive difference to our ecosystem.
“As a business, we are already making huge strides in making long-term and sustainable changes by pushing sustainability in every aspect of the business. Ingraining environmental consciousness within the company’s culture and Footprint Recycling will be a fundamental driver in helping us to facilitate this.
“No longer is it acceptable for companies to provide a 'sustainability statement' as consumers are far savvier and more discerning about how they spend their money and what businesses they’re willing to support and trade with.
“More than that though it’s vital that as a growing business we respond to the current climate crisis and act accordingly. The government has set a pledge for the UK to achieve Net Zero status by 2050, and as a company that strives for sustainability, we want to join the fight against global warming by driving down our environmental impact over the coming years.”
Robyn Brook, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Footprint Recycling commented: “Our business is built on a foundation of helping our customers embrace the circular economy and improve their sustainability with a focus on achieving zero waste to landfill through recycling and reducing emissions.
“With pressure on businesses, like Panther, to do more to minimise their environmental impacts, our aim is not only to manage waste but to challenge the industry norms by developing processes bespoke to each client and introducing new ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.
“We’ve been working with Panther for several years, over which we have developed a fantastic relationship that allows us to continually strive and look at new ways to help them improve their environmental credentials and assist with their sustainability journey.”
The beginning of a new era for Footprint Recycling
It's the beginning of a new era for Footprint Waste Management as we launch our new brand identity, company positioning, and, soon, a new website.
Our new brand represents our continued commitment and investment in our company. We have seen significant growth over the past few years, a growing team and new major contract wins. We've also expanded our service offering, which now includes Carbon Neutral, complementing our existing offering of complete waste management and recycling.
As we develop and expand, everything we do still revolves around our experiences and customers. The new brand represents our simple company ethos of providing services to promote a circular economy - Waste Management - Recycling - Carbon Neutral.
Robyn Brook, Director, said: "Our business has gone from strength to strength but we couldn’t have done it without our fantastic customers and staff. I thank you all for believing in us and I thank our wonderful team who make every day possible. Clare and I are inspired (and regularly saved!) by you all.
"Our waste management vision is simple, to be the best and never give up. We started Footprint because we believed we could do better, be faster, more creative, find a better solution, make our clients more money, save them money, be useful, be supportive, be honest, think outside the box, add value to their business by understanding their business, offer the best waste solution and results for sustainability, find the ‘how can’.
"We review, we learn, we set targets, we train, we drive, we track, we deliver results then we review and re-set the goal posts.
"We want to grow our business and our network and we want to learn more. We have many customers who we’ve helped to reach 97%-98% recyclability with as much of that as possible going to re-use.
The new brand represents where we stand as a company today; it's a simple formula, but we feel it's the perfect fit for us, it unifies our services, and it was necessary to reflect and establish ourselves now and in the future."
If you'd like to chat to us about your current waste management, recycling, or reducing your carbon emissions, give us a call on 01484 660770 or drop us an email, and we will give you a call.
NEW business wins for Footprint Recycling
ABG Geo Synthetics is among three new clients to appoint Footprint Recycling to supply waste management and recycling solutions.
They join Lu’s Place, a new eatery nestled in the Holme Valley and Crossmann Glass. We’ve tailored our services for each client and will handle various waste streams, including installation of waste equipment, collections, and recycling, ultimately saving them time and money and improving their green credentials.
We will handle ABG Geo Synthetics cardboard and their varied mixed plastics including PE, PP, HDPE, Polyprop Fibre, Polyprop Rolls. These will be sorted, collected, shredded, washed, melted, pelletised and made into new products.
We will collect DMR and recycle the metal factory waste for Crossmanns. The metals will be melted and reused to make new products, the energy used to recycle the metal is also a lot less of that needed for the primary production, also saving greenhouse gases.
For Lu’s Place we will manage their general waste, cardboard, and glass.
If you’d like a fresh look at your waste management, recycling, or are looking at ways to reduce your carbon emissions, get in touch clare@footprint-recylcing.com.