Island Waste Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Biffa, has been awarded European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) certification for its waste management work on the Isle of Wight.
Island Waste Services has a contract with the local authority for the collection, recycling and disposal of all the waste from the 61,000 households on the Isle of Wight. Island Waste Services has managed the UK’s first fully integrated municipal waste contract on the Isle of Wight since 1997. And Biffa’s unique approach to waste management, which sees all waste dealt with on the Island, has enabled the company to maintain an overall recovery rate of over 40%.
EMAS was introduced in 1995 to recognise and reward organisations that demonstrate a commitment to continuous environmental improvement. The scheme requires that participating organisations regularly produce
a public environmental statement that reports on their environmental performance. EMAS is backed by government and the environmental regulators – organisations who participate are recognised as making strong commitments to the environment and to improving their economic competitiveness.
Bruce Gilmore, general manager of Island Waste Services, said: “In order to achieve EMAS certification the company’s environmental management system and environmental statement has undergone a rigorous audit to ensure that the improvement of key environmental issues relevant to each of our operations is maintained.”
Martin Baxter, operations manager with the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment, the UK competent body for the EMAS scheme, explained how environmental management has become a core business issue for many companies. “Minimising the amount of waste that is produced, reducing energy consumption and making more efficient use of resources can all lead to financial cost savings, in addition to helping to protect and enhance the environment.”
This is Biffa’s second EMAS certification, the first was awarded to its landfill facility near Redhill in Surrey – the first landfill site in Europe to be registered under the scheme.
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