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Waste Minimisation
Jewson has signed up to the Strategy for Sustainable Construction 2008, a joint industry and government initiative that sets out specific commitments and targets to drive the sustainable construction agenda forward.
We have committed to halve waste to landfill compared with 2008 levels by 2012 and have a number of initiatives in place to achieve it. We believe this is a realistic target while we continue with our long-term objective of zero waste to landfill.
Managing Waste
Integral to this goal is the national waste management programme we have been successfully running in conjunction with Biffa since 2004.
The programme is based on branch audits that allow us to identify specific waste streams and determine the kind of waste that can be segregated for recycling. Each branch is reassessed every six months to ensure we continue to meet out targets.
As an extension to the programme, Jewson and Biffa are also developing site waste management solutions for housebuilders.
Green Procurement Group
The Green Procurement Group was formed in 2007 with the aim of delivering greater transparency and opening dialogue between companies throughout the supply chain, from manufacturers to contractors, to work together to achieve carbon, energy and waste reduction targets.
The third meeting, hosted by Jewson's Sustainability and Quality Director Steve Millward in June 2009, concluded with a firm commitment from its members to meet the Government-led Strategic Forum for Construction's waste reduction targets by 2012. In particular the group focussed on how they could achieve a 20% reduction in product packaging within the Saint-Gobain Building Distribution supply chain.
As Steve Millward, Jewson's Sustainability and Quality Director and the Group's architect, comments: "The third meeting is a huge step forward and the commitment from its members, all of whom are leading industry figures, is extremely encouraging. We operate within one of the most waste-heavy industries and the agreed packaging reduction targets will produce considerable environmental advantages that will transform the way in which we all do business."
Simon Wright, Sustainability Director at Mansell and a GPG member, adds: "The Green Procurement Group's objectives are truly sustainable in that it seeks to meet environmental, economical and social goals; something that typical sustainability initiatives do not always achieve. From a contractor's perspective, the Group provides a voice across a huge cross section of the supply chain and highlights what can be done when organisations work together. The Group's results will undoubtedly be greater than the sum of its parts."
Plasterboard
From April 2009 you should be aware of important legislation from the Environment Agency regarding the disposal of plasterboard and other products containing gypsum. Click here for a simple guide.
Case Study - Carillion
Case Study - Jewson pallet initiative
Sometimes, approaching an old problem from a new direction can deliver dramatic rewards. The Jewson pallet initiative is a groundbreaking scheme that harnesses the synergies between group companies to deliver both environmental benefits and cost savings, as well as solving an age old problem in the construction industry - pallet management.
The service, which initially ran throughout the Jewson branch network, was rolled out in December 2008 and is already generating huge amounts of positive change within the industry.
Under the initiative Jewson ensures that pallets from its 500 branches, and from the construction sites it delivers to, are 'backhauled' on empty lorry space after delivery. These pallets are taken to one of three Jewson Timber Distribution Centres: Grangemouth, Newport and Hull. From there, the pallets are refurbished and reintegrated into the supply chain using European Logistics Management, who redistributes them to companies in need of pallets. The initiative reduces the requirement for new pallets, reduces the waste-to-landfill ratio, and has the potential to cut lorry miles by an estimated 135,000 per year.
Rod Leigh, Saint-Gobain Quality Manager and the scheme's creator, says: "The benefits of implementing a system like this work on so many levels. There are the environmental benefits brought about by reusing existing materials, negating the need to produce more of the same; the lorry miles are significantly reduced through the collection of pallets on return journeys; and less material is sent to landfill. From an internal perspective Jewson branches are cleaner and tidier and health and safety risks are reduced. The scheme is a product of everyone working together to generate tangible results."
Simon Wright, Supply Chain and Sustainability Director at Mansell, is supporting the initiative and comments: "The sustainability objectives of the scheme combined with its ability to support our Site Waste Management Plans mean that it's becoming a key component of our overall waste strategy. We're pleased to be part of the initiative and can see that it is creating a really positive change within the industry."
