VC Cooke Ltd

By 2013 landfill disposal tax will be £72 per tonne, leading to an anticipated cost of disposal in excess of £120 per tonne.

This is likely to result in the charge for disposal of an 1100 litre wheelie bin exceeding £20-00, so reduction of landfilll waste at source is vital to minimising costs.

A Greener Outlook...

At VC Cooke we are dedicated to ensuring that recyclable waste is actually recycled and not landfilled. Part of our strategy is to promote recycling bins for plastic, paper and other recyclable materials in the office and workplace for use in conjunction with our 1 bin "U-Save" trade waste collection service.

Recyclable materials can be bagged separately or left loose in the bin for ease of identification. This system enables all recyclables to be sorted prior to being sent to UK recycling companies for processing, providing a benefit for both the customer and the environment.

Our materials reclamation facility (MRF) holds recycling areas for:

• Washed plastics
• Mixed glass
• All paper
• Mixed cardboard
• All cans/metals

Where possible we recycle any material received.

These materials are collected by UK recycling companies and recycled into other products. . As recyclable waste currently represents a high percentage of disposed waste, this dramatically reduces the amount of waste going to landfill.

Rethinking Waste

The 3Rs are categories at the top of our disposal options. They include a variety of initiatives for disposing of discards. Generally, options lowest on the list are least desirable.

Reduce - to buy less and use less. Incorporates common sense ideas like turning off the lights, rain barrels, and taking shorter showers, but also plays a part in Composting/Grasscycling (transportation energy is reduced), low-flow toilets, and programmable thermostats. Includes the terms Re-think, Precycle, Carpool, Efficient, and Environmental Footprint/Foodprint.

Reuse - elements of the discarded item are used again. Initiatives include Hand-Me-Downs, Garage Sales, Quilting, and Composting (nutrients). Includes the terms Repair, Regift, and Upcycle.

Recycle - discards are separated into materials that may be incorporated into new products. This is different from Reuse in that energy is used to change the physical properties of the material. Initiatives include Composting, Beverage Container Deposits and buying products with a high content of post-consumer material.

Create - capturing useful material for waste to energy programs. Includes Methane Collection, Gasification and Digestion, and the term Recover. Incineration, or high temperature destruction of material, differs from Gasification in that oxygen is used; and differs from burning in that high temperatures consume material efficiently and emissions are controlled.

Dispose - to discard into the natural environment, or to "trash" the planet. Includes Litter, Burn Barrels, Unnecessary Vehicle Idling, and Dumping discards onto land or into water.

Office Recycling Solutions

Choosing The Best Office Recycling System

If you wish to maximise your recycling, it is important that you choose the office recycling system that best suits your needs. V C Cooke now offers a useful and free of charge service to help. Why not invite one of our experienced consultants to visit your business and discuss your own particular requirements?

Getting Started

• Waste audit to focus on the efficiency of current disposal system and review opportunities for cost reduction.
• Installation of an effective office recycling system to improve separation
• Staff education in the form of signage and light hearted roadshows to promote the recycling ethos
• Bespoke management information to enable target setting and budget planning