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The future with green removals policy PDF Print E-mail
Written by Peter Burton, Managing Director, Burton & Smith Moving Ltd, 2007   
Peter Burton of Burton and Smith removals takes a look at the impact that environmental awareness has had on the removals industry and how to cope with the plethora of legislative controls that are now in place. How are removals companies responding to customer demands for environmentally-friendly services?

What new legislation is impacting on the removals industry?
 
More and more businesses are becoming aware of environmental issues and want to make the green choice in all aspects of their day-to-day operations, with the removals industry being no exception.
 
There is increasing scientific evidence that global warming has already begun, and at a more local level landfills are rapidly running out of space. With this in mind companies and organisations are beginning to accept they must take a more active role protecting the planet's long-term future and companies are increasingly called upon to deliver an environmentally-friendly solution when offering a removal service.
 
In the last few years there has been a surge in the amount of governmental legislation for companies designed to safeguard the future of the UK and the rest of the world. Combine this with the working public's greater awareness of carbon footprints, increased education and media exposure about reducing the environmental impact of both home and work life and it becomes clear that businesses must adapt.
 
Removal companies are part of this growing trend. More and more customers are calling on removal companies to have an environmental policy. It is a necessary requirement and all reputable firms are now following suit. Those who don't are offering an inferior service that could potentially expose the customer to heavy fines if waste is not disposed of properly.
 
It is a far cry from the days of a team of men with brown coats, flat caps and a van. Today removals companies are subjected to having to produce audit trails and certificates of disposal as well as adhering to a strict green policy in order to compete in the corporate marketplace.
 
Removal firms are now having to embrace their responsibility to the environment as well as introducing an IT infrastructure in house in order to provide the necessary information to confirm that all items have been disposed of or recycled in the proper manner.
 
To support these initiatives, it is vital that specialist attention is given to waste and recycling. Removal companies in the UK are establishing dedicated waste and recycling divisions and adopting far-reaching and extensive working practices in a bid to make companies as environmentally friendly as possible.
 
One of the major pieces of legislation that is affecting the industry is the introduction of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE), which governs the way electrical equipment is disposed of. This European Union directive was implemented in the UK in January 2007 and aims to minimise the impact of electrical and electronic goods on the environment by increasing reuse and recycling, and reducing the amount of electronic equipment going to landfill.
 
It seeks to achieve this by making firms responsible for financing the collection, treatment, and recovery of waste electrical equipment, and by obliging distributors to allow consumers to return their waste equipment free of charge.
 
The industry must take care of this for its customers by disposing of IT systems and other equipment such as photocopiers, printers, fax machines, lighting, medical devices and even children's toys on their behalf. This not only reduces the amount of goods going into landfill but also provides cheaper electronic equipment for charities and developing countries.
 
Additionally the fact that there is now a requirement under ISO9000 to recycle has further added to the demand for this type of service.
 
A dedicated division ensures that removal companies are able to meet these targets by not only protecting their customers' interests but also raising awareness of issues surrounding waste internally. It is important that an environmental policy operates both within the office as well as externally.

This can only be achieved through training in order to encourage staff to adopt environmentally-friendly practices in the office, such as turning off electronic equipment when it is not in use, using energy-efficient light bulbs and recycling waste.
 
However with the introduction of any new legislation come additional costs resulting from increased admin and processes that are required in order to ensure that all parties comply with the legislation. It is a cost that some may be tempted to avoid by employing a smaller or less reputable removals firm, but could be a saving that carries a hefty penalty later. In this instance cheapest is certainly not best.
 
Under rules set out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), businesses hiring a removals company to dispose of their furniture and electrical equipment could be held accountable if that company dispose of the items irresponsibly i.e. by fly-tipping.
 
Businesses have to take reasonable care when they seek the services of a company to ensure it is adhering to the law. In worse case scenarios businesses could be charged with assisting fly-tipping if goods are dumped in a field or back street by unscrupulous removal companies.
 
This means a manager who chooses the cheapest removal firm in an attempt to save cash could end up costing the company thousands of pounds in fines and legal fees. This is not only false economy but causes damage to the environment and misery for people affected by fly-tipping.
 
A dedicated division ensures that all forms of legislation are closely adhered to, offering the customer peace of mind. A Certificate of Destruction should also be given to ensure customers that their confidential waste has been disposed of in the correct manner. Additionally removal companies should also guarantee to dispose of waste in accordance with the requirements of Section 33 and 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991.
 
Whilst there is no specific legislation surrounding the disposal of unwanted furniture, it is no longer politically correct for organisations to simply hire a skip and dump filing cabinets, chairs and desks that are no longer required.
 
With this in mind, organisations can co-operate with charities and social enterprises such as Green-Works that recycle unwanted furniture and supplies. Companies can provide them with quality but redundant office furniture from their clients which not only diverts the waste from landfill but provides everything from desks and filing cabinets to conference tables and chairs, pedestals, coat-stands, notice boards and stationery at a very low cost to charities, schools, community groups and even start-up businesses across the UK.
 
At the same time Green-Works, for example, protects the environment, creates jobs and training and provides a green office solution. Because of the contribution of similar companies, Green-Works have recycled more than 20,000 tonnes of furniture and helped more than 5,000 organisations to save around £2.5 million on obtaining their furniture. For every desk that is passed on to non-profit organisations, around 110kg of waste is diverted from landfill.
 
The industry's environmental policy must not stop with the customer. Internally it should seek to minimise its use of paper, and cardboard boxes supplied to clients can be made from recycled materials.
 
Ideally, vehicle fleets are also under constant review to be upgraded on an ongoing basis to ensure that the vehicles have the latest generation of environmentally-friendly engines.
 
Over the past two or three years the removals industry has undergone huge changes. In order to keep pace it is important that efforts are concentrated in developing a business that is not only sympathetic to the environment but also adheres to all current legislation. This way customers can rest assured that their removal companies take commitment to the environment very seriously.
 
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