Boden Group launches an ambitious campaign to Avoid, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle plastics

29th July 2021

Every industry needs to be aware of its environmental impact and have an ethical obligation to manage waste and materials responsibly.  Particularly, plastics, which are easy to produce, durable and cost-effective, find their way into supply chains through cheap products and packaging.  Despite the many benefits, plastic pollution is an increasing global problem.   

Minimising plastic waste is a key objective for Boden Group and, as part of #PlasticFreeJuly2021, it has launched an ambitious campaign to reduce plastic use.  

Boden Group continually evaluates the environmental impact of products, packaging and services used in its facilities management operations in the South West and has begun re-organising business processes to reduce, reuse and recycle. 

Refuse 

The most effective way to reduce plastic pollution is to refuse. By refusing straws, bottles, shopping bags and packaging, the amount of plastic that has to be recycled is reduced. Encouraging Boden Group team members to bring forward suggestions for Plastic Free July has lead to 15.6kg of plastic waste being refused just from switching to glass milk bottles. 

Reducing

By working with its supply chain and carefully assessing and selecting the products and partners it uses, alternative solutions are being evaluated and utilised to reduce impact.  Suppliers are sourced locally to the business, supporting local communities and decreasing the business environmental footprint. 
Every Boden team member has been offered a branded, recycled, reusable water bottle in a dual effort to reduce plastic bottles and increase wellbeing. Only 9% of all plastic ever gets recycled, and typical plastic bottles take 400 years to degrade. If each Boden eco bottle is used only three times a week, it saves 15,600 plastic bottles from entering landfills every year! 

The company plans to invest in new Zip Water HydroChill, Touch Free, mains fed drinking water dispensers for those water stations that use plastic bottles.  
For over 70 years, Zip has been developing world-leading, high-performing drinking water systems that positively impact health and wellbeing. The planet, drinking water solution that is energy efficient and eliminates the need to buy single-use plastic bottled water. 

Chris Burton, Boden Group Commercial Manager, remarked, "It's important we reduce our impact beyond the supply chain and encourage the sectors we work with to adopt good practice." 

Reusing 

John Murray, Boden Group Fleet Manager, wanted to stop reusable waste from going to landfills with a scheme that aims to repurpose waste from projects. 
Obsolete stock, leftover fittings, replaced sockets, surplus light fittings, failed pumps, and tools are commonplace in the FM industry.  Rather than recycling, surplus materials are intercepted and diverted from recycling and landfill to auction, creating a revenue stream for the business and extending the product life cycle. 

Recycle 

Smaller areas of impact have also come under scrutiny.  Revamping recycling stations with better signage and up-to-date information Boden Group aims to develop the organisation's avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle culture.  All office bins have been removed, encouraging employees to use the stations to support appropriate waste recycling.