Two key issues motivate Plastek’s Environmental Policy: the desire to be a responsible, ethical manufacturer within the polymer industry and the fact that sound environmental management helps us to meet the partnership criteria of our customers. Indeed, a proactive approach to environmental issues can even bring efficiencies from which we and our customers can benefit.

Specific examples of our proactive approach to environmental issues include:

• We work pro-actively with customers to promote the use of Green Plastics.
• All waste is sorted and, where possible, recycled.
• We use Packaging Waste Management to meet the UK Packaging Regulations.
• We work to guidelines for the Climate Change Levy which compares energy consumption to production.
• We set targets for reduced energy usage and purchase carbon to offset any short fall.
• We have installed energy efficient ‘zoned’ lighting in all High Bay areas and have automated the control of lighting in all low-traffic areas.
• We control the temperature of the fans on our cooling towers and water systems automatically using inverter driven pumps with Closed Loop Automated Control.
• Our compressed air is produced with three compressors that are operated via a Closed Loop Energy Management Programmable Controller to avoid energy wastage.
• We run TPM and PPM Maintenance programmes to ensure our plant is running efficiently at all times.
• When purchasing new equipment, we review energy consumption as a key selection criteria.
• We have completed studies with the Carbon Trust, implementing several recommendations and have become one of the earliest industrial adopters of the Carbon Disclosure Project.