Fuel and Waste

Every manufacturing process requires energy of some form.  When our factory was built it was powered by an Arkwright water wheel, but this has, of course, been surpassed by more modern technology.  We also require fuel for our delivery vehicles.

The Situation Today

We use off-cuts and shavings to heat the factory.  This not only reduces the amount of waste that we must dispose of, it also provides us with an eco-friendly source of heat since any carbon dioxide is released from the “Current Carbon Cycle” rather than from the burning of fossil fuels.  Similarly we source our electricity from renewable sources, cutting the annual pollution effect of our power requirements from 400 tonnes of CO2 to zero.

For two years we ran our fleet of delivery vehicles on “E-diesel” (80% recycled cooking oil, 20% DERV), cutting the environmental impact of our transport by 80%.  Sadly, at the end of 2005 we had to revert back to conventional diesel, but we hope to go back to bio fuels soon.

We have an ongoing program to find environmentally friendly alternatives for all cleaning, lubrication, packing and communication materials we use and we separate our waste into renewable, recyclable, compostable and burnable materials and, as a last resort, waste destined for landfill.

Ongoing Projects

Some of our outlying buildings are served by oil heaters and we have a program to replace these with wood burners.  In addition, we are part of a scheme to turn the whole village of Chipping into a wood-energy heated area.  We are also assessing the possibility of hydro, wind and solar generated electricity applications on site.

Our Aims

    •    No reliance of fossil fuel-based forms of heating

    •    Self sufficiency in renewable electricity requirements

    •    Totally carbon neutral logistics

    •    All material used in our products and processes to be organically bases, sustainable, compostable or renewable, and sourced as locally as possible

    •    Zero contribution to landfill