The British Woodworking Federation (BWF) has teamed up with government-accredited environmental consultants in response to growing member demand for advice on how to cut waste.
The federation’s initiative with WSP Environmental, which operates under the government-funded Envirowise programme, stems from a BWF self-assessment exercise which revealed that around half of members did not have an environmental or waste management policy.
In partnership with the BWF, WSP is working with volunteer members in Yorkshire to examine issues covering materials and resource management.
Waste minimisation clubs have been formed with funding from the Rural Development Agency and Yorkshire Forward to help participating companies exchange information and experience.
The BWF plans to build on the lessons learned and is preparing a written environmental guide to help crack down on waste, which Envirowise suggests represents 5-10% of companies’ turnover in the joinery sector.
In a bid to educate members, WSP’s senior consultant Charlotte Whitmore has run workshops and given briefings at BWF regional meetings on how to operate successful environmental and waste management policies. The sessions have focused on wood, paint and energy.
BWF director Richard Lambert said: “Better environmental performance is becoming a business essential. It is about maximising the use of materials and minimising what is thrown away because it’s money that is being lost.”
