British Gypsum’s Robertsbridge Gypsum works in East Sussex has been shortlisted for a prestigious Business Commitment to the Environment Award. The BCE Environmental Leadership Awards recognise companies that demonstrate their commitment to environmental excellence, innovation and leadership.
British Gypsum’s Robertsbridge works is shortlisted for the ‘Management for Resource Efficiency Award’ for a project which has been cited by The Environment Agency as a ‘success story’ and which developed an innovative solution for dealing with leachate – a by-product of former landfill sites.
The two year project saw British Gypsum develop a way to use leachate in the manufacturing process - something which no other plasterboard manufacturer has been able to achieve. This required the installation of pipework, pumps and storage tanks to transfer leachate into the manufacturing process as well as the creation of a new product development process to technically evaluate products made using leachate.
As a result of the project, British Gypsum reduced off site waste disposal, lowered levels of hydrogen sulphide in ground and surface waters on site, reduced the manufacturing plant’s equivalent water consumption by 2,000 tonnes per annum and delivered cost savings of £118,000.
Allen Gorringe, head of environment, for British Gypsum said: “As a business we believe that effective management of environmental issues is an essential part of our ongoing success. Our objective is to operate in a way that maximises our contribution to sustainable development while protecting local communities and natural environments around our sites.
“The project completed at our Robertsbridge works is a superb example of our commitment to sustainability as well as product leadership and we are delighted that it has been recognised by the BCE and core supporter WRAP.”
The BCE Environmental Leadership Awards final will be held on Wednesday 15 June at the Lincoln Centre in London.
British Gypsum operates five major manufacturing plants in the UK. In April 2010, the company became the first UK plaster and plasterboard manufacturer to achieve zero waste to landfill.
