Hurst Plastics has invested in an ambitious environmental policy which pledges to minimise waste and help the company achieve its goal of ‘zero landfill’ by the end of 2015. Hurst’s strategy aims to divert more than 350 tonnes of waste material a year from landfill and successfully recycle it into useful new products.

The Kingston-upon-Hull based company has introduced a number of green initiatives to help it significantly reduce material usage and recycle waste.

Hurst has teamed up with fellow Hull-based waste management and recycling firm Taylors Environmental and installed three large baling machines in its 50,000 square foot factory. The machines compact three tonnes of card and half a tonne of plastic packaging a month for recycling.

Hurst has also joined forces with Halifax-based plastic recycling company Retech and now recycles 24 tonnes of MDF, polystyrene and plastic panel off-cuts and three tonnes of PVC-u off-cuts a month. The ‘closed loop’ recycled material is then supplied back to the PVC industry. The company now also uses any suitable waste polystyrene for packing its composite and panel doors before dispatch.

Hurst’s environmental policy has been expanded further to minimise consumption wherever possible. The company has recently invested in fleXipod – a cutting edge electronic proof of delivery and fulfilment system. Each vehicle in Hurst’s fleet of delivery vehicles is now equipped with fleXipod, which generates live ‘paperless’ information for both the customer and Hurst to ensure smooth, scheduled deliveries and enhanced service. Its introduction has halved the company’s paper usage and streamlined deliveries so vehicles use less fuel.

Darren Glew, Operations Director at Hurst, said: “Sustainability is really important to Hurst Plastics and we are very committed to minimising our carbon footprint by reducing, re-using and recycling whenever we can. We are recycling around 30 tonnes of waste a month and are reducing our paper and fuel usage wherever possible. We also partner with local companies where possible to reduce fuel consumption even further. Our environmental policy is on-going and we are well on course to achieve our target to send nothing to landfill by the end of next year.”