Whilst attending the recent Recycling and Waste Management exhibition, I had the opportunity to catch-up with other fellow professionals in the waste management sector.
One opportunity was to hear the work of my friend, Martyn Cheesbrough as the Director: Pathway To Zero Waste (PTZW).
The Pathway To Zero Waste project is a partnership between a number of organisations in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex to develop complementary aspects of resource efficiency, waste minimisation, environmental performance and economic growth.
The aim of PTZW is to improve South East England’s economic and environmental performance and relieve pressure on its shrinking landfill capacity by:
- reducing the amount of surplus and waste material generated by construction activity
- increasing the amount that is reused, recycled or converted to energy instead of being sent to landfill.
Construction waste generation is a particular focus given that it accounts for around 40% of all material deposited in the region’s landfill sites. Much of this waste can be used as material, which can be reused, recycled or converted to energy, delivering considerable cost reductions, lowering carbon and other environmental impacts, and at the same time creating new revenue streams and helping to protect and create new jobs.
There is a great deal of interest in this project as at its heart is the concept that by driving the changes in mindset and behaviour will make a resource efficient ideal into a reality with PTZW is providing valuable social benefits as well as economic and environmental improvements.
Further information about the Pathway To Zero Waste project can be found at: http://www.seeda.org.uk/pathwaytozerowaste/index.asp