Win-win for British Gypsum's waste reduction strategy
1 min read
A local farmer is reaping the rewards of a land restoration project that has seen British Gypsum's Kirkby Thore manufacturing site close its gypsum waste landfill and restore the site back to grazing. The restoration follows the introduction of a waste reduction programme that led to all gypsum waste being recycled, enabling the company to achieve its target of zero production waste to landfill.
Working in partnership with the Environment Agency, British Gypsum – which is owned by the French industrial conglomerate Saint Gobain – restored the land for grazing and introduced planting around the boundaries, which includes a wildflower meadow and native hedgerow species that will encourage wildlife to return to the area.
As part of the restoration process, annual aftercare meetings will be held with Cumbria County Council and Natural England for five years. These will ensure the site is being managed responsibly and all the conditions of planning consent are being met.
Alison Stewart, environmental coordinator for British Gypsum's Kirkby Thore site, commented: "Restoring the landfill after achieving zero production waste two years earlier than anticipated is a reflection of British Gypsum's commitment to the regions it operates within."
British Gypsum achieved the target of zero production waste to landfill across all its UK operations in April 2010, making it the first plaster and plasterboard manufacturer in the UK to achieve this.
