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Sustainable Management of Waste Textiles

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:12:02 GMT

Turning Textile Waste into Opportunity in West Yorkshire

West Yorkshire has a long and proud textile heritage, but the sector is now facing a growing waste and carbon challenge. New analysis by Green Gain, undertaken for West Yorkshire Combined Authority, estimates that between 40,000 and 61,000 tonnes of textile waste are generated across the region every year, much of it from manufacturing off-cuts, rejected materials and household textiles. Despite this scale, only 10–16% is currently recycled , with the majority being landfilled, incinerated or exported. The research highlights how a largely linear “make–use–dispose” model, combined with fast fashion and limited domestic recycling capacity, is resulting in the loss of valuable materials that could otherwise support local jobs, innovation and net-zero ambitions.

Through engagement with more than 160 textile producers, recyclers and strategic partners, the project mapped real waste flows and identified both barriers and opportunities for change. Many businesses expressed a willingness to recycle more, but face challenges including high sorting and transport costs, lack of local reprocessing infrastructure, and limited demand for recycled fibres. At the same time, the study uncovered strong foundations to build on: an established network of specialist recyclers, growing interest in advanced sorting and recycling technologies, and successful examples of circular textiles systems in the UK and Europe. Workshops hosted at the Textile Centre of Excellence demonstrated a clear appetite for collaboration, with participants calling for better coordination, shared data and practical regional solutions.

The report sets out a clear roadmap for accelerating a circular textiles economy in West Yorkshire. Key recommendations include piloting local textile reuse and recycling hubs , launching a regional resource exchange platform to connect waste producers with reprocessors, and preparing businesses for forthcoming Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) reforms. Practical demonstration projects, such as turning waste textiles into products for local social housing, could quickly show what is possible. For Green Gain, this work reinforces a simple message: textile waste is not just an environmental problem, but a missed economic opportunity . With the right partnerships, infrastructure and policy support, West Yorkshire can once again lead the way—this time as a centre of circular, low-carbon textile innovation.

Please contact us should you wish to access a FREE copy of the report: info@greengain.co.uk

Get ahead of the curve with the Green Gain Accelerator

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 14:50:20 GMT

Net Zero interim management support

Do you have ambitions to make to make your business more sustainable but don’t know where to start or, simply, do not have the time?

If so, Green Gain can help! Our Green Gain Accelerator support package can help bring your Net Zero aspirations to life!

Through our Green Gain Accelerator service, we will embed one of our experienced and highly specialised advisors in your company to:

· Scope out your sustainability objectives

· Improve profit margins by introducing resource, waste, and energy efficiency measures

· Assess your renewable / low carbon energy requirements

· Plot out a pathway to Net Zero

· Develop new, income generating, sustainable business models.

The support can range from 1 day to 5 days per week, avoiding the need for recruitment fees and ongoing staffing costs. Our ‘Green Gain Accelerator’ service can be adapted to your own personal sustainability needs without the need for employing someone. If located in West Yorkshire, then you may be eligible for some grant support from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA).

Having one of our team embedded with your business, ensures that this change comes from within!

Green Gain helps launch reusable coffee cup scheme in Stirling

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 11:10:05 GMT

Last week, on the 5th April, Green Gain helped successfully launch a reusable cup scheme in the Scottish city of Stirling.

More than a dozen cafes in the city will offer customers the option of a reusable cup for takeaway drinks, in return for a £1 deposit. The deposit can be reclaimed at any café participating in the Ditching Disposables Stirling scheme. The initiative will last for six months, with other cafes able to sign up throughout that period.

The project, managed by Green Gain with support from Transition Stirling and funded through Zero Waste Scotland, is enabling Stirling cafes to choose to reuse in a bid to slash single-use waste and change attitudes towards throwaway items. A total of 14 businesses across the city will now offer customers a reusable cup for a £1 refundable deposit, which they can get back by returning it to any participating café. It’s part of the Ditching Disposables initiative from Zero Waste Scotland, an earlier trial of which saw six businesses in Edinburgh cut their use of single-use items by up to 99%. So far 14 cafes are taking part in the scheme in Stirling, including Darnley Coffee House, Kings Park Pavilion, Piece Out and Village Café at The Peak Leisure Centre.

Ditching single-use items is one of the most effective actions businesses can take to reduce their contribution to climate change. Around 80% of Scotland’s carbon footprint is down to the products we make, use, and throwaway – and single-use items are a completely avoidable contributor to that figure. There are also reputational benefits for businesses in switching to reusable alternatives, from responding to customer demand for more sustainable options to a reduction in branded single-use litter. What’s more, ditching disposable items can help businesses close the gap on their own net zero goals and save money by negating the need to re-order items that are thrown away after one use.

Cafes taking part in Ditching Disposables Stirling (accurate as of April 3)

1. Darnley Coffee House

2. Kings Park Pavilion

3. Luna CBD

4. Nooch Café

5. Piece Out

6. Stirling Coffee

7. Toasted Stirling (formerly Voseba)

8. The Burgh

9. The Pend

10. The Smith Café

11. The Station Coffee House (from May)

12. The Tolbooth

13. Unorthadox Roasters

14. Victoria’s Coffee Shop

15. Village Café – The Peak Leisure Centre

Further information on the project, including an interactive map of the participants, can be found here .

How to Cut Business Energy Costs This Winter

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 10:10:42 GMT

And reduce your carbon footprint at the same time

There’s no doubt we are in the middle of a perfect storm for small businesses: rocketing interest rates, sky high inflation and the very real prospect of a recession. Much of this has been driven by mind-blowing increases in energy prices. Many households are paying double what they were 12 months ago. And for many businesses it’s significantly more.

So, we thought we’d offer a few simple pointers that will help businesses plan effective ways to reduce energy bills, reduce costs and reduce their carbon emissions.

At home

No doubt we are all going to become ‘good housekeepers’ this winter. It’s in our interests. We’ve all read the top tips: switching off lights, fill the dishwasher, reduce the number of showers we have, turn off radiators in rooms we don’t use. I live in a big and badly insulated Victorian terraced house. I’ve done my best to insulate it and I’ve got a modern boiler with a SMART thermostat. I’m washing less clothes (much to my partner’s dismay) and washing on a 30-degree wash. However, the big elephant in the room is now rearing its trunk…how to keep warm!

I switched the timer on the heating as a trial this week and my daily energy cost trebled! I’ve stacked the house with logs as I’m loathed to hit the green button on the boiler again until I see perspiration on my breath. The kids are just going to have to wrap up warm. The point I’m making here is that, as householders, its in our best interests to become more resource efficient as it benefits our personal bottom line as well as those who ‘want to make a difference’. But for businesses, the same premise does not always apply…

At work

At Green Gain, we have performed resource efficiency audits on over 250 SMEs over the past 5 years, but nothing has prepared us for the alarming energy bill hikes we have witnessed recently. No doubt the Government’s intervention will help businesses. But for how long?

Can you as a business become a lot leaner in 6 months? Well, yes, you can.

Simply adopting the good housekeeping we have introduced at home can lead to significant annual savings, to the tune of 5% to 10%. But to do this you need to understand your baseload. An experiment after hours (on a Friday afternoon after your site closes), is to go around and switch off all electrical equipment (except servers and refrigerators, of course), which will reveal your baseload, considering the various operational functions that exist. This is the lowest amount of energy that will be used when your site is not operational. This will be above zero, as items such as servers will still be operating. This ‘Baseload’ should be fixed as the lowest common denominator that staff should achieve at lock up. Significant savings can be found by reducing and ensuring this baseload target is met every evening prior to lock up. If the baseload rises, then something has been left on. For example, a reduction of 200W in the baseload overnight would lead to a £150/yr saving. By looking at a weekly energy use graph on your web platform, anomalies in energy use can be picked up immediately due to faulty equipment or overuse. The unusual spike in electricity consumption should be highlighted and investigated.

Changing workforce behaviour

So how can you, as a business, influence behaviour change? Use the ‘Nudge’ effect – make it personal. Use the right language for the target audience. Unless you are addressing a technical audience, do not use technical language:

· Keep it simple and appropriate. Be aware of the language that you already use to communicate. Does it work? What gets noticed?

· Your first communications are very important. An attention-grabbing, thought-provoking message will interest people in energy-saving and lessen their initial resistance.

By having a visual display of live energy consumption, engagement with all the staff can be more readily achieved. It makes saving energy everybody’s responsibility, as they can see what they are using and know how much they could reduce this by.

Appoint a member of your staff to review the energy use and check bills regularly. Does someone check everything is switched off (except refrigerators and servers) when the premises are closed on a Friday evening?)

Lighting up the workplace

Once you have started to embark upon a behaviour change campaign, what else can you do? Well, first and foremost look at your lighting. Moving to LEDs will reduce electricity consumption by up to 90% when compared to traditional incandescent and halogen lighting. Further savings can be made by the installation of PIR motion / photo-sensors (which turn off some or all lights when there is sufficient daylight) and movement sensors (which turns the lights on in a zone only while people are in that zone) which would lead to further savings for the new lights. To avoid all lights being turned off suddenly when daylight levels increase, photo-sensors can be configured to turn off only some lights or to dim the lights in response to daylight levels, if the new lights are dimmable. A low-cost option is to consider installing sensors in low occupancy areas. Occupancy sensors detect the presence or absence of people and turn lights on and off accordingly. They may reduce lighting energy consumption by 35-45% and can go up to as high as 75%. They are small, inexpensive, low-power, easy to use and do not wear out. They can be purchased for as little as £10 per unit.

Motor management

For manufacturing companies, the use of motors represents the ‘beating heart’ of the company. Without them operations crumble. But many companies still rely on fixed speed drives for air extraction and air compressors. Make a wholesale move to the use of Variable Speed Drives (VSDs) The major benefit of using a VSD in compressor applications, for example, is that it automatically adjusts its motor speed to the air demand. Estimates vary, but in terms of energy savings, using a VSD compressor in comparison to a fixed speed, idling or load/unload compressor, could comfortably produce energy savings of 35-50%. The energy efficiency best practise programme estimates that electricity use, due to compressed air, for an average manufacturing plant, uses around 10% of total electricity consumption.

Heating empty space

And here comes that elephant again. Heating. So much energy is wasted by businesses through heating air that simply disappears through the roof and the back door. We regularly visit companies that have large 100kw floor and ceiling mounted gas-powered air heaters. In many cases, this heat disappears straight through a badly insulated roof or permanently open roller shutter. To help combat this wasteful practice insulate as best you can, install destratification fans to push hot air downwards and adjust timer and temperature settings. These devices can save between 20% and 50% on heating requirements. For staff wellbeing, health and safety regulations state that employers must ensure that the temperature in the workplace is ‘reasonable’ at all times. In accompanying codes of practice, it suggests that the temperature should be a minimum of 16°C unless the work involves a lot of physical activity where this can drop to 13°C. Heating costs rise by about 8% for each 1°C of overheating. It is also worth regularly checking settings. Many systems are set incorrectly because someone has made a short-term adjustment and then forgotten about it. And many heating systems are simply oversized for the workplace.

For dramatic changes that do require investment, look to install insulated and automated roller shutters, and, if your operatives are static and placed at workstations, then consider the adoption of electric radiant heating and possibly the installation of Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs). These work well with solar PV, if you are hoping to ‘wean’ yourself off the grid. If you generate large amounts of wood waste, consider the installation of waste wood heaters. Turn waste into energy.

Longer term investments

If you’re a freeholder, a long leaseholder of a building or a landlord, renewable energy options are usually a cost-effective investment over the mid to long term. They cut energy costs and emissions and can even generate income over the longer term. There has been a marked increased appetite for solar PV since the start of this energy crisis. Despite the absence of the Feed In Tariff (FIT), the cost of the panels have reduced as have the payback periods. Two years ago we were seeing average payback periods of 10 to 12 years. Now that payback has halved. The typical cost of small-scale installations (4-10 kWs) is approximately £1,500 per kw installed. For any energy you don’t use, you can benefit from the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) which launched on the 1st January 2020. The new scheme applies to businesses and homeowners who are installing new renewable energy systems allowing them to be compensated for any excess electricity exported back to the grid. Under the scheme, each energy supplier sets the price they are prepared to pay for excess electricity. This is set at approximately 5p/kWh.

Act today and plan for the future

These are just a few of the things you can do to make your business leaner and greener over the next few months.

· Translate your behaviour changes from your home to your business

· Assess your consumption spikes and base loads

· Understand where the ‘leakages’ lie

· Adopt low-cost resource efficiency improvements

· And develop a longer-term strategy for ‘weaning’ yourself off the grid through the adoption of renewable energy technologies.

It all makes good business sense and helps reduce our collective carbon impacts. We all have a part to play in this. And there really is no time like the present.

Celebrating 10 years of Green Gain!

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 14:12:04 GMT

JANUARY 2022 marks Green Gain's tenth anniversary and what a long way we’ve come in turning our mission into reality.

Co-Directors Ashley Robb and Steven Ogden set up environmental consultancy Green Gain with the vision of empowering public and private sector bodies to become more sustainable, inspiring and aiding businesses and organisations across the world to use resources in a more responsible and greener fashion.

Central to this, is making the transition from a linear to a circular economy, with the focus on sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible. This extends the life cycle of a product and reduces waste.

Today, Green Gain is made up of a team of professionals who are innovation-driven and committed to finding new ways of working and developing products which not only sound good but work on a practical day-to-day level. Going above and beyond our clients’ expectations and delivering our services loyally, confidentially and with exceptional professional integrity, has not only led to a high number of returning clients but an array of achievements over the years, including becoming proud finalists in the Circular Economy Award at the resource and waste management event, RWM 2018.

The last decade has seen us involved in a wide range of cutting-edge projects. These have included:

· Delivering a funded programme of resource efficiency support on behalf of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to SMEs in West and North Yorkshire. To date, more than 200 audits have been conducted, supporting businesses with low-cost efficiency savings plus linking them to up to £40,000 in capital grant funding.

· In partnership with Strategic Innovation Ltd we have supported the Omani Government’s Industrial Innovation Centre in Oman in helping their fisheries sector convert waste into added value products.

· Our ‘Green Gain Accelerator’ Programme which, through a staged approach, enables organisations to accelerate improvement to their environmental performance and generate profit. The ‘Green Gain Accelerator’ led to us developing an environmental strategy for Freshpak , the UK’s leading manufacturer of high-quality deli fillings for retail and industrial suppliers, which made its primary operations more sustainable in line with the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme(ESOS) and delivered cost savings of more than £300,000.

· Our business planning support for Revive not only secured more than £235,000 in funding from Zero Waste Scotland but attracted the attention of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Working to replace palm oil with used coffee grounds, Revive's circular solution reduces waste, cuts carbon emissions, and delivers a sustainable, local alternative. The funding allowed them to start to commercialise their process with Ms Sturgeon praising Revive for “embracing our circular economy and getting maximum value from resources.” She added that the funding would help “businesses re-use and repurpose products which will benefit communities by creating jobs and reducing emissions.”

· We have been working very closely with the Waste Resources and Action Programme (WRAP) to engage businesses on the UK Food Waste Reduction Roadmap which was developed in conjunction with IGD and which all of the UK’s largest retailers and many of the food producers and manufacturers, wholesalers and hospitality & food service companies have committed to and whose current members are include the likes of Costco, Coca-Cola, Aldi, ASDA and Waitrose. The ambition of the programme is to reduce the amount food wasted across the supply chain by 50% by 2030, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3.

With a loyal base of returning clients, we have successfully collaborated with a number of like-minded businesses and worked tirelessly with the likes of WRAP, Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) and WYCA to encourage businesses to rethink their current business models and embrace the circular economy. During the course of the next 10 years, we will continue doing much the same with a bigger ambition of engaging larger businesses and their supply chains.

With more than 50 years’ combined experience in the waste and resources management industry under our belt, our team at Green Gain is well placed to give you competitive edge in the green economy. Want to know more? Contact us here today.

Keep up to date by following us on Twitter here.

A new innovative solution for recycling 3D Printed Waste Plastic

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 08:59:56 GMT

3DPW is aiming to address the growing problem of 3D printed plastics. Help spread the word and support this UK fledgling business make a positive impact on the 3D printing industry

3DPW is a new and highly innovative organisation that enables businesses that use 3D printing technology to effectively, and sustainably, recycle surplus wasted Polylactic (PLA) plastic from 3D printing processes. 3DPW offers viable end-of-life solutions for 3D-printed waste that is not currently recycled or reused, thus preventing further plastic pollution of land and marine environments.

3D printing is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it allows the production of single items without the need for mass production, which leads to waste, in its own right. On the other hand, the use of plastic printing filaments as a feedstock can exacerbate the plastic problem without efficient resource recovery. 3DPW seeks to offer an alternative waste management solution by curating a scalable Circular Economy business model - designing-out waste and utilising previously non-recycled resources into high-value input material, giving plastic waste a new lease of life! 3DPW Waste Boxes have been made to enable PLA waste to be collected and recycled in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way.

3DPW offers two collection options:

1. PLA Only

2. Mixed 3D printing waste materials

The 45-litre 3DPW Waste Box itself is made her in the UK from 95% recycled plastic and can be reused multiple times before being recycled.

How it Works

1. Register: register with 3DPW: 3dprintingwaste.co.uk/register-interest/

2. Order: select which size labelled recycled content box / pallet you want and place your order. One (or more) reusable boxes will be sent out to you.

3. Fill it and return : fill up the chosen box with waste PLA, alert 3DPW to your full box and send it back with the provided shipping label. You can the re-order another box and continue recycling.

Once received, the PLA material is reprocessed into several different products including plant pots, paint trays and window spacers. It helps prevent this material from being disposed of and ultimately provides a truly sustainable and circular solution to single -use 3D printed plastics.

Eligible items:

Waste printing material made only from PLA (reel ends, failed prints, used items etc.)

Do not send:

· Other waste plastics.

· Hazardous waste (sharp, flammable, reactive, corrosive, ignitable, toxic, infectious or pathogenic) which presents a danger to the environment, or to people.

· Electronic waste.

· Clothing or fabric items.

· Food and liquid waste.

· Batteries, pressurised canisters or aerosols, glass or medical waste.

Do not send in any liquids or wet items. It interferes with shipping and the recycling process.

The circular economy in practice - Case study 3: Full Circle - Upcycled Beauty

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Wed, 16 Sep 2020 09:29:24 GMT

Innovative cosmetic ingredients made from plant-based leftovers too good to waste

Full Circle develop natural & sustainable ingredients for cosmetics that are made entirely from nutrient-rich plant-based by-products that would otherwise go to waste. Their portfolio offers forward-thinking brands and formulators a unique opportunity to create innovative beauty products that make excellent use of the precious resources around us - without compromising on quality or efficacy. Full Circle gain access to fresh plant-based by-products and upcycle these valuable leftovers into unique and innovative cosmetic ingredients.

The European food sector generates around 250 million tons per year of by-products and waste. For fruits and vegetables in particular, the production of likely waste is approximately 30% of the processed material. Instead of sending these leftovers to landfill, Full Circle upcycles various by-products such as berry pulp leftover from juice production and discarded olive pits. They upcycle misshapen white rice that isn't deemed good enough for retail, transforming it into a unique collection of rice exfoliating powders and scrubs.

It's not just food waste they divert from landfill - Full Circle upcycles other plant-based leftovers too. I ts sustainable charcoal powder is made from small charcoal fragments, derived from oak off-cuts following the production of cleft oak fencing.

For more information about Full Circle and their products, visit the website .

Support in Yorkshire to add value to food waste

Wed, 16 Sep 2020 08:51:56 GMT

Yorkshire produces 300,000 tonnes of food waste every year. The huge potential to get more value from food waste is explored in the following Biovale workshop, which Green Gain presented at:

The circular economy in practice - Case study 2: MUD Jeans

Fri, 26 Jun 2020 15:25:29 GMT

‘It’s time to rethink what we consume and how we produce.’

Another business leading the way in circular economy innovation and sustainability is a company called MUD jeans, based in the Netherlands. In addition to purchasing the jeans in the conventional way, users can choose to lease MUD Jeans for €7.50 / month. After one year, the user has three options. They can:

1. swap their jeans for a new pair, and continue leasing for another year;
2. keep the jeans and wear them as long as they like; or
3. end the relationship by returning the jeans to MUD and receiving a voucher for a new purchase.

Free repairs are included in the offering. For those who have decided to keep the jeans, the company offers financial incentives to return items, to encourage recovery.

Recovery rates in the textiles industry tend to be low, with around 25% of textiles recovered per year in the EU. This approach also provided a solution for addressing rapid increases in cotton prices.

Up until 2019 MUD have saved 20,000 jeans from landfill and incineration and turned them into new denim. With its take-back scheme MUD collects jeans that consist of more than 96% cotton and send them to the recycle factory Recovertex in Spain. In collaboration with the denim experts in Valencia, their fabrics are made with up to 40% recycled post consumer denim.

MUD Jeans is carbon neutral. With the help of Ecochain they have conducted alife cycle assessment and found out that 7,14kg of CO2 are emitted during the production of one pair of MUD Jeans. This is 69% less than the industry standard.

In addition, MUD Jeans use 577 litres of water in the average production of each set of jeans, compared to an industry standard of 7,000 litres per jeans. Up until 2019 this saved 550 million litres of water, which could almost fill an entire ocean.

Get help to develop your own circular economy business models by clicking on this link or emailing Steven Ogden on: Steven@greengain.co.uk

The circular economy in practice - Case study 1: Revive Eco

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 09:15:18 GMT

Reviving waste coffee grounds

Revive Eco is a multi-award-winning waste rejuvenation eco-prise, specialising in the collection and recycling of Used Coffee Grounds (UCGs) to create a range of environmentally beneficial products.

Over 95 million cups of coffee are consumed in the UK each day, generating over half a million tonnes of UCG waste every year. The Revive Eco business model involves a UCG collection service, charging a small collection fee per kg, or a gate fee. The UCGs are then recycled to initially extract high-value bio-chemicals. From the residual grounds, Revive Eco creates bio-fertiliser and biomass pellets for sustainable energy.

This business model disrupts the linear (take, make, dispose) approach inherent in coffee consumption and, through reprocessing, redirects the UCGs into raw materials for valuable new markets.

In November 2018, with business planning support from Green Gain, Revive Eco secured over £235,000 from Zero Waste Scotland. The funding allowed them to start to commercialise their process.

Get help to develop your own circular economy business models by clicking on this link or emailing Steven Ogden on: Steven@greengain.co.uk

What does the circular economy mean for my business?

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 09:03:29 GMT

Circular economy case studies in practice

I have recently highlighted that Green Gain (on behalf of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority), is delivering a programme of free support to SMEs in West and North Yorkshire to help them implement circular economy business models.

The primary challenge with a programme like this is to help businesses understand what is meant by a ‘Circular Economy’. Over the next few weeks, I will be highlighting some interesting case studies that bring to life this concept. I hope that this will inspire businesses to make their own innovations and take up the free support currently on offer.

The case studies will demonstrate the benefits of shifting towards business models which incorporate long-lasting design, maintenance, repair, reuse, re-manufacturing, refurbishing, recycling, and up-cycling. The case studies will feature on our Blog over the coming weeks, starting with Revive Eco, so please keep visiting for updates.

If you want to start making the transition to the circular economy in your own business, contact us today and we can discuss what support is available to take this forward.

Funded circular economy business support now available

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 14:06:17 GMT

Green Gain and partners are delivering a funded programme of circular economy support to SMEs in West and North Yorkshire.

Your business could receive between 2 and 30 days of funded consultancy support through the Resource Efficient Business (REBiz) programme which is being funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Northern Powerhouse Growth Deal.

Despite the current challenges presented by COVID-19, this support can be provided without the need for site visits, through a combination of calls and online meetings, desk-based research, and through the use of existing tools and network connections.

The aim of this service is to provide fully funded assistance to SME businesses to help reduce costs and stimulate the growth of more sustainable products and services through Circular Economy Business Models. Circular Economy Business Models (CEBMs) keep products and materials in use, by design, for as long as possible to get the maximum value from them.

Circular Economy opportunities that we could help you to develop for products, services and packaging include:

Moving from product sales to product hire, leasing and incentivised return, in order to retain long-term ownership over precious raw materials;
Design support to facilitate the end-of-life recovery of products through repair, refurbishment, re-manufacturing and recycling;
Design for product durability to extend the life of your products;
Bio-mimicry - copying systems used in nature;
Valorisation - converting wastes into high value products and raw materials;
Innovation - invention, creativity, experimentation, entrepreneurship and collaboration.

The West Yorkshire Combined Authority is delivering the programme in partnership with the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (the ‘LEP’), and with the York, North Yorkshire and East Riding (YNYER) LEP.

A wide range of technical consultancy support will be available to businesses who are moving to, or seeking to scale-up circular economy business models, products and services. This includes but is not limited to:

· Business plan development

· Access-to-finance

· Market Assessment

· Market development

· Stakeholder Engagement

· Life Cycle Analysis

· Financial Modelling

· Cost Benefit Analysis

· Commercial Case development

· Technical Assessment / Analysis

· Change Management

· Funding opportunities/support

· Communications and Marketing support

· Implementation support

· Pilot Evaluation and Review

· Laboratory analysis

We will also be able to link you into other complementary programmes available through the LEP and its partners to maximise the support available to you to move your ideas forward.

If you are potentially interested in accessing this free support, please contact Steven Ogden of Green Gain ( steven@greengain.co.uk / 07519428475) and he will arrange for a LEP account manager to get in touch to check your company’s eligibility as the first step of the process.

Potential implications of Brexit on waste policy

Wed, 02 Oct 2019 13:12:33 GMT

Guided by EU legislation, British environmental efforts have had stable implementation mechanisms, but environmentalists fear that Brexit could leave the UK without a clear future waste strategy. Brexit will undoubtedly disrupt the UK's waste management strategy, but to what extent it will affect it in the long-run remains to be seen. Researchers from Cardiff University analyse three possible scenarios in a report called ‘Assessing the Impact of Brexit on the UK Waste Resource Management Sector( //www.researchgate.net/publication/322212120_Assessing_the_impact_of_Brexit_on_the_UK_waste_resource_management_sector ):

1. The UK post-Brexit could continue to apply the EU approach, maintain the same legislation and function based on the Circular Economy Action Plan, which includes key elements such as: a target for recycling 75% of packaging waste by 2030, promotion of economic instruments to discourage landfilling, stimulating industrial symbiosis and economic incentives for green producers.

2. The UK could see Brexit as an opportunity to sustain environmental efforts by diverging from the EU approach and maximizing the economic potential of waste. The UK Government could develop domestic waste treatment infrastructure, create a national action plan and utilise valuable secondary raw materials and stable renewable energy to support the British industry.

3. Waste management strategies could devolve further and, without the UK's inclusive framework, there could be less interaction between England, Scotland and Wales. Each territory would have their own approach to waste collection and management, strategies would be fragmented and would rely heavily on the voluntary actions of businesses and political groups.

As with the 25 Year Environment Plan, the Waste Strategy is remarkably silent on anything to do with the EU. There is little recognition of the EU’s role in driving more environmentally sustainable approaches to waste across the UK. The Strategy’s dominant phraseology is the UK showing ‘domestic and international leadership’, coupled with references to matching or exceeding (‘where economically practicable’) the requirements of EU Directives.

Closer examination of the Strategy’s timeline of targets shows those on recycling household waste and disposal to landfill remain close to the EU’s Circular Economy Package. One main area of possible divergence is in the metrics that underpin policy. The EU’s reliance on weight-based measures for forging cross-EU consistency have long been criticised for their ecological irrationalities. The Strategy reflects the UK Government’s stated desire to move towards metrics like natural capital and carbon that it believes better reflect actual environmental impacts.

The Strategy also outlines a programme of reviews for producer responsibility for electronic waste, batteries and end-of-life vehicles, but action in these areas points to a future governance challenge for post-Brexit Britain. In an era of connected markets and international manufacturing, many of the Government’s ambitions for products would have more reach if UK goals could be up-scaled to inform EU standards. Where the approach to devolution falls down is in Northern Ireland. One of the goals of the Strategy is to reduce waste exports in favour of domestic recovery of the resource value. Although the Strategy does not say it explicitly, this may be a sensible response to future post-Brexit trade arrangements that make exporting RDF to continental Europe more difficult. But treating exports as undesirable could create real problems for the island of Ireland, where the permeability of the border has facilitated large-scale movements of waste heading north and south for treatment or disposal. The small size of the populations and markets in Northern Ireland and Ireland make autonomous solutions without ‘exports’ very difficult.

As with much of the discussion around a Green Brexit, the EU Withdrawal Agreement and any future relationship with the EU may end up being more important determinants of what happens to waste in the future than Defra’s strategy.

Save 70% of water-usage using SMART shower heads

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 10:44:10 GMT

Green Gain Ltd has just become a certified distributor for a hugely innovative French water-saving product that is helping revolutionise how people take showers.

Green Gain Ltd has just become a certified distributor for a French water-saving product that is helping revolutionise how people take showers. HYDRAO leverages on behavioural change and on its water efficient design to obtain these results. The range of showers have flow limiters that reduce the water flow down to WaterWise standards without reducing the comfort. It works in the following way:

Using LED lights., the HYDRAO shower head changes colour (from green to red) based on your water usage, ‘nudging’ the user to understand when they have used too much water.
Powered by the shower’s natural water-flow, no external power supply or battery is required.
It then sends data to the app so that you can monitor your savings.

HYDRAO manufactures three ergonomic and eye-catching types of shower head:

Fixed
Handshower
Rainshower

With a HYDRAO Shower head , saving water becomes a game, witnessing up to 70% savings.

1. An average of £135 savings per shower per year.

2. Payback in less than 6 months.

3. An average shower in the EU uses around 75L of water. HYDRAO monitored showers use an average of 18L.

The HYDRAO smart water-saving devices can be retro-fitted to any existing shower unit in any setting, from HOTELS to CHANGING ROOMS to HEALTH CARE ESTABLISHMENTS . Each of the three shower heads are incredibly easy to install. Simply unscrew your existing shower and replace it with a HYDRAO head. You are then ready to go. No complex installation is required.

For further information or to request a brochure and price list please contact Green Gain at: infor@greengain.co.uk

Do you want to implement an environmental strategy but don’t know where to start?

Fri, 17 May 2019 12:35:42 GMT

A lot of companies, big and small, have implemented an environmental strategy. Some of these have been put together to satisfy the needs of shareholders, while others have been developed on the back of ISO14001 accreditation. Some, however, originate from a deep-rooted desire to make a real difference, changing systems and procedures and challenging staff behaviour - think M&S! But for a lot of companies, especially SMEs, the greatest challenge is not only knowing where to start but how to resource it. Like any good business strategy, the secret is about understanding your starting point – the ‘baseline’. We, at Green Gain, work with a variety of commercial, industrial and public sector organisations of varying sizes, spread across a host of geographic locations. Nine times out of ten, when you ask a senior manager in the business how much they spend on waste, water and energy consumption, the response is “I haven’t got a clue!” However, taking the time to unravel billing information and consumption data always reveals significant low or no cost carbon and cost-reduction opportunities, which then lead to more capital-intensive process enhancements. Herein lies the embryo of a business’s environmental strategy.

Having seen this all too many times, Green Gain decided to create a programme of support that addressed such a need; a cost-effective solution that pays for itself within a year that significantly reduces cost and a business’s carbon footprint. By way of example, Green Gain recently supported the UK’s leading manufacturer of high-quality deli-fillings, Fresh-pak Chilled Foods (based in Wombwell, Barnsley), to secure a top Asda sustainability award. This was achieved by engaging Fresh-pak in The Green Gain Accelerator Programme. The Accelerator takes businesses through a staged process of environmental improvement, enabling them to engage at different starting points and advance from there, depending on the systems they already have in place. The approach is ideal for SMEs that do not necessarily have the in-house time, resource and know-how to address their environmental impacts cost-effectively, or would like to introduce an environmental strategy but do not know where to start.

Fresh-pak started at the beginning of the Accelerator process, receiving support from Green Gain to develop baseline data across each of its impact areas, including energy, waste, water, and effluent. For the first time, the business had a robust understanding of its environmental impacts and the related costs, as well as the systems in place for ongoing monitoring. From here, it was possible for Green Gain to assist Fresh-pak to develop a strategy to for addressing these impacts. This included an action plan of prioritised recommendations across each impact area and clear roles and responsibilities for delivering these.

The initial priority was to address low and no-cost quick wins to build momentum, confidence, and to develop an investment budget from the resulting savings achieved.

From here, more expensive, long-term, innovative measures could be considered. Green Gain worked with Fresh-pak to develop a team from across various functions within the business to lead on the implementation of environmental impact reduction measures. Together, business cases were formulated for investment in areas such as:

· more efficient and effective processing equipment;

· improvements to heating and chilling systems; and

· new waste management infrastructure.

The opportunities with the clearest benefits in terms of simple payback, environmental improvement and benefits to overall quality improvements were pitched to the board, with investment secured for implementation. The systems in place for capturing baseline data have allowed Fresh-pak to monitor the impacts of these investments following implementation. This has enabled Fresh-pak to demonstrate its improvements to customers and to build the case for further ongoing investment in improvements.

As a result of engaging in the Accelerator programme, Fresh-pak has been able to reduce its costs, improve its efficiencies and productivity, and comply with the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS). It has managed to make its primary operations more sustainable. The business reduced its overall waste generation by 20% on the previous year and reduced landfill by 47%. It has also implemented investments on production efficiency and energy efficiency with simple payback achieved in less than 18 months. This support has now helped Fresh-pak to gain recognition from one of its key customers.

“As energy, waste and commodity prices continue to rise, sustainability is becoming an increasingly important issue. The work we are doing with Green Gain to address these issues is not only gaining us recognition with our customers; it is helping to secure our long-term future.” David Green, on behalf of Fresh-pak.

Free solar PV

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Wed, 15 May 2019 10:19:13 GMT

Are you interested in exploring 'Free Solar'?

Our Associates Hub Energy have continued to partner and deliver solutions for the energy investor market resulting in the ability to offer businesses a zero cost, fully maintained Solar PV solution commonly known as ‘Free Solar’ achieved through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).

The PPA which lasts for a minimum of 20 years will instantly reduce your electricity demand and consumption from your electricity supplier whilst offering a growing annual saving because of the lower Retail Price Index Inflation rate.

The system size needs to be 100kWp minimum which is circa 400 panels on 1 site or on multiple sites. The PPA is circa 10/10.5 p/kWh and fixed at 4/4.5% inflation a year.

This offering helps businesses reduce their carbon footprint while also safeguarding their energy supply against continued price increases, following the revocation of the Feed In Tariff (FIT). Email us at Green Gain to learn more: info@greengain.co.uk

Adding value to food by-products

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 16:19:11 GMT

Guidance and good practice available for food sector stakeholders

Over the last 18 months, Green Gain has pioneered research on behalf of WRAP Cymru to identify opportunities for adding value to unavoidable by products from the food and drink sector.

Working in partnership with our associates, Lucid Insight and the Biorenewables Development Centre, Green Gain has produced a range of good practice guidance, case studies and reports, which are now publicly available via WRAP Cymru's website. Case studies and other resources are all available from WRAP Cymru's valorisation resources page .

Green Gain has presented webinars on opportunities to add value to by-products and these have been recorded and are available at the links below. These are a fantastic resource for any food business looking for ways to convert by-products into high value resources!

New Business from Brewery Waste Valorisation

Recording of the May 2018 brewery valorisation webinar, providing an overview of the concept of food waste and by-product valorisation, waste mapping and methodologies, a summary of brewing waste valorisation options for cider and some pointers on the available support for breweries in Wales. Audience: those in the brewery sector who are taking their first steps in exploring valorisation opportunities.

New Business from Bakery Surplus and Waste Valorisation

Recording of the March 2018 bakery valorisation webinar, providing an overview of the concept of food waste and by-product valorisation, waste mapping and methodologies, a summary of bakery waste and surplus dough valorisation options and some pointers on the available support for bakery businesses in Wales. Audience: those in the bakery industry who are taking their first steps in exploring valorisation opportunities.

New Business from Fresh Produce Surplus and Waste Valorisation

Recording of the March 2018 fresh produce valorisation webinar, providing an overview of the concept of food waste and by-product valorisation, waste mapping and methodologies, a summary of fresh produce waste valorisation options for carrots and parsnips and some pointers on the available support for growers and businesses in the fresh produce sector in Wales. Audience: those in the fresh produce industry who are taking their first steps in exploring valorisation opportunities.

Market Sought For Recovered Cellulosic Fibre Crumb

Wed, 20 Feb 2019 11:49:41 GMT

Green Gain, through support from WRAP Cymru, is supporting a business in South Wales that is seeking markets that could potentially use material emanating from a waste-treatment process.

The material is a recovered cellulosic fibre, presented as a loosely compacted friable pellet (crumb) that consists of predominantly natural and synthetic cellulosic fibre with a small proportion (<1% by wt.) of mixed plastic polymers films. Ideally, the business is looking for a market close to point of production to minimise the carbon footprint of the product and promote its circularity.

Uses: The recovered cellulosic fibre has a variety of potential markets including use as a raw material component for manufactured products such as, but not limited to:

· Thermal and acoustic insulation, panel-boards;

· Pulp-moulded products;

· Extruded plastic composites; and

· Absorption medium for containment of liquid spillages.

Source: The cellulosic fibre has been recovered from the treatment and processing of disposable absorbent hygiene products (AHP) wastes. These products are commonly known as disposable baby nappies and adult incontinence pads. These wastes are sourced from separate collections from households, nursing and care homes.

Process: The AHP wastes are treated in a licensed waste-treatment facility where it also undergoes several innovative processes to produce a refined cellulosic fibre that can be supplied in various formats and moisture contents to suit specific customer applications.

Size : In pellet (crumb) format the output is typically 6mm diameter x 10 mm length which, due to loose compaction, tends to break into smaller friable crumbs of < 5mm dimension.

Density: Typical density of the fibre crumb is 300-325 kg/m3.

Availability: Quantities flexible up to 400 to 500 tonnes / month (can be delivered, if required).

Moisture Content : < 50% by wt. (The crumb can be dried further if required by the customer).

Should you be interested in trialling the material in your product manufacturing process then please get in contact with us to discuss further:

Ashley Robb, Director, Green Gain Ltd - ashley@greengain.co.uk

Christmas donations for a great cause

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Thu, 22 Nov 2018 13:28:26 GMT

Each year Green Gain makes a donation to a local charity. This year, we wanted to support our friends Chrsitine and Steve to raise funds for their wonderful daughter Zoe. If you can help spare a few pounds to help their daughter receive some potentially life changing treatment then that would be hugely appreciated. Full details of their circumstances is provided below and donations can be made at this web page . Many thanks for your help!

Zoe has been diagnosed with Infantile Neuro Axonal Dystrophy (INAD), a rare genetic, degenerative, neurological condition. Children with the condition live until age 5-10. We (parents, Christine Hamshere and Steve Lightfoot) are raising money to take Zoe to America to participate in a clinical trial of a drug which we hope will halt and possibly reverse some of the symptoms. Please help us to try and save Zoe from INAD.

Zoe was born in 2015 and grew up as a normally developing child until around 18 months, when it was questioned why she wasn't yet walking. She could stand at furniture but couldn't take steps without support. At first it was considered to be caused by hypermobile joints, but shortly after Zoe turned 2 it was apparent that she was developmentally behind and had lost some skills.

In January 2018 Zoe had an MRI brain scan which revealed significant brain damage, cerebellar atrophy. The part of the brain that affects balance and co-ordination, speech and swallowing had formed normally as a baby and then shrivelled.

Then began a series of tests to try and find out the cause of the atrophy. In April 2018 we received the devastating news that Zoe was diagnosed with INAD. The Great Ormond Street Hospital description is that it "is a rare inherited disorder affecting the nerve axons (which are responsible for conducting messages) in the brain and other parts of the body, causing a progressive loss of vision and of physical and mental skills....Eventually the combination of the diseased brain and physical weakness becomes too great to sustain life, and death usually occurs between the ages of five to ten years. Parents and carers will be aware of the child’s increasing frailty, and death is usually relatively peaceful and expected when the time comes."

We have been told there is no miracle cure. The NHS have been fantastic, but all they can do is support Zoe as her symptoms present. Since the diagnosis, Zoe has lost mobility and her speech, swallowing has also deteriorated, and she has some leg stiffness. She is still a bright bubbly fun loving beautiful girl. She has a great sense of humour, an infectious laugh, and still tries to wave and blow kisses. She loves bouncing along to songs and interaction with others, cuddling the neighbours dog and her toy rabbits She has a good understanding of what is going on around her, and loves it when you copy her actions and sounds, especially drumming. She has a smile that lights up the room. We are desperate to keep her this way for as long as we can.

We approached a drug company in America that are developing a study drug to help children with INAD. INAD is a gene variation that causes cell damage when fatty acids are broken down. The study drug is a stabilised fatty acid that protects cells from being broken down. In initial trials the study drug stopped the decline in patients and returned some lost skills. More info is available from the link on this page https://www.retrotope.com/publications/ under October 2018 publication.

Zoe has now been invited to America to participate in a drug trial. Only 15 children worldwide will be on the trial. The first trip is at the start of December. The second will be in January 2019.

Please help us to fund taking Zoe to America. We will need to make 4 trips in a year as part of the trial, and then potentially ongoing after that.

Since the diagnosis we have moved house to a property suitable for disabled house adaptions. The Council are helping with the adaptions but we still need to fund some of the works. Zoe started at a special needs school in September and we are having to transport her there. We need to purchase a wheelchair accessible vehicle so we can take Zoe out comfortably. We also have another baby on the way. We have been told that the baby will be INAD free.

Please help us to fund the trips to America. Any funds that are not spent on this will go towards adapting the house for Zoe, transporting her to school, and supporting all the charities that are helping us out. For example Martin House children's hospice have offered to look after Zoe when the baby arrives, which we are extremely grateful for. SNAPS Yorkshire have been providing invaluable support for us, and rebound therapy for Zoe. Little Hiccups have helped us to take Zoe out on day trips as well as regular play sessions. Leeds Mencap have been providing nursery care and amongst other things helped us apply for the school place, and got us into the queue for house adaptions.

Please help us to try and save Zoe from INAD. Thank you for your support,

Christine & Steve

Resource efficiency can lead to business growth

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 12:42:13 GMT

Hear how Leeds-based Greyhound Box saw an increase in productivity, turnover and profit thanks to support from Green Gain and the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership's (LEP)

Greyhound Box Ltd is a highly reputable manufacturer of bespoke and stock cardboard boxes for a wide range of customers, including business to business and individual consumers. The company is based in a leased building on the Hunslet Trading Estate, Leeds, which includes a factory, warehouse and offices. The premises are currently leased on a 5 year term from the company’s previous owner, however there is understood to be an option to extend the lease term. The company has ISO 14001, 9001, Investors in People (Gold) and will be training staff on ‘5 S’ in 2017 to assist in delivering its key objectives of becoming leaner and more profitable.

The Resource Efficiency Walk-through covered energy, water and waste. The most promising potential improvements identified by this were assessed in more detail by the Green Gain audit. These related to energy use and energy from waste only. Greyhound Box’s water use was very low and no significant practical improvements were identified.

The audit included calculating current energy use and costs and identified a number of:

‘low or no cost’ improvements that can be carried out relatively quickly and easily
improvements that would have a significant impact on energy use or meet the company’s requirements in an energy efficient way and that require investment with a reasonable cost payback period.

In both cases, the focus was on improvements that Greyhound Box was likely to act on in practice, relating to their key objectives of:

Improving productivity and profitability, particularly focusing on improving the environmental conditions in the factory
Reducing overheads and carbon footprint.

Sustainable Noise Barriers

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Tue, 24 Jul 2018 10:29:45 GMT

The Tilon Noise Barrier manufactured from recycled plastics

Castlegate 535 provides a wide range of environmental noise barrier solutions for use in infrastructure and industrial developments where noise reduction is of paramount importance. Tilon Noise Barrier systems are manufactured from high-strength, reinforced recycled polymers totally negating the use of timber together with its inherent issues within their construction. To date, 24,000 noise barriers have been installed on the M40, 8,000 on the M1 and 10,000 on the M4, M5, and M6 with a further 6,000 Noise Barriers on a Rail Terminal in Kent.

System Benefits

Sustainable - composite materials are based on recycled polymers allowing clients to develop sustainable construction credentials.

Environmental resistance – UV-stabilised and waterproof, allowing the system to be used indoors or outdoors.

Performance - high density composite surfaces in conjunction with high density mineral infill panels ensure consistent high acoustic performance throughout the length of the barrier.

Quality - manufactured in the UK and delivered to site pre-assembled to exacting quality standards.

Longevity - maintenance-free and easy to clean, the system is resistant to aggressive environments.

Stability - composite materials of construction will not warp or shrink ensuring acoustic tightness of the barrier is not compromised over its operating life.

System options - are available in noise reflective and noise absorbent options. Both options are tested in accordance to European specifications and achieving B3 and A4 ratings respectively.

Variable span - offer allowable maximum spans of 3,000 mm and 4,000 mm although non-standard panels of varying angles can be accommodated for individual needs.

Colour scheme - available in a range of standard colours including brown, grey and black. Panels can also be manufactured to bespoke colour schemes allowing barrier designers to develop novel architectural features or designs sympathetic to the immediate environment.

Installation - Drill, fix, slot – easy!

Fitting the Tilon Noise Barrier system couldn't be easier. Simply drill and fix the vertical powder coated steel support post to the ground and slot in the panels for a secure partition. It’s so quick and easy to construct - a single partition can take two people just five minutes! And with the option of specifying stainless steel posts the partitions are suitable for use in hygienic environments too.

For more information on this hugely innovative product, contact: ashley@greengain.co.uk

Sustainable Scaffolding

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Wed, 27 Jun 2018 13:41:42 GMT

Introducing Tilon Supadek

Tilon Supadek is an innovative recycled plastic scaffold board that is revolutionising the scaffolding and access markets. Manufactured from a recyclable polymer composite reinforced with glass fibre chopped strands, Tilon Supadek possesses many unique features and benefits that give it a number of distinct advantages over its more traditional timber and steel alternatives. Lightweight, durable and strong, Tilon Supadek is easier to use, cleaner and safer than timber and steel decking boards. It is suitable for a wider variety of applications and other, more specialised, areas.

FEATURES & BENEFITS

· Stronger & Lighter than timber, steel & aluminium boards

· Fire retardant

· Rubber end caps with finger grip for easy handling

· Easy to clean and maintain

· Consistent high strength and performance throughout working life

· Textured high grip surface for sure footing

· No splinters or metal bands

· Impermeable to water

· Resistant to oil, solvents, acids and salt water

· Constant weight makes for easier and safer handling

· Can be embossed with company branding

APPLICATIONS & SECTORS

· Pharmaceutical

· Offshore – Oil/Gas

· Asbestos Removal

· Food Processing

· Energy – Nuclear Decommissioning

· Chemical

· General Access

PLASTIC VS TIMBER

· Lighter than timber

· Doesn’t retain water

· Doesn’t warp or ‘change’ in any way

· No Splinters

· HD Rubber ends to protect the board

· 95% recycled material

· Proven to last over 9 years

Supadek boards are manufactured by ~ Tilon Composites and quality assured to ISO9001:2008. The products are designed and tested in accordance with BSEN12811 and provided they are used in accordance with specified use, they will provide many years of service. Over 10,000 scaffolding boards have already been sold worldwide including New Zealand, Dubai, Australia.

Castlgate 535 Limited is the home of Tilon Products. Tilon products have been established since 2008 and specialises in the manufacture of products from polymer composite materials. From its factory base in Ebbw Vale, South Wales, the company operates a manufacturing process which utilises recycled polymer materials primarily from automotive sources and combines this material with reinforcing fibres to create semi-technical composite materials. Tilon products are the first of its kind in the market with no direct competition. The production of Tilon Supadek products uses 19 tonnes of recycled HDPE every week!

For more information on this hugely innovative product, contact: ashley@greengain.co.uk

Introducing Tarrec

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 14:30:07 GMT

A new recycling solution for the UK's road planings

TARREC recycles hazardous tar materials commonly referred to as tar bound road planings, or the correct terminology AWCCT (asphalt waste containing coal tar) at a 100% recovery of resources. They ensure that UK producers of AWCCT can choose a fully legally compliant disposal option for their hazardous waste material. TARREC is the sole representative for the UK market for a treatment facility that 100% recovers resources of AWCCT.

AWCCT are hazardous waste and the transportation, storage, treatment and disposal of hazardous wast is controlled by the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005 (England and Wales) which are enforced by the Environment Agency. TARREC can provide you with competitive costs to collect and recover AWCCT. Alternatively, you can arrange for your own transportation to deliver the material to our fully permitted storage location. They can advise on compliant transport on request. TARREC transports AWCCT using a legally required Consignment Note. TARREC covers the Consignment Note cost. TARREC’s storage facility of 10,000 tonnes, is at Albert Dock, Hull, Environmental Permit number EPR/AB3808CF.

TARREC ships 4000 tonnes of material per vessel. AWCCT export requires a TFS issued by the EA, which ensures that each load is legally compliant. TARREC ensures correct loading of vessels and the compliant delivery to dockside in Holland, completed in order to ensure legal compliance in both Holland and the UK. AWCCT are loaded on to ships and transported under the EU Waste Shipment Regulations, with the required trans frontier shipment of waste (TFS) documentation. AWCCT are then recovered via a plant in Holland, which operates under EU permit to receive and treat these materials.

The £ 80 million thermal treatment plant in Holland utilises a gas turbine, powered by energy in the AWCCT. This ensures that the hazardous coal tar is destroyed within the thermal treatment process leaving fully recovered aggregate. There is no equivalent treatment plant in the UK.

AWCCT consists of sand, gravel and tar. By thermal treatment at high temperature, the tar is removed and the contaminated gases released are cleaned. What remains is energy, clean sand, gravel and filler. All of this is 100% reused. AWCCT is fed into incineration drums that heats the materials to a temperature of 850 °C. Flue gasses are reheated for at least 2 seconds at 850 °C in the afterburner incinerating remaining contaminants. Sand and gravel cooled in a rotating cooling drum using air. The hot air is re-used as burner air in the incineration optimising energy efficiency.

Output

A steam boiler, producing steam from the hot gases drives a turbine and a generator producing over 6 MW electric power for own use and feeding to the grit.Eco granulates, ECO sand & Eco fller. All minerals of the AWCCT are recovered as certified valuable Eco- granulates used in concrete and asphalt production.

Flue gases including non-incinerated residues, dust, NOx and SOx are fed to the ﬂue gas cleaning system meeting the highest EU and Dutch standards on gas emissions. Dust is removed in a two stage dust filters using active carbon producing a fully recoverable binder.A catalytic De-NOx converter converts nitrogen oxide into harmless nitrogen and oxygen. A gas washer washing ﬂue gases in water with lime converts the SOx into gypsum or high-quality applications in various building products.

www.tarrec.co.uk/

Our Man in Oman

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 12:33:32 GMT

Increasing the competitiveness of the fisheries industry in Oman

We have recently started some work in Oman to help the Government to Increase the competitiveness of the whole fisheries industry in Oman. The aim is for Oman to start manufacturing novel products and implement new fish processing technologies, which will result in a higher margin for sold goods. We are working as part of the Strategic Innovation team and our ambition is to identify the most suitable products, technologies and markets for Omani fish. “New to the market” fish products may target new consumers, new markets and lead to the generation of new waste streams. Our specific role is to map the potential increase in waste streams from increased processing of fish in Oman. Green Gain will look at what innovative options there are to add value to these waste streams, creating clear business opportunities for further investment. This requires global landscaping, technology and knowledge transfer and innovation and, of course, an appetite for fish.

Tackling the over use of packaging

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 09:46:11 GMT

Free one-to-one support from Zero Waste Scotland to implement packaging saving opportunities

Over use of packaging is a hot topic at the moment, but there are opportunities available to take action.

Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) is offering free one-to-one support to 10 selected small to medium sized (SME) businesses to help them identify and implement packaging savings. Green Gain will be delivering this support.

How could you benefit?

The onsite support will provide a free technical resource to:

Map packaging flows within your business;
Identify packaging efficiency opportunities;
Reduce product damage;
Provide a clear business case for investing in change;
Support internal buy-in and implementation of opportunities;
Identify and engage with innovative packaging supply chain stakeholders;
Access sources of funding support.

What happens next?

If you are interested in one of the limited free places, then email Steven@greengain.co.uk, providing your contact details. We will then email/call you to gather some basic background information to check that you fit the programme criteria. We will then make contact to confirm whether or not you have been successful.

Who is involved?

The programme is being funded through ZWS by the European Regional Development Fund. The assistance will be delivered by Green Gain.

Places will be allocated rapidly, so please do contact us as soon as possible if you are interested

Steven Ogden (Steven@greengain.co.uk)

Introducing a New Zero Food Waste Solution

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 13:15:54 GMT

Introducing BioPower Technologies

BioPower Technologies Limited (BioPower) is a UK SME specialising in the micronisation of food side streams and arable biomass. BioPower uses its “RESS” Milling technology to cost-effectively produce high quality biomass powder from materials that would otherwise be deemed as waste by growers and retailers. The process creates high-value products from two main sources of food waste and surplus food:

Rejected material – fruit or vegetables that have been rejected on the grounds of their cosmetic appearance or size.
Walk-by material – Over-supply and seasonal surplus of vegetables or fruit.

The powders that are produced are various sizes below 300 Microns and can be used in food ingredients, bulking, bioplastic feedstocks, biomass fuels and pre-treatment for high-value chemical extraction.

According to Waste Resource Action Programme (WRAP) figures, 1.7 million tonnes of food waste are generated each year by the UK’s manufacturing companies – some of which is unavoidable, think tomato leaves or egg shells. While these types of manufacturing by-products are often considered a waste, they could generate income, rather than being a cost-burden.

The innovative approach of BioPower’s micronisation process, offers a higher-value alternative to traditional outlets such as animal feed and anaerobic digestion. It offers the opportunity to transform your biomass by-product/surplus into a valuable feedstock for a range of commercially attractive manufacturing supply chains.

The drivers for change

There are a number of strategic drivers that are helping eliminate food waste and reduce costs:

Courtald 2025 Commitment is to cut the resource needed to provide food & drink by one-fifth in 10 years, increasing value for everyone:

- 20% reduction in food & drink waste arising in the UK; and

- 20% reduction in the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) intensity of food & drink consumed in the UK.

Consumers increasingly want to know the provenance of their food – ‘ clean labelling’ .

Sugar reduction – requires bulk replacement.

Key sources of agricultural vegetable food waste:

- Excess production to meet supermarket demand;

- Damaged due to weather – frost / flooding / drought;

- Harvesting side-waste – leaf of root vegetables/ stalks of broccoli; and

- Rejection in the food processing factory due to shape/ size or blemish.

Current processes create little or no value:

- Plough back into fields - cost of production lost;

- Supply to Anaerobic Digestion (AD) and animal feed markets – requires dewatering, low-value.

Time to re-think waste!

So how does micronisation work? At Biopower, we have the ability to take vegetable food waste and produce high-value nutritional powders that can be used as an ingredient feedstock, saving significant costs and offering a zero waste management solution in the emerging bioeconomy.

The process offers the following key benefits:

Conversion of short shelf-life fresh produce to long shelf-life functional ingredients.
‘Clean Label’ natural ingredients.
Gluten-free ingredients.
Significant waste disposal cost-savings.
Significant ingredient cost-savings.
Major Corporate & Social Responsibility (CSR) advantages.
Highly concentrated (in)soluble fibre and concentrated levels of minerals & vitamins.
Good functional properties:

Fibre has excellent water and fat-binding properties – valuable to meat, bakery industries. Water retention is critical to bakery product shelf-life;

Bulk replacement for sugar; and

Act as a thickener in sauces and ketchup.

Full audit trail from Field-To-Product.
Potential to make dietary health claims.

The opportunity

‘Ugly vegetable’ powder is a stable shelf-life product that can be utilised in processed foods:

Ready meals – provides functional bulking, adds water and fat-binding properties, increases vegetable content due highly concentrated nature.
Bakery - the product will increase vegetable content and retain moisture to extend shelf-life, especially in gluten-free products.
Processed meats – act as a product binder in sausages and burgers – reduces need for wheat and is gluten-free.

As part of our continual development process we are undertaking research and development to increase our product range, but existing products include:

Apple fibre
Beetroot fibre
Radish fibre
Celery fibre
Sugar Beet fibre
Tomato fibre

Blackcurrant skins and seeds
Spent vanilla bean fibre
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Calcium carbonate
Wheat straw fibre

For further information or informal discussion please contact:

Phil Metcalfe, Managing Director, BioPower Technologies Ltd

T: +44 (0)7841 163693

E: metcap@hotmail.co.uk

Profit from your waste: Introducing WRAP's new valorisation tool

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Wed, 17 Jan 2018 09:37:33 GMT

The Biorenewables Development Centre, in partnership with WRAP, is running a one-day workshop to explore how to turn costly wastes into an income stream for your business.

According to WRAP figures, 1.7 Mt of food waste are generated each year by the UK’s manufacturing companies – some of which is unavoidable, think tomato leaves or egg shells. While these types of manufacturing by-products are often considered a waste, they could generate income, rather than disposal costs. New technologies are now providing interesting alternatives, such as: converting bread waste into pharmaceuticals, potato starch into batteries or household waste into high-value chemicals.

Join BDC specialists to discover how your wastes and by-products could be put to good use. Working in a close group of no more than five companies this intensive, practical workshop will provide an opportunity for you to:

Explore how to derive value from your bio-based wastes and by-products with help from BDC experts
Consider different options for converting waste to products, and compare the potential revenue and reduced costs associated with those options
Learn how to use the “Value from Waste and By-Products” analysis tool, for developing ideas into commercial propositions; designed to:
Help companies compare and decide between different value from waste options
Provide a structured process for building a business case by evaluating the technical,
commercial and business parameters for each option
Find out about additional support and funding available and plan your next steps to make feasible ideas happen

What you will take away?

Understanding of possible routes to derive value from your wastes and by-products
The analysis tool, and how to use it
Knowledge of support and funding available
An action plan for moving forwards
Eligible attendees will also receive a £500 voucher to continue their evaluation with BDC staff (details below)

Who should attend?

Companies with a bio-based waste stream that incurs disposal costs, or generates little or no revenue.
The person responsible for any or all of the following:
o Waste management
o Sustainability
o Lean or continuous improvements
o R&D/technology
o Facility Managers

Costs
Yorkshire businesses: pre-funded (+ £200 VAT)
For many local companies, this workshop is pre-funded through our ERDF Project. Use the registration button to send us your details - our team will be in touch to confirm your eligibility for a funded spot based on your company size ( ~ up to 250 employees) and location (based on York, North Yorkshire and East Riding or Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership areas).

Large or non-Yorkshire businesses: £1000 (+ £200 VAT)
If you are part of a larger organisation, or based outside of Yorkshire, but would like to attend, please use the registration button to send us your details. We will find a solution for you, which may be joining an existing date, or alternatively hosting a tailored event for your company.

Register
To register, please visit the following link:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/profit-from-your-waste-introducing-wraps-new-valorisation-tool-registra...

Introducing EcoKeg

Fri, 08 Dec 2017 16:08:44 GMT

An innovative and sustainable means of dispensing beer.

Through funding from WRAP Cymru, Green Gain is currently providing support to EcoKeg who have developed a new green and sustainable means of dispensing beer . The EcoKeg range of recyclable, beverage containers are specifically engineered to meet the packaging needs of today’s drinks markets.

We are providing support to help this company rapidly grow its innovative and sustainable beverage storage range. EcoKeg is learning from the poor quality and product failures of a number of its competitors and its range of sustainable keg products are regarded as market-leading, in terms of quality and functionality.

So what makes the EcoKeg beverage containers such game-changers?

The EcoKegs:

closely replicate a steel keg, and are compatible with the tap / dispensing systems used by pubs and bars.
have a unique, patented HDPE construction that makes them the only fully-recyclable keg on the market.
are fully compatible with automated filling systems used by both brewers and bottlers.
provide balanced pressure fill on semi, or fully-automated lines.
are supplied purged and pressurised for automated through valve filling.
one-way PET kegs are produced in a HACCP standard environment and are delivered dry, sterile, CO2-flushed pre-pressurized and ready to fill.
have a wide neck for top-filling, as well as spear-filling capability
ensure that taste quality is maintained. Independent tests by Diageo Global Beer Technical Centre showed the beer quality is totally comparable when sampled from an EcoKeg and a stainless steel control keg.
maintain product freshness, which is considerably improved versus steel kegs.
stack-ability increases vehicle payloads and ensures better utilisation of storage space. Total transport costs are reduced by 60% versus steel kegs.
have a significantly improved carbon footprint compared to returnable steel kegs.

If that's not enough to convince you, y ou can find more information about the EcoKeg range at their website: www.ecokeg.com

Manufacturing the elimination of food waste

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Tue, 26 Sep 2017 11:25:01 GMT

Wasteful practices need not be common practices

Each year, food manufacturers and processors produce millions of tonnes of food waste – most of which is avoidable or reusable under alternative circumstances. And while much noise has been made over the last few years in regards to curbing food waste, there’s still a lot to be done. According to a report from the Food Waste Alliance, it is estimated that 30% of all food grown worldwide may be lost or wasted. And because of the growing population, global food production will need to increase by 60% by 2050. That means, at this current rate, food waste will increase. While the vast majority of food waste is recycled, donated, or reused by major manufacturers, it would be much more efficient if manufacturers and processors learned how to reduce waste in the first place. This would mitigate the industry’s impact on food sources and improve sustainability at multiple levels of the supply chain.

Food manufacturers play a major role in reversing the food waste trend. This can be done both through influencing supplier and end consumer behaviours, as well as through direct and tangible action. So, how can food manufacturers make a difference and what can help curb this increasing trend.

1. Improve packaging - simply reducing packaging is not always preferable because as packaging is reduced and/or compromised, the likelihood of food spoilage arising increases. Eventually a point is reached at which the negative environmental impact of food wastage outweighs the environmental benefits of using less packaging material. Thus, improvements should include providing clearer expiration date labels, offering better cooking/freezing/thawing instructions and making it easier to dispense food without compromising the remaining unused food in the packaging.

2. Provide better consumer education - food manufacturers should explain about the problem of food waste and provide practical tips for customers looking to reduce their individual impact. This includes controlling portions, learning to properly preserve leftovers and other practical suggestions.

3. Improve the accuracy of forecasting - Many manufacturers unnecessarily waste raw ingredients because of inaccurate forecasting. They assume they need to produce a certain number of products and, therefore, order enough raw ingredients to fulfil these needs. But when they wind up needing less, perishable goods go to waste. With better and more accurate forecasting models, food manufacturers can spend less time guessing and more time maximizing the ingredients they already have.

4. Be strategic with portion sizes - One of the easiest ways to reduce food waste is to curb portion size. Offering customers differing packaged portions is a great way of reducing unnecessary food wastage and also a good way of satisfying varying customer needs.

5. Adopt ERP software - Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is business process management software that allows an organisation to use a system of integrated applications to manage the business and automate many back office functions related to technology, services and human resources. If a business does not have an ERP solution in place, then its highly likely they are wasting thousands of pounds worth of food without even realising it. With an ERP system, a business can track and analyse shelf life, avoid overstocking, create accurate inventory orders and avoid cross contamination and everything in between.

Food waste does not make good business or environmental sense. In fact, for each tonne of food wasted, WRAP estimate that the true life-cycle cost is £2,800 when you take into account the cost of manufacture, supply, preparation, cooking, service and ultimate disposal is taken into account!

Carbon footprinting products

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Mon, 14 Aug 2017 11:40:14 GMT

Can my business benefit?

Green Gain provides support to a wide range of businesses to help them to reduce their environmental impacts. We are often asked by businesses we assist whether it is worth investing to carbon footprint their products and/or services.
We thought it would be helpful to provide some insights into carbon footprinting products, to help organisations make informed decisions about pursuing this approach.

A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by a product. This carbon footprint is measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). The carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) allows the different greenhouse gases to be compared on a like-for-like basis relative to one unit of CO2.

Carbon footprinting provides information about the impacts and emissions generated across the whole life of a product or service, from the extraction of raw materials and manufacturing right through to its use and final reuse. By breaking down the scales of these impacts across the various production stages, the business then has the knowledge available to prioritise and target further impact reduction.

Products are significant when thinking about the overall impact of an organisation. The vast majority of an organisation’s carbon footprint is typically down to embedded impact or the use phase of the products and packaging that they produce. This impact is determined by the design of the product and packaging. It can account for over 95% of a company’s impacts, yet traditional carbon footprinting tends to focus on site-based impacts.

Customer requirements for lower carbon products are now driving impact reduction across product supply chains. Customers are increasingly seeking independent verification to evidence this reduction in impact. We have found many of our clients driven to explore footprinting when faced with requests for this information in both public and private sector procurement specifications.

As well as being driven by supply chain pressures, carbon footprinting can add value to brand ethos. It is a way to differentiate your products from the competition.

When it comes to carbon footprinting products, Green Gain works closely with our associates, ECO3, who specialise in carbon footprinting products and packaging. Specialist tools have been developed to support this process. The findings enable us to develop measures that then feedback to inform the design process. This approach provides a quantum leap in carbon reduction rather than incremental reduction.

Packaging is a significant aspect of most products and our partners at ECO3 have developed a simple to use design and environmental assessment tool for packaging. This compares the environmental impact of different packaging options taking into account carbon footprint, weight, recyclability, recycled content, volumetric efficiency, transit impacts and product/packaging ratio.

By working with businesses at the design phase, our ECO3 and Green Gain have managed to save customers millions of pounds and ensure that both their products and packaging are fit for purpose.

For manufacturing SMEs currently operating in Wales, Green Gain is able to offer free consultancy support to increase recycled content in products and packaging – thanks to funding support from WRAP Cymru.

Next steps
For a free consultation to discuss carbon footprinting a product or service, or reviewing product/packaging design please contact Steven Ogden on:
T: 01274 238272 / 07519428475
E: steven@greengain.co.uk

Generating valuable leads for your low-carbon products

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 09:35:21 GMT

Introducing MarketGain

What is MarketGain™?

This is a low cost, high-value way of marketing and promoting your low-carbon products and services, reaching a market of over 20,000 companies across the UK. From energy efficient lighting, to waste and recycling collections, it is the only online marketing package dedicated to low-carbon products and services.

MarketGain™ will provide you with a monthly digital media campaign run through our own online media portal to promote your proposition to over 20,000 relevant company contacts across a range of (tailored / geographic) sectors including, but not restricted to, the public sector, manufacturing, hospitality, and construction. This campaign will be supplemented by a weekly Twitter feed and Linked-In ‘Product Push’ to over 500 interactive stakeholders from the environment sector to help raise your profile within the market-place.

Our database of over 20,000 contacts is made up primarily of our own contacts and contacts through a professional valued sales-lead expert who achieve an average of 90% accuracy on company details and 80% accuracy on contacts. Our contacts are in senior decision-making roles: Business Directors, Managing Directors and Financial Directors and are updated on a monthly basis. Our analytics will provide you with an overall success rate of the campaign including an ‘open’ and ‘click’ rate (compared with industry averages) and ‘bounces’; with all direct enquires being sent to you directly on receipt, so that you can act promptly to real-time sales leads.

“Green Gain has helped promote and develop sales leads across the UK for a micro-CHP unit we are looking to install in, largely, public sector organisations. Through their support we have successfully developed a sales pipeline that has blossomed into real commercial opportunities”.

Jon Cape, Managing Director, iPower Ltd

The benefits

· Low-cost market exposure for your low-carbon product or service

· Access to over 20,000 relevant leads via a trusted environment sector brand

· Real-time sales lead generation

· No duplication of competing product listings

· High quality campaign designs

· No need for costly referral arrangements

· Dedicated team with over 35 years’ experience in the green economy.

Next steps

For a free consultation to discuss your low-carbon product or service promotional needs, then please contact Ashley Robb on:

T: 01274 238272 / 07786 248220

E: Ashley@greengain.co.uk

Free resource efficiency support, and capital funding available in West Yorkshire

0017551527 (S OGDEN) — Thu, 22 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership provides a Resource Efficiency Fund, offering free efficiency assessments, hands-on business support and 50% capital grant funding of up to £10,000 to help you save money and resources.

If you want to lower your energy usage, reduce your water and waste costs and minimise your impact on the environment, then the Resource Efficiency Fund could help. The fund provides financial support and advice for SMEs looking to become more resource efficient in the way they do business.

Green Gain is one of the LEP's lead delivery partners of the consultancy support available through the Resource Efficiency Fund. To be eligible for support, your business must meet the criteria below.

1. A small or medium sized enterprise (SME), defined as:

having fewer than 250 employees; AND
a turnover of under c£40m OR a balance sheet of under c£35m;
not being part of a larger group of companies that takes it over this threshold.

2. Based in the Leeds City Region excluding Barnsley, i.e. a trading address in the Leeds City Region.
3. In an eligible sector - this generally excludes primary agriculture, banking and financial services, and (for grants in particular) those trading directly with consumers- e.g. retail and hospitality.
4. Able to provide evidence of your previous energy and resource consumption, for example your previous utility bills.

To apply for the Resource Efficiency Fund or find to out more contact the LEPs business growth team on:
0113 348 1818 or email: BusinessGrowth@the-lep.com