An inspirational Council team that’s helping save the environment and hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayer cash has been given a rare honour.
Swansea Council’s 600-strong Corporate Building Services has reduced its waste by 44%, slashed energy consumption by 32% and boosted its recycling rate to 70%.
Now it’s become one of only nine organisations in Wales to achieve the highest possible Level five in the environmentally-friendly Green Dragon award scheme.
Jane Davidson, Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, has presented a special certificate to the team.
Martin Nicholls, Swansea Council’s Head of Corporate Building and Property Services, said:
“Achieving this standard is credit to the whole team who are motivated and are taking responsibility for waste management and generating valuable ideas for waste minimisation in the workplace.
“It is a real honour to receive this certificate and I am sure that it will inspire this team to continue our environmental efforts and also other businesses in Swansea to tackle costly waste.
“For us benefits to the environment and Council taxpayers have been significant in a relatively short space of time.
“The money saved can now be reinvested to improve existing facilities that will benefit the environment and local communities for many years to come.”
Jake Griffiths, Manager of the Wales Green Business Centre and Green Dragon Lead Auditor, said:
“Swansea Council’s Corporate Building Services have made terrific improvements in their environmental performance over a relatively short space of time and this has been recognised by the awarding of the highest Green Dragon level five certificate by the Wales Green Business Centre.
“The Green Dragon Environmental Management System has been used by the department to great effect over the last three years to manage their environmental impacts and give real focus to their commitment to continual environmental improvement.
“Their carbon footprint has been reduced significantly with a 32% fall in energy consumption and a switch to recycled aggregates. Waste production is down by 44% and recycling up to 70% which are all big positives and the department should be highly commended for its achievements.”
Details of the Green Dragon Awards are available at http://www.groundworkinwales.org.uk/greendragon/index.html
