Page 16 Packaging, waste and recycling
Electrical waste
Electrical and electronic appliances make up one of the fastest growing waste streams in the UK.
Since July 2007, the UK's Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations allow people to recycle old electrical and electronic appliances at sites across the UK free of charge. To help customers to identify which products are recyclable (or should be considered for repair or reuse), all new electrical and electronic products sold now carry a 'crossed-out wheelie bin' symbol.
As a retailer of electrical products, we have a legal obligation under these regulations. This involves contributing funds to the Distributor Take Back Scheme (DTS), which is investing £10 million in local facilities so customers can locally recycle old electrical and electronic appliances free of charge. In 2008, we have reinforced our communications to customers and Partners to ensure that they are aware of the WEEE Regulations and the recycling options open to them.
As a producer of own-brand electricals, we also fund, based on our market share, the recycling of waste electricals. This is done through a separate compliance scheme.
Battery recycling
A new EU Batteries Directive will begin its transposition into UK law in September 2008. The Directive aims to create a framework for collecting and recycling batteries, supported by a labelling scheme to demonstrate to consumers the risks associated with the disposal of batteries. Waitrose will play its part to help achieve the Government target of recycling 25% of all household batteries by 2012.
Recycling initiatives
Our waste and recycling procedures continue to deliver significant improvements, helping us towards our ongoing objective to recycle 75% of all Waitrose waste by the end of 2012. In 2007–08, we recycled almost half (49%) of our waste, saving over 21,500 tonnes from going to landfill – see graph below.
In an attempt to maximise the recycling opportunities across the business, we have:
> introduced battery recycling and polystyrene briquette-making at Cambridge
> shared backhauling capacity at Rushden and in Scotland with our sister company John Lewis
> drawn up plans to send non-recyclable waste from our head office in Bracknell to the first purpose-built 'energy from waste' incineration facility, due to be commissioned next year.
The necessary focus and drive for such schemes comes from the newly formed Recycling and Waste team, which makes our business better placed to achieve our published recycling targets, and better able to provide Partners with clear information and simple guidance about effective recycling.
Waste recycling
(Horizontal bar chart containing the figures:)
weight of waste recycled (tonnes)
2003–04 15,229
2004–05 13,975
2005–06 16,563
2006–07 19,906
2007–08 21,513
(Picture of a recycling bank with the caption:)
Carrier bag recycling facilities can now be found in every shop and where space permits, we offer recycling points in our car parks for materials such as glass and paper. The first Waitrose-branded recycling facilities have been installed at our refurbished shop in St. Neots, Cambridgeshire and our new shop in Brackley, Northamptonshire.
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