Summary

The Regional Resource Saver Project reduces waste sent to landfill from business by diverting it for re-use, recycling or composting by community, charitable or not-for-profit groups. The project uses volunteers and builds partnerships.

Background

Resource Saver is a project run by Community Recycling Network (East). The Community Recycling Network UK is the national umbrella organisation for community based, not-for-profit and cooperative waste management groups which work in reduction, reuse and recycling.

Responsible business objectives 

• Raising the awareness of staff about climate change and empowering them to take action;
• Encouraging suppliers to measure and minimise their own carbon footprint;
• Raising customer awareness about the actions they can take to reduce the carbon emissions resulting from the use of products and services.

How they do it

• CRN are now training in the CIEH (Chartered Institute of Environmental Health) Environmental Awareness course, which can lead to ISO 14001 or EMAS, as well as the Chartred Institute of Waste Management Waste Awareness Course.  We offer the course to all staff and volunteers and also provide this to businesses with practical steps to reduce their environmental impact.

• Amongst staff, CRN have a car share scheme and use public transport wherever possible.

What impact it has

• CRN have saved businesses around 70 tonnes of CO2 by dverting waste resources from landfill to the community sector for reuse or recycling.

Business Benefits

• The business benefits generally take the form of new market opportunities and increasesd training contracts with large national organisations.