Kronospan Claims Top Environment Award
Kronospan’s commitment to greener practices has been recognised at
the prestigious Wales Business and Sustainability Awards. Kronospan,
the world’s largest wood-based panel producer and user of recycled
fibre, won the Resource Efficiency in Business category with
particular mention made to its dedication to recycling, high rates
of waste recovery and reduction in carbon emissions at its site in
Chirk.
Demonstrated through its rigorous environmental assessment
programme, Kronospan is committed to improving environmentally
friendly practices which has resulted in its highest ever levels of
recycling, use of FSC timber and reclamation of waste that would
ordinarily be sent to landfill.
Iain Ferguson, Kronospan’s dedicated Environmental Co-ordinator,
said: “We are so pleased to have won this title as we have held
these awards in such high regard for a number of years. We have
worked very hard at Kronospan to develop and improve our
environmental practices and it is great to have this work recognised
by receiving a national award, which is supported by some of the
most important names in the environmental sector, such as the Carbon
Trust and the Environment Agency. The hard work will continue to
make sure our working methods, sourcing of raw materials, recycling
of wood waste and power usage are all as ‘green’ as we can possibly
make them.”
The environmental improvement programme has seen Kronospan set new
industry standards. One such example is the consumption of waste
wood. The company uses 300,000 tonnes of waste wood each year, most
of which is packaging waste, which would otherwise have been
landfilled. Once landfilled, waste decomposes releasing methane, a
greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 20 times more
powerful than carbon dioxide. Kronospan is also currently recovering
over 95% of its own process waste.
Kronospan prides itself on sourcing all virgin timber from
sustainable sources, and all of its products are FSC certified.
Following an evaluation of energy usage at the Chirk plant in 2001,
overall consumption has been reduced by a quarter. The main energy
source for the production process is now a biomass boiler, with
electricity generated through the use of turbines to produce
additional heat as well as power to maximise the use of renewable
energy.
The company has also assessed its transport links, with at least 90%
of all lorries travelling to and from the Chirk site now carrying
full loads at all times. This is particularly important to Kronospan,
because it impacts both on local residents and the global fight to
reduce CO2 emissions. These efforts alone have achieved a 30%
reduction in journeys to and from the site in the last two years.
Email:
katie.utting@trianglepr.co.uk
Arundel Jones Associates Ltd
Hill Farm, Linton Hill, Maidstone, Kent ME17 4AL
Tel : 01622 745333
news@buildingdesign.co.uk
Registered in England and Wales No. 07334149
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