FACT!
- On average, each UK household produces a tonne of waste annually.
- The current UK recycling rate is only approximately 11%.
Why should we be concerned that the amount of rubbish we produce has been escalating over the previous forty years?
Over the decades, consumers’ attitudes changed, appearance, exemplified by elaborate packaging, and convenience, highlighted by the escalated popularity of supermarkets (often selling highly packaged goods) replacing shopkeepers, became the norm.
As modern society evolved and our knowledge of the effects of these requirements expanded, we now expect to enjoy the benefits that a healthy and sustainable environment provides. However it is also our desire to leave this environment in a good condition for future generations.
Yet despite this recognition, campaigns and policies, which allow us to achieve these goals, have not been adopted en mass. Controversially, they have been inaccurately looked upon by some as a barrier to achieving economic goals and not as a means of supporting them.
www.foe.co.uk
That which is not recycled will become incorporated into one of two sources, both aggravating and increasing the causes of pollution affecting air, water, land, flora and fauna.
1. Landfill
- Almost 90% of domestic waste in the UK goes directly to landfill
- This costs nearly £1 million per day
- Once the rubbish has been covered, the organic matter starts to rot down producing methane, a greenhouse gas which helps retain the heat from the sun in the Earth’s atmosphere.Dangerous liquids can be washed through the soil, contaminating drinking water. High transportation costs
- UK government and EU have agreed on the EU LANDFILL DIRECTIVE:
By 2010 – reduce biodegradable municipal waste landfill to 75% that produced 1995
- By 2013 – reduce to 50% that produced 1995
- By 2020 – reduce to 35% that produced 1995 Landfill tax is set to rise to £35 per tonne in 2005 – leading to huge additional costs for businesses! It may be cheaper to purchase recycled products
For further information about the directive please see :
E.U. Llandfill_Directive.pdf
2. Incineration
- 10% of all UK domestic waste is burnt in waste incinerators
- ·This can be hazardous as plastics, pesticides and wood preservatives can produce extremely poisonous dioxins if temperature in the incinerator falls below 900oC
- High transportation costs
- Expensive to construct and run
Why Recycle?????
Recycling reduces the demand for raw materials, lessening the impact of extraction and transportation. It has been estimated that for every tonne of waste thrown away, an extra 20 tonnes of waste is created at the point where the raw material is extracted!
Substantial energy savings can be made by using waste materials rather than raw materials, ranging from a potential 22% energy saving for recycled glass to a potential 97% saving for recycled polythene.
In order to make it cheaper and easier to recycle there needs to be an increase in the availability and consumption of recycled products to stimulate this demand for recycled materials. This is why Allwag Promotions is especially proud to offer such a diverse range of recycled merchandise. We are conscious no demand for waste material for recycling will exist without a demand for them to be turned into another product.
Additionally, buying recycled products will create jobs, improving the economic prospects of our nation and demonstrate a commitment to good environmental practice, improving the economic prospects of your company.
Promotion to customers, suppliers and the community Recent studies, i.e. DEFRA study on the quality of life and the environment (October 2004) have shown consumers are becoming increasingly aware of companies and products’ affects on the environment and their health.
www.defra.gov.uk
What can be recycled to produduce promotional merchandise?
Paper
FACT!!
UK households dispose of approximately 6.3 million tonnes of paper annually. As a consequence more than 30million acres of tropical forest are destroyed each year, indicating the extinction of the rainforest, in addition to many animals and medicines, in 40 years time!! According to the World Resources institute - 100 species die each day due to tropical deforestation. This is in addition to a huge increase in Carbon Dioxide, another greenhouse gas.
Under the Kyoto protocol of UN framework convention for Climate Change (1997) the EU has agreed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 8% by 2008-2012 compared with 1990s levels.
- At present - less than 25% of the paper in use is recycled
- The manufacture of recycled paper uses half the energy and water used to produce virgin paper
- New paper is often white, not because this is paper’s natural colour, but because it is bleached. The bleach used in making white pulp can cause appalling water pollution.
www.eubusiness.com
Find out what products we offer that once were paper??
Made from Recycled paper
Plastic
FACT!!
The world's annual consumption of plastic materials has increased from around 5 million tonnes in the 1950s to nearly 100 million tonnes today!! Nearly all plastics in use are made from oil and resist any form of biodegradable decomposition. These non-biodegradable plastics cause problems when incinerated as most give off poisonous gases when burned.
Biodegradable plastics, made from sugar, cornstarch, and other carbohydrates rot away within months. However these are more expensive as production is carried out on a smaller scale. If biodegradable plastics were more widely used, in preference to other plastics, manufacturing costs would drop dramatically.
Many types of council have found it too expensive and do not have the facilities to recycle plastic.
Find out what products we offer that once were plastic??
We offer a range of products originating from a variety of different sources, including toothbrush handles, wellington boots, Vending cups, in addition to products manufactured from biodegradable materials and polypropylene (the green plastic – as it easier to recycle and uses less energy to manufacture.
This range includes:
Made from Recycled vending cups
Made from Something different!
Made from Biodegradable material
Made from Recycled plastics
Recycled tyres
FACT!
- The UK produces around 50 million waste tyres every year (approximately 450 000 tonnes)
- · 27% are put into landfill - about 13.5 million tyres!!
Tyres can be found in landfills, un-controlled landfills, outside of roads and rivers, etc. This situation generates environmental impacts: area occupation, harder compaction, insects and rodents spread and river obstruction, in addition to clearing illegally dumped tyres costs council taxpayers more than £2 million per year.
In July 2003 the EU Landfill Directive placed a ban on sending whole tyres to landfill and from July 2006, shredded tyres will also be banned from landfill.
To prevent the increase of ‘fly-tipping’ - we need to find alternative uses for the unwanted materials.
(for further information on the Directive please visit:
http://www.tyredisposal.co.uk/
When they are burnt, tyres emit sulphur dioxide, which is prohibited in many countries. Tyres are designed to last in some of the harshest conditions possible; therefore they make the perfect long-lasting accompaniment to your promotional product gift range.
Find out what products we offer that once were tyres??
Made from Recycled tyres
Juice cartons Juice cartons contain a wax coating on the paper to keep the liquid inside from leaking through. This wax cannot be separated from the paper therefore it is excluded from many recycling programmes, contributing instead to our escalating landfill concern. Incorporate in our range are products that not only have a spectacular appearance but are functional and effective promotional products too.
Find out what products we offer that once were juice cartons??
Made from Orange juice cartons
Circuit boards
Millions of computers that have outlived their usefulness will be thrown away this year, and most of these will be improperly discarded, posing a risk of contamination from hazardous materials such as mercury and lead. Using circuit boards as a foundation material for this innovative range of products will help to reduce this concern, and as the term 'circuit boards' come from the Latin circutus meaning 'to go around', it seems justified they are sent round again by recycling them into useful products
Find out what products we offer that once were circuit boards??
Made from Printed circuit boards