22/06/2006 -
The Environment Section of Sligo County Council hosted the first in a series of waste management seminars entitled ‘Small Change’ for small to medium sized businesses in County Sligo. The seminar was run in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local
Government’s Race Against Waste campaign and was targeted towards members of the hospitality sector. The aim of the programme is to inform small to medium sized enterprises on how to reduce, reuse and recycle waste and how to comply with waste legislation.
The Environment Section of Sligo County Council hosted the first in a series of waste management seminars entitled ‘Small Change’ for small to medium sized businesses in County Sligo. The seminar was run in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Government’s Race Against Waste campaign and was targeted towards members of the hospitality sector. The aim of the programme is to inform small to medium sized enterprises on how to reduce, reuse and recycle waste and how to comply with waste legislation.
Speaking on the Seminar, Fiona Kelly, Environment Awareness Officer with Sligo Council said, “Initially, we are working with the Hospitality Sector in County Sligo to raise awareness of both the environmental and cost savings associated with comprehensive waste management programmes, while also ensuring that businesses comply with waste management legislation.
Small Change Booklets containing all the essential information needed to take action in the workplace have been posted to all hotels, bars and restaurants in the County and the Small Change Seminar was organised to impart information on best practice in waste management in the hospitality sector”.
“The Seminar hosted expert speakers on waste management programmes, the legislative requirements for the sector and case studies of best practice. Unfortunately, the seminar was poorly attended and this was a missed opportunity for hoteliers, bar owners and restaurant owners who may be struggling with escalating waste management costs and also their requirements under the law”.
Local Authorities are responsible for the regulation and enforcement waste legislation. At the Seminar, Emer Concannon, S.E.E. Environment Section, Sligo County Council described the changes that have been introduced both nationally and regionally since the inception of the Waste Management Act, 1996 and the progress that has been made in meeting the targets of the Connaught Waste Management Plan 2001-2004.
Ms. Concannon outlined the changes that have recently been introduced in the newly adopted Connaught Waste Replacement Plan which reiterates the local authorities’ commitment to recycling (48%), followed by thermal treatment of 33% and landfilling of 19% residual waste.
It is now easier than ever to do your bit towards caring for the environment and building a cleaner future. Good waste management practice saves money and can also improve staff moral.
It’s simple. If we all reduce the amount of rubbish we produce, reuse more of the products we already have and recycle as much as possible, we will dramatically reduce our waste levels — a crucial goal for Ireland’s environmental health.
Almost 2.3 million tones of household and commercial waste were generated in Ireland in 2001 — an increase of almost a third in three years. We cannot sustain this. It places severe pressure on our environment and our waste management services — landfill is the main waste disposal route but we are running out of landfill space.
Here are some of the main reasons for reducing the amount of waste your business produces:
This is probably the main reaso why your business should take part in the Race Against Waste. There are many savings to be made. Firstly there are savings in terms of waste disposal costs, which will decrease if you commit to Reducing, Reusing and Recycling your waste materials. But the cost of raw materials should also decrease as you set about reducing the amount of waste which you produce and reusing as much as possible, rather thank purchasing new goods. Once your system is up and running it will result in a more efficient work place saving valuable staff time.
You are legally obliged to manage your waste in a sustainable manner.
More and more consumers and companies within your supply chain are demanding a commitment by businesses to the environment. By putting in place a sustainable waste management programme, you can highlight and promote the part you are playing to your advantage.
Managing your waste in a sustainable manner will mean a diversion of waste away from the most common current option i.e. landfill, to a more environmentally preferable options. Increased reduction and reuse efforts will also favour the environment by cutting down on the quantity of raw materials required.
By meeting the targets set by your waste minimisation plan and by contributing to a worthwhile cause you should see a morale boost among your employees!
View the web-site: www.raceagainstwaste.com for more tips on how to implement the ‘Small Change’ Programme.
The Waste Management (Packaging) Regulations 2003 impose legal requirements on all producers of packaging waste. This applies to all businesses which sell or supply to others on the Irish market, packaging, packaging material or packaged products e.g. hotels, pubs, restaurants, retailers, shops supermarkets, hardware stores, fast-food outlets etc.
These businesses must:
In the coming months, the Waste Enforcement Section of Sligo County Council will be visiting commercial premises to inspect waste management practices to ensure legislative compliance under the packaging regulations.
The general powers available to local authorities under the Waste Management Act 1996 to 2003 include:
The Irish Hospitality Institute officially launched the Greening Irish Hotels Programme in April 2005 and is due to run until June 2006. This is the largest and most comprehensive review and research into the environmental practices of the Hotel Industry in Ireland. The main objective of the Greening Irish Hotels Programme is to encourage hotels throughout Ireland to strive towards a higher standard of environmental performance by adapting processes and services in order to minimise negative impacts on the environment, whilst maintaining quality, productivity and competitiveness.
The Greening Irish Hotels Programme will identify Environmental Best Practice for the Hotel Industry concentrating on three key areas: Energy, Water and Waste Management and to develop a model for application for every hotel in Ireland
The Greening Irish Hotels Programme seeks to promote environmentally friendly activities through the application of increased resource productivity, waste reduction, reuse of materials, energy management and a change of eco-culture within the hotel industry. The results will develop Performance Standards and Best Practice for the hotel industry.
Presently there are 53 hotels in the programme, which represents approximately 10% of the Irish Hotel bed stock.
The Sligo Park Hotel has been reaping the benefits of reducing, reusing and recycling its waste over recent years. Part of the Lee Hotel Group, the Sligo Park employs over 120 full and part time employees. An average of 60,000 guests stay annually at the hotel and an average of 150,000 guests dine in the hotel every year. The hotel developed an in-house waste management system in 2004 .
Assistant Manager, Anita Carney helped to set up and currently coordinates the waste management plan at the Sligo Park Hotel. Since implementation Ms. Carney estimates that the amount of waste going to landfill has been halved and likewise the waste management costs have decreased.
In 2004, an initial survey of waste showed that the hotel generated approx. 139 tonnes of waste. Waste consisted of office paper, cardboard, glass bottles, newsprint, kitchen waste, plastic, plus plastic bottles and aluminium cans.
In 2005, the hotel introduced glass recycling banks serviced by Rehab Recycling and clear plastic recycling bags were located in the kitchen and leisure centre.
Next, they began a paper minimisation regime, using more e-mail for communication, using both sides of the page when photocopying and recycling paper for notes and scribbling and a paper shredder was purchased to reduce waste even further. Recyclable printer cartridges are going to be donated to Temple Street Children’s Hospital and recycled.
In 2006, the Sligo Park installed clear recycling bags in all departments, kitchen, bar, leisure centre, reception and all offices, staff canteen and accommodation. This has two advantages in that it provides an outlet for guests to recycle their waste and it also raises awareness. In turn staff are constantly reminded of the system and signs are in place as reminders.
The kitchen is a model of waste management practice with the Hotel recently investing in a food waste system to reduce amount of waste going to landfill through composting. A clear recycling bag caters for all the kitchen recyclables and a residual bin holds non-recyclable items.
Their yard has the paper and cardboard recycling area with the baler and bin press compressing the waste that is being sent for recycling. A locked bay at the rear of the hotel holds four 1100litre wheely bins for waste awaiting collection, recycling or disposal.
The Sligo Park Hotel is also participating in the Greening Irish Hotels programme co-ordinated by the EPA and has plans to reduce waste costs even further by cutting back on the number of wheely bins for waste disposal in the coming year.