Kenneth Booth

Sport flooring – Enjoying Sports Safely

Create the best prospects for sports with high-quality sport flooring. Why you might ask? Well, because sports floors are not just floors. The right floor can help athletes perform their best at all times. It gives the ultimate freedom of movement and ensures that every athlete can fulfill his/her full

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Housebuilder Story Homes wins three UK Property Awards

Housing developer Story Homes is delighted to announce that it has been recognised by the prestigious UK Property Awards, winning three accolades for ‘Best Residential Development’. Aspen Grange in Carlisle, Chancel Place in Longhoughton and Willows Edge in Wrea Green have all beaten strong competition to win an award for

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UK Conservatory Installation Business Posting a Healthy Growth

Conservatory and Glass Industry The conservatory and glass industry is on the rise in the UK. Many consumers opt for conservatories in their homes because It gives them additional space, and it helps them with personalising their homes. Their functionality is vast as they are used as a home office,

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Second phase of Stoke-On-Trent’s heat network gets under way

The second phase of Stoke-On-Trent’s heat network began today (Thursday, 26th Sept) when civic and business leaders, and students from Stoke on Trent College’s Urban Heat Academy attended a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the beginning of the latest 1.4km installation of flow and return pipework. The district heating network is

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Tarkett recognised for its commitment to sustainable practices

Tarkett has been recognised for its commitment to the environment at the Willmott Dixon Better Together Supply Chain Awards. The leader in innovative flooring solutions picked up the Sustainability award. This award acknowledges the supply chain partner who works closely with Willmott Dixon to deliver sustainable initiatives across its project

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How to effectively manage hazardous waste in your business

If your company produces hazardous waste at any point, then it is your responsibility to make sure there is a viable waste management system in place to deal with it. Failure to do so can result in damage to the environment and harm to human health. Hazardous waste can be

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Latest Issue
Issue 345 : Oct 2026

Kenneth Booth

Sport flooring – Enjoying Sports Safely

Create the best prospects for sports with high-quality sport flooring. Why you might ask? Well, because sports floors are not just floors. The right floor can help athletes perform their best at all times. It gives the ultimate freedom of movement and ensures that every athlete can fulfill his/her full potential. But why invest in high-quality sport flooring as a sports association, high school or college? Well, the answer is perhaps not as straight forward as you might expect. Yet it is unbelievably simple. Great sport flooring helps prevent injuries and by preventing injuries you play a role in helping athletes grow with their sport. The key features behind floor safety You might not know a great deal about the technical qualities of sports flooring and, as a result, might beprone to opt for a cheaper option to cut costs – but don’t. Floor safety and performance are closely intertwined and below you can read the key factors behind the floors’ safety and technical properties. These are the key factors which Junckers, who has provided sport flooring since 1930, has identified as being highly important for the overall experience. Shock absorption Shock absorption is the impact of energy absorbed by the floor when landing after a jump. As a result, a shock-absorbing floor minimizes the risk of injuries particularly knee and ankle injuries. Friction The correct friction rating is equally important to prevent injuries, especially, with regards to ballplayers, where it is important the floor is not to smooth as this means ballplayers cannot move rapidly or change direction without slipping. Friction rating should be between 80 and 110 for sports involving any kind of balls. If the friction value is below 80 the floor is too smooth and over 110 it becomes too solid. In both instances, it increases the risks of injuries. Ball bounce Ball bounce refers to the balls’ rebound when hitting the floor. A good rebound increases the speed of the game and control over the ball. When buying sport flooring, you will see that the ball bounce is measured in percentage. This percentage is the rebound achieved by the sports floor compared to the rebound measured on a normal concrete floor. Vertical deformation Vertical deformation is an indicator of the floors’ ability to absorb shock. It depends on its flexibility when exposed to dynamic load/impact from light running.

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BUREAU VERITAS LAUNCHES CIRCULAR+, A NEW APPROACH TO CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY

Bureau Veritas has launched Circular+, a new approach to sustainability, built on a comprehensive suite of services to help companies transition to a circular business model. The launch comes at a time where sustainability is at a turning point, with governments and businesses around the world seeking ways to meet commitments to preserve scarce resources, combat climate change, and reduce pollution. Earlier this year, the UK government continued to lead the march on climate change, becoming the first major economy to set out new legislation designed to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050. Meanwhile, for years, businesses have focused on managing environmental impacts: today, they are looking to go beyond that to meet future regulatory requirements and exceed customer expectations. For many, this means evolving towards a circular economy model – a regenerative business model in which resources are continuously reused and recycled. “Public awareness of the threats posed by climate change has grown dramatically in recent years, and governments and companies are increasingly focusing on reducing energy use, resource consumption and waste generation along the product or service life-cycle”, said Sébastien Fox, Vice-President Certification at Bureau Veritas. Many are turning towards a more circular business model to understand and optimise their use of energy, as well as natural resources such as wood, metals and minerals. However, the circular economy is disruptive: it requires businesses to rethink their existing linear business models which generate waste at each stage of production and consumption, and demands new skills for product and process design. It can be challenging to adopt, particularly for large companies in traditional industries. As a global leader in environmental and sustainability certification, Bureau Veritas is now supporting organisations of all sizes with its suite of sustainability advisory, training, auditing and certification services. Ours is a powerful, customisable, standards-based approach that works for all businesses and achieves buy-in from employees and clients alike. Bureau Veritas’ Circular+ services provide organisations worldwide with a practical framework to rethink their processes step-by-step. “Circular+ is a holistic approach that offers process audit and management system services to help organisations manage both their environmental and social impacts,” explained Sébastien Fox. “A range of advisory, training, independent verification and certification products enable businesses to tackle both individual processes and entire business models at a customised speed, revealing supply chain issues and improving transparency. Audits provide a way to identify issues, report on the effectiveness of controls, and track the achievement of objectives over time.” The ISO 14001:2015 standard for environmental management systems is central to the Circular+ approach; it encourages a lifecycle view of products and services, and provides a framework for addressing impacts. Bureau Veritas is also supporting clients on energy management via training, audits and certification to ISO 50001. Risks relating to raw materials are addressed through dedicated schemes, for example FSC and PEFC for wood-based products, or ASI for aluminium. Companies today also face a number of social concerns: two of the most important being health and safety and ensuring the use of ethical labour practices throughout the supply chain. To accompany clients in these areas, Bureau Veritas offers accredited certification the new ISO 45001:2018 standard for health and safety management, can conduct ethical trade audits (SMETA), and delivers social accountability (SA8000®) certification. For more information on Circular+, to download a copy of the whitepaper, please click here: https://www.bureauveritas.co.uk/sustainability-services/circular-economy Alternatively, please call 0345 600 1828 or visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk

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Housebuilder Story Homes wins three UK Property Awards

Housing developer Story Homes is delighted to announce that it has been recognised by the prestigious UK Property Awards, winning three accolades for ‘Best Residential Development’. Aspen Grange in Carlisle, Chancel Place in Longhoughton and Willows Edge in Wrea Green have all beaten strong competition to win an award for the Best Residential Development in the Cumbria, Northumberland and Lancashire categories, respectively. Now in its 26th year, the UK Property Awards are the most demanding and rigorous in the property sector. The awards are judged by an independent panel of over 80 industry experts, focussing on design, quality, service, innovation, originality and commitment to sustainability. The level of the awards that Story Homes has won will be revealed at the awards ceremony which will take place on 25 October 2019 at The Royal Lancaster hotel, London. The highest-scoring winners from each region will be entered into the overall International Awards, which ultimately determine the world’s finest property companies. Colin Wood, Chief Operating Officer at Story Homes said: “We are very proud that three of our developments have won UK Property Awards – it is fantastic to be recognised by the industry for our hard work. We take great pride in achieving the highest standards, from the overall design of a development through to the individual finishing on each property, and these wins really demonstrate the care and attention to detail that goes into the homes that we build.” Founded in 1987 by current CEO Fred Story, Story Homes is a housing developer building more than 900 new homes in 2019/20 across Cumbria, North West and North East England and Southern Scotland. The housebuilder’s mission is to design and build quality homes that people aspire to live in. As a family-owned business, Story Homes goes to great lengths to craft houses that are not only strong in build, but in character too. It is proud to challenge the conventions of mass produced new-builds and stand apart from the crowd. For more information please contact Katie Brown, Communications Partner on 01228 891528 or email katie.brown@storyhomes.co.uk.

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Kite Packaging’s Midlands Regional Distribution donates £1000 to Macmillan Cancer Support

Kite Packaging’s Midlands based Regional Distribution Centre has chosen Macmillan Cancer Support as their nominated charity for the year, a charity that provides an incredible support service for all those with a cancer diagnosis.    Managing Partner for Kite’s Midlands RDC, Justin Filby, visited Macmillan Cancer Support team last month with a Kite colleague, where they met with Pauline Lewis a Senior Fundraiser for the charity, The Kite team were proud to pledge their support and hand over a cheque for £1,000.   The donation will help provide the funding for a Macmillan nurse for almost one week in support of care for people living with cancer, as well as ensuring their families receive essential, medical, practical and emotional support. A member of Kite’s Midlands team has experienced the incredible support from Macmillan first hand with a loved one being given emotional and practical support throughout a very difficult time. Donating to Macmillan Cancer Support is a very fitting cause for Kite Midlands team. If you would like to make a donation towards Macmillan Cancer Support or to find out more about the charity, visit https://www.macmillan.org.uk/

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How is the APHC and BREC Partnership Changing the Training Scene of the Plumbing Industry

UK Plumbing Industry Background In the UK, research has suggested that the plumbing, heating, and air conditioning installation industry generates approximately £16 billion in revenue and employs 149,098 individuals among 36,800 businesses. This year the industry is said to grow at a compound annual rate of 0.8%. It’s safe to say that this multibillion-pound sector is a big deal. The APHC and BREC Partnership In 2018, it was reported that the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors (APHC) and British Plumbing Employers Council (BPEC) would join forces to establish a partnership. The purpose of this merger involves developing qualifications, courses, learning materials, and overall raising the standards across the industry. Both the APHC and BPEC are leading entities in the expanding plumber industry, so one year on we’re looking at what innovations this parthership has inspired. Once partnered, one of the first action items both the now joint companies implemented was training programs which included one-day courses on Water Regulations, Legionella Cold Water Risk Assessment & Disinfection, Sanitary & Above Ground Drainage and Wet Room Design & Installation. These subjects are taught by experienced trainers who are considered experts in their field. It seems the partnership has improved the way tuitors are selected for the programs. The reasoning behind this training stems from the fact that the corporate leadership of this collaboration recognizes that the plumbing and heating industry is continually evolving and to keep up one has to be consistently investing. Specifically, investing in the knowledge and abilities of the employees associated with the company. Improvement to teaching standards has benefited both niche courses such as Unvented Cylinder Installation basics and more general training programs like Gas Appliances basics which is an obvious step in the right direction for those who are looking to achieve their Gas Safe card. Furthermore, in addition to technical skills, the executives have made it a point to personally and on a company-wide perspective, keep up with new technology and legislation. This updated pervasive technique of instructing and informing plumbers is set to revolutionize the industry in different ways. To provide incentive, the APHC has offered 100 rewards aimed at companies that apply for and complete the course. Plumbers are no longer discrete entities that are immune to the growing pace of the world. Now,  they are integrated service workers that must be consciously aware of their intercontinental surroundings. How does the APHC and BREC partnership change the training scene of the plumbing industry in the UK The partnership between APHC and BREC is set to positively impact the training scene of the plumbing industry. Together they set to increase industry standards primarily through development qualifications. They want to start from the ground up, slowly building the confidence, expertise, and intellectual stamina of plumbers destined to serve the next generation. In support of their initial mission, the integrated companies established a week called the “Quality Plumber Week” to discuss the pros and cons of introducing a single mandatory plumbing license. The idea that one must have a license to practice is a hot topic amongst industry leaders, and executives understand that. Both companies understand, but they also know that to progress in a forward direction, you must lead the way by first opening a conversation. Conversations allow ideas to flow and dialogue to be expressed between persons who have different perspectives in the future. While the “Quality Plumber Week” is a novice idea that has recently been executed, its importance still reigns as if it was already a trademark event. Training Scene of the Future The future of plumbing has many different facets. On one end, it is more involved with plumbers having to obtain a license, and large companies streamlining the training of these individuals. On the other hand, the future of training also pays homage to the change in times. With information as abundant as ever, plumbers are not exempt from having both casual and textual knowledge. The training offered, since the merger of the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors and British Plumbing Employers Council, has catalyzed change in this concrete facility motivated industry.

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UK Conservatory Installation Business Posting a Healthy Growth

Conservatory and Glass Industry The conservatory and glass industry is on the rise in the UK. Many consumers opt for conservatories in their homes because It gives them additional space, and it helps them with personalising their homes. Their functionality is vast as they are used as a home office, entertaining area and even a greenhouse. Research has indicated that conservatories can be viewed as a cost-effective method of cultivating new space for your friends and family as well as for increasing the value of your property. Despite the uncertainties that the current political situation adds to the mix, construction is not struggling as much as we expected   the ongoing demand for construction of personal homes and business continuously growing, the glazing industry has skyrocketed to unforeseen levels. To provide context, “glaziers” are often requested to both add artistic flair and constructional components to a variety of construction projects. Both the conservatory and glass industry are on a steady uphill path in the UK, and by the looks of it, their progress doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. The Expanding Conservatory and Glass industry When building a conservatory, several factors from foundations, cost, and permits have to come in place. Typically, if an individual or business wants to invest in a conservatory, at least a few thousand pounds must be set aside. The pricing scale relating to the conservatory industry is dependent on several factors. Some of these factors include building foundations, materials used in construction, height and width, and unique or seasonal offers. In general conservatories prices may start from around £4,000 to £6,500 for a “small standard” room up to £25,000 to £50,000 (or more) for rooms such as bespoke orangeries. Examples of different types of conservatories include standard conservatories, Victorian conservatories, P, T, L shaped conservatories, and orangery rooms. Consumers have many options to choose from. Partly, the progress in the UK conservatory industry is driven by innovation. More people are gaining confidence in installing conservatories thanks to improvements in conservatory roofing and temperature regulation. New materials are also being introduced. Instead of just the traditional wooden and plastic structures, metal frame conservatories are coming into fashion. Nevertheless, before diving into the conservatory world, it is essential to only deal with accredited or adequately certified installers. One of the most notable companies in the conservatory industry is the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF). Recently, it has been reported that GGF gained approximately 67 new members during 2018 and its members had achieved a record number of assignments with over 200,000 UK homeowners. Specifically, as it relates to conservatories, research has implied that the number of units installed during 2018 has jumped by 9% – the highest level since 2009. Overall, in-depth investigation has suggested that the market has seen  £1.4 billion in revenue and now is responsible for the employment of 9,616 individuals. In tandem with the growing conservatory industry, the glass industry has too seen a steady growth. GGF not only manages certifications relating to conservatories but it also oversees ragulations relating to the production and installation of glazing products. Within the glazing industry, contractors are typically expected to install glass and glass products in locations ranging from new buildings, commercial, and public sector markets. With the ever-growing architectural demands of today’s society, the glazier industry is more relevant than ever before. Given that industry performance is procyclical, or related to economic fluctuations, over the next five years it is expected to grow at a compound rate of 8%. What’s Next for the Conservatory and Glass Industry? As the conservatory and glass industry begin to reach new heights, new threats and breaks must be recognized. Residential construction is expected to request new glazing for houses, but opportunities in office development have been stalled due to the situation with Brexit. Furthermore, the growing environmental concerns of consumers will demand more eco-friendly installations that companies must be prepared to meet. Nevertheless, despite these heightened concerns and challenges, the expansion of the industry must be celebrated. An expanding industry means new jobs, new jobs means economic growth, and economic growth leads to prosperity for everyone involved.

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Second phase of Stoke-On-Trent’s heat network gets under way

The second phase of Stoke-On-Trent’s heat network began today (Thursday, 26th Sept) when civic and business leaders, and students from Stoke on Trent College’s Urban Heat Academy attended a ground-breaking ceremony to mark the beginning of the latest 1.4km installation of flow and return pipework. The district heating network is led by Stoke-on-Trent City Council, and the latest £1.9m phase follows on from pipes being laid under Leek Road in Stoke earlier this year. Sustainable energy specialist Vital Energi is carrying out this second phase of the works which will take 30 weeks to complete. In addition to providing Stoke-on-Trent businesses and homes with cleaner, greener energy, it will also provide young engineers with a valuable opportunity to learn the latest industry skills. Councillor Carl Edwards, cabinet member for the environment, helped to break the ground on the project. He said: “This network is all about providing sustainable, cleaner and greener energy to power our city for generations to come. We’re a forward looking city, and we are committed to doing all we can to protect and improve our environment. It’s a pioneering initiative – nowhere else in the country is developing a heat network with the ambition and scope that we are underway with. “Careful mapping of our city’s geology has shown us that there is geothermal energy under Stoke-on-Trent, and the deep seam coalmining of the past has helped us to identify its source. It is serendipitous that our energy source of the past could help us in powering our city for the future. Our plans for the network are that it will eventually go on to be powered by these hot underground rocks. “We’re thrilled to be launching this latest phase of works. It is the next stage of a total 18km of pipes that will be installed over the next four years stretching across the city.  As the scheme develops, we’ll be talking to businesses and the households to explain how they can be part of the network.” Stoke on Trent College’s Urban Heat Academy will work with contractors and employers involved in the design, installation, management and maintenance of the District Heat Network to provide apprenticeships and work-related training Skills needs already identified include groundworks, site management and surveying. The academy has also identified training on fusion welding, using new automated ultrasonic testing methods, to ensure the pipe work is installed to the highest standards. As part of this work, college staff have travelled to Denmark to work with specialist pre-insulated pipe suppliers. Ryan Johnson, Campus Director at Stoke on Trent College, said: “Over recent months we have seen just how important an issue climate change is, to young people here in the UK and across the world. “It is important that local people realise that Stoke-on-Trent is leading the way in developing greener energy systems and that, right on their doorstep, there are opportunities to get involved in this important work. “As the UK focuses on renewable energy, projects like the District Heat Networks will create new jobs and an opportunity for young people to skill up in new areas of construction.” Vital Energi will be employing a local apprentice, from the College’s Urban Heat Academy, who will be working on the scheme via day release for the duration of the contract works. Ashley Walsh, Vital Energi’s Operations Director (Infrastructure) said: “Projects like this can offer fantastic opportunities to deliver community benefits such as employment and training to local people and we are delighted to be working on such a visionary scheme.  This project has, not only the potential to expand and become a major heat network, but also to become one of the first successful geothermal schemes in the UK, making it a truly important contribution to the UK’s energy infrastructure.”   The district heat network is a multi-million pound programme that has attracted funding from central government and support from the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). Alun Rogers, acting chair of the LEP, said: “The district heat network demonstrates that Stoke-on-Trent is a city of innovation and will provide sustainable energy for communities and businesses. “A key part of this project is involving engineers of the future – developing their skills in what is an increasingly important sector. “The district heat network is one of our flagship projects. We are a pioneering area in terms of green energy development – improving our environment and bringing wider economic benefits.”

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Tarkett recognised for its commitment to sustainable practices

Tarkett has been recognised for its commitment to the environment at the Willmott Dixon Better Together Supply Chain Awards. The leader in innovative flooring solutions picked up the Sustainability award. This award acknowledges the supply chain partner who works closely with Willmott Dixon to deliver sustainable initiatives across its project portfolio. Committed to “Doing Good. Together.” Tarkett’s has an eco-innovation strategy that is based on Cradle to Cradle® principles and promotes the circular economy, with the ultimate goal of contributing to people’s health and wellbeing, and preserving natural capital. One of the key reasons Tarkett was chosen as the winner for the award was for its Restart® Programme. The initiative is dedicated to the collection of post-installation and post-consumer flooring, with the aim of recycling and reusing it as a new resource. The award was collected on behalf of Tarkett by Mark Burton, Key Account Manager – National Frameworks. Simon Rogers, Marketing Director at Tarkett, commented: “Our aim is to create a future for all, where people and the planet prosper. To achieve this, we have developed a circular economy methodology whereby we responsibly source materials, combat global warming and improve indoor air quality and wellbeing through our products. Being recognised for our commitment to sustainable practices highlights the good we are doing and our positive impact on the environment.” For more information about Tarkett’s sustainability credentials visit https://professionals.tarkett.co.uk/en_GB/.

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UK’s largest geothermal housing development taking shape in Nottinghamshire

A village in Nottinghamshire is taking a major step into the future of ecological house building with the construction of two innovative eco-estates. Constructed by Gusto Homes, the two estates; Collingham Park and Collingham Brook are at the cutting edge of green residential development. Thought to be the largest housing development in the UK to be heated using geothermal energy, Collingham Park is a residential development with 60 retirement apartments and bungalows. Using geothermal energy from 32 boreholes reaching 120 metres underground, the technology will cut resident’s energy bills by around 75%. The adjacent site, Collingham Brook offers 45 properties including spacious three and four bedroom passive solar homes. The houses at Collingham Brook, which are triple glazed and super insulated, generate the majority of their energy from rooftop solar panels, which provide free electricity for heating and hot water. Gusto Homes has previously used their passive solar homes designs at its acclaimed Woodlands Edge development in Lincolnshire, where 29 eco-homes have been built around private woodland near Lincoln, including homes which cost just £1 per day to run. Chief Executive of Gusto Homes, Steff Wright said: “Over twenty years, Gusto Homes has been at the forefront of eco-home construction, but this is one of our most ambitious green projects to date, with an entire community benefiting from geothermal energy. “The technology we’re using to create this estate is game-changing, and it has the potential to transform the way homes are built in the future as we try to cut our emissions, reduce our impact on climate change and cut the energy costs for our homebuyers. Gusto Homes has used geothermal heat pumps in custom and self-build projects for several years, but never across an entire housing development on this scale. Using this natural, renewable energy, people living here will be able to enjoy high-quality homes with very low energy bills and a minimal carbon-footprint. “Since we started designing and building eco-homes two decades ago, we’ve been the first to use many technologies and techniques which are now used across the country; if the technology we’re using in this development becomes just as widespread in future, it would make a dramatic difference in the impact new housing has on the environment.” Collingham Park and Collingham Brook are adjacent developments in the Nottinghamshire village of Collingham near Newark. Both developments use cutting edge green innovations to deliver high quality energy-efficient homes for people who want to enjoy their leisure time in comfortable, stylish homes. Alongside housing, the developments will also include green spaces, a nursery, a gym, office space, business units, allotments and a local Men in Sheds building which older men and women can use to develop their wood-working and other practical skills. The geothermal boreholes at Collingham Park are being drilled by Nicholls Boreholes; the only firm in the UK to be fully MCS accredited for the design, drilling and installation of ground source heat pumps. Drilling Manager for Nicholls Boreholes, Tim Holland said: “While this is the largest scale project we’ve worked on, geothermal technology is surprisingly straight forward, reliable and efficient: Essentially, pipes carry very cold water deep underground, where the natural heat of the earth raises the water’s temperature. The water loops back up to the surface where a heat pump extracts the heat energy using a process that’s similar to that of a household refrigerator. For every kilowatt that it takes to power the heat pump, it produces up to four kilowatts of energy which means it can cut your heating bills to just 25% of the rate you’d normally pay. “Ground source energy is a big outlay, but it quickly covers its cost through green energy production and through the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) so all big developments should be using this technology so they can use renewable heat from the ground. While gas and other fuels won’t always be there and wind and solar energy isn’t as reliable in the UK as in other countries, the heat in the ground will always be there and it’s certainly the way we should be looking. “It’s great that Gusto Homes is using one of the most efficient renewable energy sources available in this country; they’ve committed to a good and efficient system which will provide green energy for many many years to come.” You can find out more about Gusto Homes and its Collingham Park, Collingham Brook and Woodlands Edge eco-home projects at www.gustohomes.co.uk.

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How to effectively manage hazardous waste in your business

If your company produces hazardous waste at any point, then it is your responsibility to make sure there is a viable waste management system in place to deal with it. Failure to do so can result in damage to the environment and harm to human health. Hazardous waste can be liquid, solid, sludge, or even contained gases. Whatever form it takes, there is a risk that it could contaminate groundwater and surface water supplies. This in turn can present a threat to human and environmental health. As a result, the UK government has outlined strict requirements for the monitoring and managing of hazardous waste. The following guide serves to help you plan a suitable waste management system for your hazardous waste. We’ve teamed up with 8 yard skip supplier Reconomy, who are experts in managing all types of waste, to provide this overview: Types of hazardous waste The most common types of hazardous waste are: construction, demolition, industry, and agriculture. There are many different examples of hazardous waste, including but not limited to: asbestos, batteries, brake fluid, printer toner, pesticides, solvents, oils, and ozone-depleting substances (such as those found in some fridges). If your company produces or stores these types of materials, then the duty of care and responsibility for these materials falls on you. The first stage of effective hazardous waste management is to identify what the substance is. This should then be stored separately from your general waste, as well as any other types of hazardous material. Safe storage Of course, the first aim of hazardous waste management should be to reduce the amount of hazardous waste that your company produces. But for any that is unavoidable, it should be stored and labelled clearly so that anyone on-site knows what it is. To prevent contamination, waterproof covers should be used to prevent any run off. Each type of hazardous waste should be stored separately, and for liquid waste, barriers or bunds should be used to prevent leakages or spills. For the duration of these materials being stored on-site, regular checks should be carried out to ensure the containers are not damaged or leaking. Keep a classified inventory of the hazardous waste on-site as well, so that if an incident does occur, you have information available for the emergency services. Record-keeping Hazardous waste needs to be accounted for when it is collected, so your business will need to fill out a consignment note. This note needs completing before the waste is collected. A consignment note is required for: A consignment is not required for: Details for the consignment note To correctly fill out your consignment note, you need to accurately detail the following: With the note filled out, you then need to pay the fee. For England and Wales, the fee is £10 per collection, or £5 per collection within a milk round. For Scotland and Northern Ireland though, the fee is usually £15.

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