On the road to change UK cheese and dairy supplier Bridge Cheese is taking pioneering steps to drastically reduce the amount of PPE it sends to landfill sites. Managing director, Michael Harte, explains why. TIME IS NOW Here’s a bold statement. It’s my firm belief that any company which does not rise to the environmental and sustainable challenges now facing us will not exist in 10 years. Consider the facts. Latest confirmed government figures show that the UK generated some 43.9 million tonnes of commercial and industrial (C&I) waste in 2018, of which 37.2
50 I www.sandwichandfoodtogonews.co.uk
million tonnes (85%) was in England. The latest estimates for 2020 – covering England only – suggest this fell slightly to around 33.8 million tonnes but increased again to 33.9 tonnes in 2021. And of all the waste produced in the UK – household and commercial combined – some 50.8 million tonnes went to landfill in 2018. I don’t know about you, but I find those figures depressing. And the thought that we could continue to be so cavalier with the earth’s resources is terrifying. Landfill is, of course, just a small part of the picture when it comes to meeting our environmental responsibilities. Throw in our use of energy, petrol and diesel, plastics and everything else which the modern world has taken for granted for too long, and the picture becomes increasingly grim. The time to act has long since come.
DISPOSABLE SOCIETY Having worked in the dairy industry for more than 20 years, I know all too well that some things are done simply because that’s the way they have always been done. Take our use of PPE. It’s common practice for hairnets, beard snoods, face coverings, safety clothing and shoes to be sent straight to the tip or local incinerator, often after just one use. That’s hundreds of thousands of items being thrown away every single year without a moment’s thought. That’s why Bridge Cheese has been undertaking a thorough audit of its PPE use – and formed an innovative partnership to drastically reduce it. That decision arose when the contract for our coat laundering service came up for renewal. With sustainability in mind, we looked for alternative suppliers handling PPE in a more green or efficient way. Ultimately, we found an innovative partner organisation – Staysafe PPE – whose sustainability goals aligned with our own. They are now helping us make big changes to how much equipment we use and reuse, and