Green Accounts Document Lower Co2 Emissions

The plastics manufacturer Faerch Plast in Holstebro, Denmark, has just published its 13th Annual Green Accounts. Electricity from hydroelectric power stations in Norway and recycled plastic are two of the initiatives that have reduced the company's environmental impact.

Results in 2008

Recycled Scrap Bottles

Green certificates for 10,000,000 kWh of electricity production from hydroelectric power stations, using recycled materials made from scrap bottles, and reducing the average weight of our products, are three significant initiatives that were implemented in 2008. They are all measures that benefit the environ-ment and represent a big step towards realising the company’s ambitious five-year environmental objective: To have the least environmental impact of all companies within the worldwide plastic packaging sector by 2013.

Green facts

Cutting 35% of Power Consumption

“Since 1996 we have cut our power consumption by 35 per cent. The figures speak for themselves. Every time we acquire new equipment, it is chosen on the basis of the ‘best available technology’ to ensure that we continually move closer to achieving our environmental objectives,” says Henning Sandal, Technical Director at Faerch Plast. “On the other hand, the volume of plastic waste has increased slightly. However, we have already taken steps to address this. The good thing about green accounts is that you can see what is good and what isn’t, and then act accordingly to improve matters.”

Clear objectives ensure clear results

More than ten years ago, Faerch Plast started focusing on the environment, and it was accredited according to the ISO 14001 environmental standard in 2004. The accreditation means that an environmental management system has been introduced which ensures environmentally friendly operations. “Our environmental policy has become part of the company’s mission and our culture. Clear and tangible targets ensure that we protect the environment, and will continue to do so,” says Henning Sandal. Ambitious environmental targets have now been drawn up for 2009, where the company will have even lower co₂emissions thanks to doubling the purchase of electricity from hydroelectric power stations, and we will also concentrate fully on reducing our materials consumption. Faerch Plast expects to achieve a 30% reduction in materials consumption by 2013 at the latest.

Ambitious environmental targets

Prior to 2013, Faerch Plast expects to meet the following environmental demands;

• We will use energy supplied by 100 per cent renewable sources.

• We will reduce the weight of production items by 30 per cent.

• We will challenge our suppliers to reduce their energy consumption by 20 per cent.

• We will deliver a sustainable and heat-stable material for microwave oven products.

• We will have the lowest CO₂ emissions (carbon footprint) in the plastics packaging industry worldwide.

• We will encourage and drive the collection and recycling of all plastic packaging in each of the markets that we are represented.

• We will recycle materials where this is technically possible, financially cost-effective, and where the integrity of our products is retained.
  

You can download the complete green accounts from the Faerch Plast website: www.faerchplast.com.

Link to green accounts:

http://www.faerchplast.com/pdf_regn/Annual%20green%20accounts%202008.pdf

For further information, please contact Pernille Moulvad at Faerch Plast on tel.: +45 99 10 10 10.