Grounded in the industry of hazardous and difficult waste management for the commercial sector, Acumen has grown to encompass all areas and types of waste management, from industrial to environmental. The waste management team at Acumen are keeping a close eye on interesting current developments in waste management in the retail sector.
Recently, plastic use within the retail sector has been cited as a prime source of non biodegradable waste in the environment, and resulting government legislation to ban free carrier bags has been the forerunner of many steps taken by environmental groups and businesses to cut the amount of unwanted plastic remaining in the environment and posing a threat to wildlife.
The Guardian newspaper now reports that retail giant Asda has taken the encouraging step of pledging to join the growing list of retailers who are reducing plastic packaging use where possible in their outlets.
Asda announced recently that they are aiming to reduce plastic “wherever they can”, and intend to reduce plastic packaging in their own-brand products by 10% within the next 12 months. Other measures Asda is planning include removing the 5p plastic carrier bag from all stores by the end of 2018, and introducing re-usable cups, and replacing plastic drinking straws with paper straws, in their supermarket cafeterias, by the end of 2019. Asda’s chief executive, Roger Burnley, commenting on this proposed reduction in plastics to be implemented as part of their waste management program, has also offered an assurance that wherever possible, reduction in plastics use will be accomplished faster than scheduled. Mr Burnley also commented that Asda intends to increase recycle-ability of plastics where eradication is not possible.
Waste management experts at Acumen provide waste management services with the very highest standards of integrity, and compliance, and are encouraged by this sign of increased responsibility from the retail sector, who are now taking steps to consider the environmental aspects of waste management.
