Forgemasters breaks record for recycling

Since starting work with waste management company Biffa ten months ago, the historic South Yorkshire company has introduced a separation system which enables significant volumes of rubbish to be recycled and certain waste products to be collected and sold on for re-use.

As a result, Forgemasters has achieved record recycling rates, diverting an average 815 tonnes of waste from landfill each month.

In addition, the business has earned around £50,000 in rebates from selling on waste including scale from furnaces, paper, cardboard and plastic.

Victoria Hinchcliffe, group environmental manager, said: “Diverting waste from landfill is very important to us as part of our efforts to reduce our impact on the environment as much as possible. We have made significant improvements since starting work with Biffa last year.

“The fact that Biffa has identified ways for us to get value from our waste in terms of rebate is an added bonus. We are really pleased with the results we have achieved in a relatively short space of time.”

The firm’s five-year contract with Biffa’s integrated waste management division began in April 2010 and three full-time Biffa staff are now permanently based at the 64-acre site, including a qualified chemist who tests potentially hazardous waste materials on-site to ensure they are disposed of properly. 

Ed Pigg, of Biffa, said: “Forgemasters can be very proud of its achievements to date. Heavy industry is not something people might associate with recycling but this goes to show what you can achieve. Sheffield Forgemasters is setting an example to all.

“In less than a year of working together we have not only reduced costs to the business but introduced a new source of revenue.

“That is our aim across all industries – to ensure waste is an asset, not a cost.”