Farnell’s innovative biodegradable packaging wins its third Environmental and Sustainability Award

Sept. 28, 2010 - PRLog -- In just six months Farnell, the leading multi-channel distributor, has won three awards for its unique biodegradable packaging. The innovative new packaging first collected the Environmental Product/Service of the Year at the UK’s Sustainability Live Environment and Energy Awards. This has been followed by the Green Organisation’s Green Apple Award for Environmental Best Practice and Contribution to Sustainability and the Electronic Product Design Magazine’s e-Legacy Award.

The Green Apple Awards recognise leading innovations in solving environmental issues and creating best practice. The Green Organisation is non-political and non-activist, dedicated to impartially identifying environmental best practice. The e-Legacy Awards are dedicated to real solutions to the pressing problems facing the electronics industry and the world around us today. The Contribution to Sustainability Award encourages the sustainability of the Earth’s resources and recognises a company programme that encourages the sustainability of electronics and electronics manufacture and raw materials.

Farnell’s biodegradable bags were recognised for the scale of the impact that they can have, and for the integration of the solution into the company’s core business.

The packaging, which is capable of breaking down in an industrial composter, or dissolving simply in hot water, uses patented technology, exclusive to Farnell, to fully biodegrade without releasing any harmful chemicals into the environment, while offering the same level of component protection as standard static dissipative bags.

Commenting on the wins, Paul Horton, Director of Supply Chain Farnell Europe, said: “we are absolutely delighted with this third recognition provided to Farnell by these industry-leading awards. Farnell is committed to sustainable business, we recycle over 80% of our own waste in the UK, and we are working to extend that commitment and assist our customers in reducing the waste that they send to landfill.”

With plans already in place to roll out the new packaging to its warehouses in Asia and the US, Farnell have also offered the packaging available for sale to electronic design engineer customers via its 40 global websites and are leveraging relationships with leading component manufacturers for them to use this environmentally-friendly alternative.

In addition, the product is now undergoing further development by the company to understand how the material can be used to support our industry in the future and reduce the impact that the electronics industry has on the environment. To make this achievement even more exciting, the Green Apple award means that Farnell are eligible to represent the United Kingdom in the European Business Awards for the Environment later in the year.

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Farnell is the leading multi-channel, high service distributor of electronic components, electrical parts, industrial and maintenance, repair & operations products, supporting millions of engineers and purchasing professionals throughout Europe and Asia with the latest technologies. Farnell is celebrating 70 years, making a difference in the electronics industry in 2009. Farnell employs over 1200 people in more than 20 countries around the world and trades in over 100. With over 500,000 products in stock from over 3000 suppliers, our product portfolio continues to expand, offering our customers the very latest technologies.

Farnell is part of the global Premier Farnell Group, which works across geographic and business boundaries. Sharing these facilities and best practice Farnell distribute a huge range of electronic components, electrical parts and wholesale electronics.
For more information visit the Farnell web site at www.farnell.co.uk