Partnership leading the way in environmental waste management

Dec. 11, 2012 - PRLog -- With the help of their waste management company, ACM Environmental plc, Palmer and Harvey, the largest full range delivered wholesaler in the UK, is engaging with some of its own customers to help them not only reduce the amount of food waste they produce, but to follow best environmental practice in disposing of the waste.  

At their state of the art Hemel Hempstead site, Palmer and Harvey take back out of date food from some customers and then, by working with ACM Environmental, send the food waste to an anaerobic digestion plant.  Anaerobic digestion, which ACM Environmental uses with many of its clients, takes food waste and creates a source of renewable energy and a feedstock for agricultural fertiliser.

Palmer and Harvey is also segregating at source to achieve maximum recycling levels of food waste through the anaerobic digestion plant.  By using this method it avoids methane being emitted into the atmosphere.

Following recommendations made by ACM Environmental, Palmer and Harvey also single source segregate their two biggest recyclable materials, cardboard and plastic.  These materials are compacted into mill sized bales which are stored and removed only when there is a full curtain-side lorry load – by doing this, it not only cuts Co2 emissions by reduced transportation runs, but also allows the waste to avoid further processing and therefore achieves a better quality material for recycling.

All other recyclable material is captured in a dry mixed recyclable waste stream and compacted.  This allows for it to be recycled at a materials recovery facility.  By using a compactor, transport of waste is cut further leading, once again, to reduced Co2 emissions.

Through ongoing training, ACM Environmental continues to educate all at Palmer and Harvey on ways of ensuring general waste is kept to a minimum.  Both organisations believe taking a collaborative approach is the best way to achieve environmental best practice, something ACM strives to achieve with all its clients.  It is this approach that differentiates ACM from other waste management companies - equipping customers with the best environmental strategies so that together, we can reduce the impact businesses have on the environment.   All these measures have led to Palmer and Harvey achieving excellent Recycling levels of 92% of which 67% is recycled and 25% is recovered as renewable energy.

Speaking of the partnership, Andy Jacobs, Chief Executive of ACM Environmental said, “Our relationship with Palmer and Harvey is a prime example of two organisations working together to not only reduce the amount of waste produced, but to use best environmental practice to treat that waste.”

Gary Weatherhead, Group Risk & Safety Manager of Palmer and Harvey said, “Through our work with ACM, Palmer and Harvey have implemented environmental best practice and are delighted to have achieved such high recycling levels. Our clients can rest assured that they have a sustainable supply chain through Palmer and Harvey all the way down to the end point disposal.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

ACM Environmental plc

ACM Environmental plc is a ‘one-stop-shop’ for total waste management. They offer a range of services to proactively reduce the impact businesses have on the environment while cutting costs.

ACM Environmental’s expertise can help businesses meeting their corporate, social, and environmental responsibilities; and achieve the triple 'bottom line' benefit of people, profit, and the planet.

ACM Environmental has gained ISO14001 outside of existing accreditations of ISO9001, ISO18001, FBS Health & Safety Gold Award, Safe Contractor, IIP Green Apple Awards for Environmental Best Practice.

Palmer and Harvey

Palmer and Harvey is the largest delivered wholesaler and the sixth largest privately owned company in the UK, with an annual turnover of more than £4 billion.

The company has grown since its inception over 80 years ago through a mixture of organic growth and targeted acquisitions.

Palmer and Harvey is a thriving example of a business which is wholly owned by its current (75%) and former (25%) employees. Customer engagement, productivity and profitability are enhanced because employees share in the company’s success. Employee ownership underpins Palmer and Harvey’s unique culture and has played a key role in company growth over the past three years.

Palmer and Harvey has three symbol fascias – Mace, Supershop and Your Store (NI only) – with an estate in excess of 900 stores.

Originally founded in 1925 as a delivered wholesaler specialising in tobacco and confectionery, Palmer and Harvey has since broadened its wholesale offering and customer base considerably. Customers range from key grocery multiples to forecourts and independent retailers. The Company offers customers up to 12,000 lines spanning ambient (including alcohol), chilled and frozen products.