Product category:
Floor Coverings
News Release from: Kronospan
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 09 August 2007
Kronospan takes steps to reduce carbon
footprint
Kronospan, manufacturer of high-quality wood-based panels, has reached its highest ever levels of recycling, use of FSC timber and reclamation of waste that would ordinarily be sent to landfill.
Kronospan, the UK's foremost manufacturer of high-quality wood-based panels is leading the way in sustainable practices at its manufacturing plant based in North Wales Committed to improving environmentally friendly practices, Kronospan has reached its highest ever levels of recycling, use of FSC timber and reclamation of waste that would ordinarily be sent to landfill
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 17 Aug 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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Kronospan has a rigorous environmental assessment programme in place that constantly challenges working practices at the Chirk site, incorporating aspects such as the sourcing of materials, transport usage, the consumption of energy and levels of recycling.
Each of these is assessed in turn to gauge current environmental impact and to set new targets for improvement.
The programme has seen Kronospan set new industry standards.
One such example is the consumption of waste wood.
The company uses 350,000 tonnes of waste wood each year, most of which is packaging waste, which would otherwise have been landfilled.
Once landfilled, waste decomposes releasing methane, a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.
In addition, Kronospan is currently recovering over 95% of its own process waste.
This effort contributes to the targets set by the 1994 European Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste which challenges the UK to recover at least 60% of all packaging waste by December 31 2008.
Kronospan prides itself on sourcing all virgin timber from sustainable sources, and all of its products are FSC certified, guaranteeing that all raw materials are genuinely carbon neutral.
Following an evaluation of energy usage at the Chirk plant in 2001, overall consumption has been reduced by a quarter.
The main energy source for the production process is now a biomass boiler, with electricity generated through the use of turbines to produce additional heat as well as power to maximise the use of renewable energy.
The company has also assessed its transport links, with at least 90% of all lorries travelling to and from the Chirk site now carrying full loads at all times.
This is particularly important to Kronospan, because it impacts both on local residents and the global fight to reduce CO2 emissions.
These efforts alone have achieved a 30% reduction in journeys to and from the site in the last two years.
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