Environmental Measures
As a manufacturer we take our responsibilities seriously and are continually looking at ways we can minimise our impact on the environment. Consideration for the environment continues to play a vital role in every aspect of our business, and we view sustainability as a fundamental value in everything we do.
We aim to continue reducing our environmental impact on a per-container basis. For this reason, we have set out the following key commitments to ensure we maintain an environmentally responsible company ethos.
Manufacturing Measures
Our purpose-built manufacturing facility has been designed with the environment in mind, with features aimed at minimising our impact.
- Reduced consumption via energy-efficient lighting, heating and cooling technology
- Investment in servo-driven machinery to minimise our impact on a per-container basis
- Factory set amongst 600 newly planted trees to establish and maintain local wildlife
- Flood prevention via three purpose-built retention ponds and a natural surface draining car park
- For staff wishing to reduce car usage for the benefit of the environment, we have created a purpose-built cycle path leading to our factory
Waste Management
We view waste as a valuable resource and have instigated several measures to ensure we manage our waste responsibly.
- We collect all our discarded materials to ensure none of them ends up in landfill
- Up to 30% of our manufacturing waste is collected and used again for future use with any materials unable to be reused sent to UK based recycling plants for further use materials
- Closed-loop cooling systems collect water during tool changes to minimise consumption
- Member of Operation Clean Sweep – initiative for reducing plastic pellet loss to the environment
- ISO 14001 certification achieved for responsible environmental management systems
Reuse, Recycle, Reclaim
We continually look to reduce unnecessary waste and minimise single-use behaviours. We ensure only sustainable materials are used when packaging and transporting our products.
- We send our products in packaging materials made from sustainably sourced recycled and recyclable stock
- Our products are transported using multi-use reclaimed wooden pallets to minimise waste
- We have removed single-use disposable items in our factory and encourage multi-use alternatives instead
- Constant self-evaluation of all practices including a future change to multi-use noise-reducing earbuds and hair caps
- We gather waste cardboard, wood, and plastics and re-enter them into the recycling chain
View our 2024 Greenhouse Gas Report: DOWNLOAD HERE
Our 35% Recycled Standard
In April 2022, a new tax will come into force to increase the minimum level of recycled content in plastic packaging to 30%. As a responsible manufacturer and an established champion of recycled plastics, Spectra supports the new move and has already put measures in place for the new policy with the rollout of our new PCR35.
- PCR35 is a mandatory opt-out environmental initiative that sees 35% recycled content added to all the bottles we manufacture
- PCR35 helps reduce the amount of virgin materials used in manufacturing
- The use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials significantly reduces landfill dumping.
- PCR plastics don’t require any further depletion of new fossil fuels
packed with sustainability
committed to Zero to landfill
Amid sustainability concerns about the vast amount of manufacturing waste still being sent daily to the UK’s two thousand or so active landfills, We have made “Zero to Landfill” another goal in our quest to minimise our carbon footprint.
Our in-line granulators recycle plastic scrap or excess material during the manufacturing process. The machines grind the plastic into smaller pieces, feeding them into the separator filter system, removing contaminants. The shredded plastic can be recycled and reintegrated into the blow moulding process, reducing waste in line with Spectra’s Zero to Landfill Commitment.
We continue to implement gradual targets, whilst celebrating small, yet significant achievements. By gradually improving and fine-tuning our systems, we believe we can make a difference. To effectively implement such a commitment, we have had to ensure everyone is on board – from employees to those working within existing supply chains. This important pledge has helped change the way we look at waste.
