Plastics Anglian Water Plastics Pledge January 2020 Background We - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Plastics Anglian Water Plastics Pledge January 2020 Background We have had active interests in related areas to plastic for a number of years. Non-flushables and preventing sewer blockages has formed a core part of our pollution prevention
January 2020
We have had active interests in related areas to plastic for a number of years. Non-flushables and preventing sewer blockages has formed a core part of our pollution prevention
flushables. Beach and river cleans with a focus on litter removal have been part of our environmental programme since AMP 5. Catchment Management strategy – tackling pollution at source. Sector support Refill
Jan 2018 Blue Planet II Growing expectation from our staff and a narrative from our customers over what Anglian Water were planning to do.
i) Understanding the scale of the problem - working with partners across different sectors to calculate a baseline of the quantity and nature of plastics entering our region’s environment. ii) Forming a coalition with other businesses, manufacturers and retailers who make or generate plastics to find solutions to reduce their loss to the environment in our region. iii) Working with our customers to help them make changes in their homes to reduce their impact. iv) Working closely with our supply chain to eliminate single use plastic waste from our own activities.
Recognised early on that we needed to work with partners to understand the true scale of the issue. Wanted a regional ‘problem plastics’ baseline. Available data isn't very good! Very little exists at a regional level. Apportion national or European data.
0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 120.0 140.0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Plastic items (by type) found on East of England beaches 2009-2018
Floats and buoys Fishing gear Foam/ sponge/ insulation Drinks bottles Jerry cans Cigarette lighters/ tobacco pouches
Data source: MCS beachwatch data 2009-2018
217 - 549 tonnes clothing fibres released into the environment in 2018 178 tonnes wet wipes flushed in 2018 6,321 tonnes tyre wear released into the environment in 2018 55,482 tonnes plastic bottles placed on the market in 2018 55,482 tonnes plastic pots, tubs and trays placed
2018 Environmental impact Public awareness of problem Level of public support for action Risk of impact on AW operations Consequences of impact on AW Ability to influence stakeholders Effectiveness of national controls Practicality of reducing impacts
Wet wipes Cotton bud sticks Sanitary applicators Drinks cups & lids Cutlery Straws & stirrers Pre production plastics Agricultural plastics Cigarette filters Clothing fibres Plastic bottles Fishing gear Microplastics (clothes & tyres) Baseline to establish metrics. Metrics to be able to measure effectiveness of action taken.
Collaboration with other initiatives Quick wins & showcase best practice Play to the strengths of members Focus on areas not being addressed by Gov. Evidence led Lobbying Coordinate funding & initiatives
As part of our PR19 activity we asked our customers about what they would like to see us do on the issue of plastic. We also shared the top ten plastics to see what they thought. Right direction Proactive and commendable Aids our transparency Ambitious and modern Will AW contribution alone be enough? Aligns with what would be expected
Our Behaviours are the most complicated element so far. No disposable coffee cups and cutlery in canteens Reusable bottles and cups provided to all employees Staff keeping plastics diaries across multiple departments – common target areas Supply chain event planned early 2020 – set the challenge PPE options Working with the EA / Water UK to create
agreements to minimise plastic media loss from filters Events freebies and ‘give aways’ Company newspaper comes in paper envelope and not plastic Water cooler and vending cups all cardboard Plates not polystyrene Recycling practices Research
Prevent the equivalent of 4 billion plastic bottles ending up as waste by 2030. We will end the use of avoidable single-use plastics in our businesses and support the contribution which the public can make by providing water refill facilities and through education. Our ambition is to be world-leading in the role water companies can play in the wider campaign to cut down on plastic pollution.
lgilfoyle@anglianwater.co.uk