A* for recycling at AQA

AQA, the largest provider of academic qualifications taught in schools and colleges in the UK, who set and mark the papers for around half of all GCSEs and A-levels taken every year, are this month celebrating achieving a significant 99.6% recycling level. This has been achieved in partnership with the national waste management company Bagnall & Morris.

As part of AQA’s commitment to taking a role in promoting environmental best practice through reducing impact on the environment, the company sought out a like-minded recycling-led waste services company who is also fully accredited to offer a confidential shredding service.

As a charity, reliability and quality of service is important, as is a competitive price point, but mostly a commitment to minimising impact on the environment, which made B&M the perfect partner.

B&M Waste Services offer a total waste management solution, utilising the very latest in segmentation options to comply with Government Waste Regulations. B&M works with customers to ensure staff buy-in and training, recycles separated recyclable material and even generates energy from residual waste, all in line with the target of achieving zero waste to landfill.

B&M Secure Shredding introduce secure container solutions for storage of confidential materials and arrange a suitable collection schedule for shredding to BSIA standards by DBS checked operatives. The output of this service is shredded paper, which is 100% recycled.

On 1^st March 2015 B&M commenced working with AQA for all waste management and shredding services across three AQA sites in Manchester, Guildford and Harrogate.

Regular clearances of used paper which is classed as confidential utilise a secure bulk shredding service.

A total of fifteen various waste containers to collect
t mixed paper and card, cardboard only, confidential paper and residual waste were sited at the three AQA sites in Harrogate, Manchester and Guildford. B&M provided clear instruction and marketing materials to encourage staff at AQA to segregate accurately.

The first clear-out of paper took place during the first week of the contract. B&M Secure Shredding provided a team of operatives scheduled for 3 days to remove paper from the archive shelves in Devas St (Manchester), transport to Bromborough and shred to BSIA standards. B&M exceeded expectations by completing the work in 2 ½ days, during which time over 70 tonnes of material was shredded. All of which was sent to a paper mill for recycling.

The second clear-out quickly followed at AQA’s Guildford site where over 60 tonnes on material was confidentially destroyed and recycled

In total, the first month’s activity of confidential shredding, general/paper and card collections produced over 160 tonnes of recycled materials, with a diversion from landfill performance level of 99.6%.

Brenda Wilson, Services Manager at AQA said of the partnership “I am thrilled with the service we have received. The B&M team ensure everything runs smoothly through operating a tight-ship and is  well managed. My named contact at B&M is always on-hand, as little or as often as required, and nothing is too much trouble. And now we are reaping the rewards with a great service that fits with our Environmental impact targets.”

Paul Curtis, Director at B&M Secure Shredding “We are proud to work with such a forward thinking organisation. AQA are leading the way in environmental performance and we look forward to a long-standing relationship with them”

To find out more about these services or to get a free quote, fill out the quote form at the bottom of B&M Secure Shredding’s regular shredding service.