B&M Waste Services win Green Apple Award for Grand Central Stockport Recycling Success

A leading waste management company has picked up a prestigious environmental award for its work with the Grand Central Stockport retail, entertainment and leisure complex.

B&M Waste Services will receive its Green Apple Environment Award later this year in a glittering presentation ceremony at the Houses of Parliament.

The awards, now in their 20^th year, reward and promote environmental best practice in the UK and elsewhere in the world.

B&M won its Green Apple for a major waste management initiative it has implemented at Grand Central Stockport, where recycling has gone from zero to more than 85 per cent.

In 2013, Grand Central recycled 85.7 per cent, saving 42,796kg of carbon in the process – the equivalent of 36 trees or more than 9,000 car miles.

Following the opening of B&M’s £1million Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) facility in Trafford Park, Grand Central’s recycling levels will achieve 100 per cent this year.

B&M was appointed by CBRE Management Services which provides facilities management for Grand Central.

Prior to bringing on board B&M, Grand Central had sent all their waste to landfill. B&M initially carried out a detailed audit to determine the amounts and types of waste produced and then developed a comprehensive strategy covering general and food waste, cardboard, glass and dry mixed recycling.

As part of the initiative, B&M provided tenants with posters, stickers and other promotional literature to encourage segregation at source through informed information and training.

B&M has become a specialist in retail sector waste management and recycling working with a number of other leading retail centres including The Lowry and Manchester Fort, both in Greater Manchester.

Rob McIlroy, of B&M Waste Services, said: “We are delighted to have won a prestigious Green Apple award which recognises the fantastic results we have been able to achieve in a relatively short period of time.

“We provide Grand Central with a comprehensive reporting system endorsed by the organisation Carbon Footprint which details the amount of carbon saved, the equivalent number of trees and car miles and the amount of material reused for RDF.”

Susan O’Brien, Grand Central Building Manager, said: “The Green Apple award is recognition of the team effort involving CBRE, B&M Waste Services and all the management and tenants at Grand Central. Everyone is rightly proud of the contribution they have made to protecting the environment and improving sustainability.”

The Green Apple Awards, run by the Green Organisation, will be presented on November 10, and are supported by the Environment Agency, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Chartered Institution for Wastes Management and other independent bodies.