SOUTH WESSEX WASTE MINIMISATION GROUP: 22nd June 2016, Merley House, Wimborne
MINUTES OF MEETING
- Present
(see attached)
- A potted History of the SWWMG (Tessa Bowering – secretariat to the SWWMG)
Tessa Bowering provided a summary of the history of the group which was set up in October 1996 with an initial seminar entitled Wastebusting for Profit. This seminar was attended by over 100 local businesses and from this a group was established with the help of the Environmental Technology Best Practice Programme (ETBPP – which became Envirowise). The late Mike Satchell from Merck chaired the group for the early years with the EA (Tessa) acting as the secretariat. The group now has over 350 member organisations.
The main aim of the group is to demonstrate the benefits of resource efficiency through the exchange of information and experiences.
Help business achieve reductions in waste arisings through the use of waste minimisation techniques
Provide businesses with updates on relevant legislation and raise awareness of other sources of help and information
Grow and expand to assist all organisations
Many of the businesses involved in the group have made substantial savings through implementing resource efficiency strategies.
Steve Armstrong (J&G Environmental) acted as the chair after Mike. Helen Toft, SWRAC, then took the helm and fronted the group for several years. Alan McInnes, from BV Dairy, chaired for a short time after Helen. Judith Ward, WasteWise, now leads the group. Work is co-ordinated through a steering group which currently consists of Mark Troughton from Eco Sustainable Solutions Ltd, Lynda Daniels from Green Business Dorset, Anna Frizzell from the RNLI and Rik Tennant from Blackmore Ricotech as well as Judith and Tessa.
For further details go to
- The 918 Coffe-Eco System: innovation in the coffee industry (Chanel Cornelius – 918 Coffee Company)
Chanel explained that 918 Coffee Company began trading in 2009 and is based in Semley, near Shaftesbury. The company offer the complete end of life coffee solution.
Coffee is the second largest traded commodity. The world consumes approximately 2.25 billion cups of coffee each day! This creates 500 billion cups each year and 500,000 tonnes of coffee grounds waste.
Realising there was an issue Justin Cornelius, over a 3 year period, developed the Eco Roaster which was the world’s first coffee powered coffee roaster.
The roaster is a new concept that will use waste coffee grounds to produce freshly roasted coffee to be consumed, collected and reused - creating a sustainable, environmentally friendly process that can be used by any sized company.
Once the coffee is consumed it is stored for collection. Fresh coffee and then delivered and the waste returned for processing in the eco-roast process to begin the cycle all over again.
Chanel then went on to explain the concept of the Coffe-Eco System.
The system tackles each of the individual waste streams associated with coffee production and consumption. These are:
•Coffee Grounds Collection
•Coffee Grounds Recycling
•Recyclable cup supply
•Waste cup collection
•Waste cup recycling
•Foil pack collection
•Foil pack recycling
•Eco roasted coffee production
Various partners are involved in the system – Simply Cups, bio-bean (get the collected coffee waste ready for the eco roaster)and terracycle (recycle the foil coffee bags).
The system works in 3 stages:
1)Used coffee grounds are collected in specially adapted re-used olive tins when coffee is delivered. Used coffee grounds processed ready for use.
2)Disposable cup recycling system: cups are collected when coffee is delivered. These are then collected from a central point by Simply Cups for recycling
3)Foil coffee bags are collected at the same time and sent to Terracycle for recycling
For further details go to
Or contact Chanel at or on 01747 228230
- Creating a Litter Free Coast and Sea (Natalie Poulter – Project Co-ordinator)
Natalie introduced the Litter Free Coast and Sea Campaign which sets to reduce the environmental, social and economic impacts of marine and beach litter and improve and maintain bathing water quality at source along the Dorset and East Devon coast.
The project is funded by Wessex Water to improve the quality of bathing water.
The project is coordinated by the Dorset Coast Forum. It has been set up for delivery through a partnership of local organisations.
Marine Litter Summit- came out of work on sustainable fishing. This was co-ordinated by the Dorset Coast Forum to raise the profile of marine litter and help identify ways in which it could be tackled. Litter Free Coast and Sea was developed as a result.
Dedicated website:
It is a co-produced movement with various organisations sitting on the working group – Jurassic Coast, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Dorset Waste Partnership, the National Trust, Natural England, The Green Blue etc.
Each of the campaigns has a clear call to action and there are 6 key messages that everyone can do to create a litter free coast and sea.
There is also a Business Award – for further details go to
Litter Free Coast and Sea has created this free award for all types of businesses along the Dorset and East Devon coast.Several businesses signed up already- need more! Specifically targetting Bournemouth. Have so far got a handful of cafes, coffee shops etc. midway through application, plus Bournemouth Borough Council have come on board to sign up their tenant businesses along the Seafront. All businesses welcome- simple to sign up. Aim is to make this kind of thinking the social norm for businesses across the Borough. Also moving wider across Dorset- Poole, Weymouth & beyond.
Some of the items include checking pipes and appliances for misconnections so that waste water is directed to sewage treatment and doesn’t end up going straight into our rivers and seas, installing fat traps in kitchen sinks or providing more bins for customers.
Other initiatives include Beach Care Groups, Pooo pin (the reason for the campaign was impact on bathing water quality- dog mess washes out into the sea, adding nutrients and damaging the water quality) and the 2 minute beach clean - 8 new stations across Dorset- Friars Cliff, 4x Bournemouth, 2x Studland, 1 at Bowleaze Cove (Weymouth). Very simple to use- grab a litter picker and a bag, spend 2 mins picking litter, take a photo & share on instagram & twitter, then pop rubbish in public bin and return litter picker. Hosted by local businesses, supported by the Campaign.
The next steps are:
•Litter Free Coast and Sea in Somerset
•Litter Free Dorset
•Catchment based work
•Continue to steadily grow the local community movement helping to create a Litter Free Coast and Sea
For further details please contact:
Natalie Poulter- Project Co-ordinator on 01305 221752
- Maximising Commercial Re-use: Good for people, planet and profit (Steve Sliney – Collecteco)
Steve explained that Collecteco are based in Bristol and have the main aim to maximise commercial reuse.
He explained the benefits of reuse in terms of environmental, social and cost.
Reusable items and materials that are collected enter The Chrysalis. The Chrysalis is a not-for-profit, social enterprise that is committed to reusing items and materials. Metamorphosis within The Chrysalis, sees otherwise unwanted products turn into valuable resources for charities, voluntary groups, schools, SMEs and a host of other good causes.
Steve provided an example from Bristol City Council. The Council had a clear out and over 3,100 items of furniture were handled, with…
•82% redistributed/reused, of which…
•74% (nearly 2,000 items) donated to not for profits
•26% went to SMEs mainly in the local community
•0% of waste went to landfill, with 17% of badly broken or obsolete furniture recycled and less than 1% going for energy recovery
•
For further detail about the company contact:
Steve Sliney
0117 244 3777
Or visit the website at:
- Sustainable Construction: How can we minimise waste? Local Case Studies and learning from Peppa Pig (Gary Wilburn – Director of Design and Sustainability: HPW)
HPW was established in 1986 with the aim of taking a sustainable approach to architecture and design. The unique approach to architecture goes beyond the traditional brief to design and build. They deliver intelligent solutions that integrate the end-user’s need with a building’s environment.
Their approach was to embrace sustainable development, implementing resilient, low impact design in order to secure a healthy future for people, homes and businesses.
Gary provided examples of the projects they have undertaken starting with a boathouse in the New Forest National Park. The build won a national award. Solar energy and hear is used from the lake. The turf roof contains 32 species from the New Forest. From the build there was only one piece of timber left as waste.
HPW built the Peppa Pig building at Paultons Park incorporating many sustainable features into the build. Reducing energy dependancy, wind catchers have been used extensively. Along with intelligent building management systems, they provide a passive ventilation system to the new facility.
A striking 10,000ft2 wildflower roof, rainwater harvesting irrigation system, full Sustainable Urban Drainage System, hybrid Glulam frame, locally sourced timber rain screen cladding, under floor heating and super-insulated shell, the building pioneers sustainable design and development. Locally sourced indigenous timber rain screen cladding has been used on the building and its wildflower roof has been planted with a variety of native vegetation and flowers from the surrounding New Forest National Park. The building also provides an educational message to all visitors.
Gary then explained a large scale project at Rushden Lakes which is a retail development. The build is in a mineral extraction area and is due to open in April.
In consultation with the Wildlife Trust and Natural England, HPW designed three net zero energy buildings.
30% of the energy used on the development will be renewably generated on site.
For further details about various projects go to
A trip by the group to Peppa Pig World was also offered – TB to follow up!
- Legal Update (Tessa Bowering: EA)
Tessa provided an update in regard to the Duty of Care and registration of waste carriers, brokers and dealers.
A revised Waste Duty of Care was published in March 2016 and can be obtained from the following link -
There is also a new campaign launched in April 2016 which is supported by the EA. Further details can be found at
The website has been developed to offer practical advice to businesses in meeting their Duty of Care Obligations under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
For details in regard to registration as a waste carrier, broker, dealer go to
Tessa’s presentation is available on the website at
- The Big Green Event (Lynda Daniels – Green Business Dorset)
Lynda Daniels provided details about the Big Breen Business Event to be held on 20th September 2016 at The Hilton Ageas Bowl in Southampton.
Designed to demonstrate how a simple shift in mindset can improve your processes, considerably reduce your running costs – and your environmentalimpact. We will show you how to make those all important changes, no matter how big or small
The organisers (Southern Sustainability and Green Business Dorset/Green Business Connection) have been involved in environmental management and sustainability for the past five years in the fields of renewable energy and hosted telecommunications. Organising conferences and networking groups in support of B2B Environmental Management education. The organisers are also studying the Ellen McArthur Foundation Circular Economy way of thinking.The Big Green Event was a natural progression of all the work that has been carried out to date and in answer to the needs of suppliers and experts and those organisations in need of support to meet the growing demand on them to run a more sustainable operation.
The event is FREE to attend if you register before 31st August 2016.
For further details go to:
- Reflections over the last 20 years
In recognition of the 20 year anniversary of the SWWMG some of the members provided some reflections of the benefits they have realised from belonging to the group.
Rachel Caines from BV Dairy has been involved with the group for the last 5 years and has found it most beneficial in the development of ISO14001 for the company. The dairy also use Elite Recycling for their recycling services from a connection with Vish through the group. Training need shave been sourced i.e. Wamitab qualifications and savings made through the Compressed Air Surveys advertised through the group. BV Dairy were also part of the Improve Your Resource Efficiency (IYRE) project and introduced sub-metering and double glazing as a result. They have also taken up with another company they met through the group, Luminaire, for a lighting survey.
Nigel Monks from Farrow and Ball explained how they have been involved with the group for over 10 years and now recycle 95% of their waste – in 2006 100% was landfilled!
The company pioneered one of the first waste exchanges through the group and have benefitted from meetings with NISP, Martock waste paper etc.
Mark Troughton from Eco Sustainable Solutions Ltd. explained he has been involved with the group for many years starting off as a new employee with Cobham. Mark has since worked for New Look, OCS Waste Services and Amy and been involved with the SWWMG with them all. Mark is now an active member of the steering group.
Finally Phil Hansen from Selex provided a very amusing presentation in regard to group membership and has found the SWWMG a most beneficial and useful organisation to be part of.
- AOB
Linda Bunting provided some information about the Wild about Poole event – for further details go to
The event is on Saturday 23rd July at Baiter Park, Poole Harbour.
- Date and Venue of next meeting:
Wednesday 14th September 2016 at Merley House, Wimborne