Retail Giant Calls in the Raymond Brown Experts

Waste management experts at Hampshire-based Raymond Brown Minerals & Recycling have been sought out by supermarket giant Tesco to help improve its recycling rates.

The global retailer, which employs more than a quarter of a million people in the UK, asked RBMR to present at its Waste Forum to demonstrate ways of minimising waste sent to landfill from construction sites where new stores are being built and current ones refreshed.

Through its partnership with Tesco's main contractor ISG, RBMR has already provided recycling services at four of the supermarket's building sites throughout Hampshire and Berkshire, including the new 49,300sq ft store at Fareham.

Across the four projects, which also comprised the new Express store at Portsmouth, the Reading refresh and an extension to the main Andover store, RBMR achieved an impressive average recycling rate of 96.2%.

The goal now for the supermarket chain is to recycle 100% of waste generated from its building projects.

RBMR commercial waste manager Dwain Brice said: "We were extremely proud to be asked by Tesco to present at this Waste Forum. Tesco is one of the UK's leading businesses and is keen to make significant further progress in reducing landfill. We hope to be able to provide them with an invaluable service in helping them to further reduce the environmental impact of its building works and achieve 100% avoidance to landfill.

"The key to recovering the maximum reusable waste materials is to simply plan ahead. With communication and forward thinking throughout all stages of the project waste management options can be evaluated in order to reduce, reuse or recycle.

"With the cost of landfill tax rising from £56 a tonne to £64 a tonne on 1 April, it's becoming more and more important for businesses to reduce their waste sent for disposal in every way possible.

"We have significantly invested in pioneering technology at our recycling facilities, which, combined with our experience and expertise, has meant we have been able to achieve some remarkable rates of recycling."

The Tesco Waste Forum was held at the company's headquarters in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.