Environmental Policy
JANUARY 2020
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. WASTE AND RECYCLING
3. PURCHASING AND TRAVEL
4. RESOURCES
5. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND CHEMICALS
1. INTRODUCTION
a. Spilsby Town Council acknowledges that some activities may have an adverse impact on the environment and they can take steps to minimise those impacts. The Council continues to strive to make a positive contribution to protecting and enhancing the local and global environment through implementing the following measures:
2. WASTE AND RECYCLING
a. Reduce
● Non-essential documents and emails will not be printed.
● Disposable cups and food packaging will not be used where possible.
● Phone, e-mail or face-to-face discussions for communications will be used wherever possible to reduce paper use.
b. Reuse
● Wherever possible, the Council will try to find a second life for items through local charitable reuse schemes or donations to local voluntary organisations (i.e. furniture, computers, mobile telephones and other electrical goods).
● Scrap paper used on one side only will be used for printing internal and draft documents and for making note pads. Envelopes and stationery will be purchased as reused, packing will be reused where possible. Items that can be repaired will be so unless it has to be replaced.
c. Recycle
● Paper, cardboard, cans, plastic, glass, textiles, ink and toner cartridges, batteries and electrical equipment will be recycled whenever possible.
● Green and organic waste will be composted where possible.
3. PURCHASING AND TRAVEL
a. Purchasing
● The Council will purchase fairly-traded goods where available.
● The Council will buy organic, locally produced goods where possible.
● The Council will strive to increase the proportion of goods and serviced purchased which are less harmful to the environment, within financial limitations.
● Purchasing decisions will be based on the choice of materials or products that have the lowest environmental impact in production, transportation, use and disposal.
● The Council will influence its indirect environmental impacts by ‘greening' its supply chain, e.g. encouraging the supply chain to take up initiatives such as adopting environmental policies and providing environmentally friendly products.
b. Travel
● The Council will promote walking or cycling to local meetings.
● The Council will promote the use of public transport where possible.
● Car sharing will be encouraged where possible.
● The Council will strive to utilise vehicles with high fuel efficiency figures, low CO2 emissions and investigate the use of more environmentally friendly alternative fuels.
4. RESOURCES
a. Energy
● The Council will seek to minimise the use of energy in all activities.
● Standard light bulbs will be replaced with those that are more energy efficient.
● Lights and equipment will be switched on only when in use and not left on standby.
● Heating will be kept to a minimum and thermostats will be regularly checked to ensure that they are not set too high. New electrical goods purchased will be of the 'A' rating where available.
● Any new construction projects should conform to the highest sustainable design and construction standards possible within the available budget and will utilise reclaimed materials where possible.
● The Council will investigate the appropriate use of renewable energy and / or green energy supplier.
b. Water
● Water will be conserved where possible.
a. Biodiversity
● The Council will endeavour to protect, restore and enhance biodiversity.
● Where possible, native, wildflower friendly species will be used for planting schemes.
● To prepare for potential climate change impacts, drought tolerant species will be used wherever possible.
5. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND CHEMICALS
a. The Council will take all possible measures not to expose the environment to chemicals that can harm people or nature.