UK Mail & the environment
Introduction:
The welfare of the planet is as important to us as our commitment to customers and prices. This means considering the environmental impact of every part of our business from the vehicles we drive to the waste we dispose of.
Fuel efficieny & carbon management:
Adopting an efficient trailer design with a sloping front double-decker trailer has dramatically reduced the fuel consumption of our towing vehicles cutting Co2 emissions by up to 25 tonnes per year. A total of 69 trailers of this design are now utilised throughout our fleet reducing UK Mail’s Co2 emissions by an estimated 1,656 tonnes per annum. This initiative has been recognised throughout the transport industry and contributed to us winning both Green Fleet and EAST industry awards.
Our forklift truck fleet includes 52 electric trucks providing potential savings of a further 629 tonnes of Co2 per annum. Plans to change another 23 vehicles from diesel to electric will result in additional savings of 276 tonnnes of Co2 each year. The recent upgrade of our vehicle fleet's fuel systems to a time-plan system is already demonstrating tangible results with significantly improved mile per gallon figures for sites across the network.
We have also installed aerodynamic vehicle air kits upon our network fleet. This has had the effect of improving manufacturers’ vehicle fuel efficiency by up to 10%. A consultancy project is also underway with a tyre manufacturer to further maximise efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
Two exciting new trials are currently underway to further minimise fuel consumption. The first involves testing eco-friendly fuel additive, Envirox, a fuel combustion catalyst which is scientifically and commercially proven to reduce fuel consumption and hence harmful exhaust emissions. The second involves testing an innovative and previously untried system which also operates on the principle of targeting emissions reductions.
Our company car drivers are now being limited to choose cars giving a maximum of 165g per km.
Biofuels:
All of UK Mail’s diesel vehicles are capable of using bio diesel in order to reduce our corporate carbon footprint. However, we also recognise that concerns have been raised about the potential pitfalls of widespread biofuels usage. Significant questions remain around their overall environmental benefits and effects on the developing world. We are watching these developments closely, so that we can make the best decision for our business, our customers and the environment in the long term.
Our commitments:
UK Maill's Fuel and Energy Manager is directly responsible for implementing the following carbon reduction initiatives:
- Reviewing and managing MPG (miles per gallon) and tyre pressure
- Improving driver training regarding better fuel utilisation
- Optimising route planning to reduce wasted mileage and improve fuel efficiency
- Replacing diesel forklift trucks with electric forklift trucks
Site energy management has been controlled via the following actions:
- Better use of energy is made at each UK Mail site
- Implemented a new "close down" procedure at night whereby all staff switch off lights, computers and air conditioning before leaving the office
- Commitment to achieve a Co2 reduction of 629 tonnes this year
UK Mail has also launched imail, an innovative desktop to doormat mail solution that allows customers to send physical mail directly from their computers to any address in the UK. This will have a positive impact in reducing Co2 emissions by more than 80% as it removes the requirement of having to make a physical collection from customers with the letters also being printed as close to the delivery area as possible..
Waste management
Reducing waste is a focal point for us and we remain committed to minimising the environmental impact of the waste we produce. We follow the philosophy of “reduce, reuse, recycle”: reducing the amount of materials we use in the first instance, reusing wherever possible, and recycling any waste.
Our commitments:
- Putting in place a target to reduce our landfill by 50% by spring 2009
- Replacing existing 140 copiers to eliminate use of printer cartridges
- Introducing new product packaging to achieve 10% reduction in plastic usage
- Have extended the "Shred It" trial that has already delivered 11 tonnes over 3 months at 6 sites
- Achieving ISO 14001 accreditation status
Click here to read our full CSR policy
