As part of its environmental commitment to operate sustainably, GSD (General Soft Drinks) Marketing Ltd increased its reused and recycled waste from 76.2 per cent in 2013, to 80.3 per cent in 2014, to 92.7 per cent by June 2015. The waste reuse and recycling target for 2015 has been set at 94 per cent.
“As a company we have set ourselves environmental targets, promoting proper waste separation among our staff to increase our recycling rates and reduce waste which ends up being landfilled,” said GSD’s operations manager Peter Kristensen.
GSD Marketing honours its sustainability obligations through an extensive waste separation programme. The company also ensures that it continuously improves its environmental performance through its ISO14000 certification. GSD Marketing Ltd. is also governed by regulations stipulated at EU and local legislation, as well as The Coca-Cola Company’s waste compliance requirements.
“At GSD Marketing Ltd, we apply the waste hierarchy of control. This process ranks waste management options according to what is best for the environment. It gives top priority to preventing the generation of waste in the first place. It gives precedence to preparing it for reuse, then recycling. Landfill disposal is the last option,” Mr Kristensen said.
Using the European waste hierarchy, GSD Marketing Ltd applies the highest level of waste management by minimising waste generation through utilising innovative technology and design in its packaging.
The next preferred control in the hierarchy is reuse. GSD Marketing Ltd has implemented a strategy of sending back packaging material utilised for the importation of the raw materials back to the original suppliers for reuse.
Recycling, which is the third control within the hierarchy, is applied to the management of scrap PET bottles, plastic and stretch film, paper and cardboard, metal and broken wooden pallets. All recyclable waste is transported to authorised waste recycling companies. GSD Marketing Ltd is, in fact, part of the Green MT waste recovery scheme. A total of 135,410kg of waste has been separated and sent for recycling up to November this year.
The final and least preferred category in the European waste hierarchy involves the disposal and landfilling of waste. GSD Marketing Ltd reduced its landfilled waste by 70 per cent since 2013. Currently, GSD Marketing Ltd landfills only 7.3 per cent of its waste. This significant improvement was mainly achieved through the continuous education, monitoring and resulting awareness of all company employees.