The amount of recycling that has been carried out by the coatings industry has reached record levels, according to figures released by the British Coatings Foundation (BCF). These records began seventeen years ago, and four times as much waste is now recycled than there was back at this point. In 1996, 50kg per tonne of production went to landfill, whereas now the figure is only 2.8kg per tonne.
There have not only been improvements in the way that waste has been reduced, but also in the way that it is managed. The industry as a whole has a commitment to the environment. This is reflected in the high levels of recycling that are now being seen.
The BCF has a Coating Care Programme, and it is through this programme that data is gathered. A variety of indicators from health, safety and environment are reported by almost forty member sites. Coatings Care Progress and Coatings Care Best Overall Performer awards are presented every year by BCF. These are presented to those sites that have made the biggest improvements.
Waste Paint and Recycling
A national project has been launched by the BCF to try and improve the management of waste paint downstream. In addition to the work it carries out in factories. The problem of waste paint was raised recently in a report that was presented to the House of Commons.
