“The patented design has seen the sunken lip into which the lid fits… (on normal cans) …Instead the lid fits directly on to the top of the can, avoiding people damaging the can when they open it, making is easier to close and reducing the metal content by 10%.”
So far only Fired Earth’s new range of National Trust based paints will be packaged in the Ringo tins, but it is hoped that other paint manufacturers who already use metal cans will start using the Ringo too.
The distinctive teardrop shape creates a full-length curve over the whole roof, which minimizes drag and therfore environmental impact. This dramatically improves the aerodynamics and means a 10 percent saving on fuel and a reduction in CO2 emissions of 100 tons a year for the fleet compared with standard curtain-sided trailers.
Sustainability and the environment are very important to us and TDG have worked hard to help us reach our targets.
The introduction of these aerodynamic trailers is another step in the right direction and is a part of our Step Towards Greener initiative. We will continue to work together to ensure we can further minimize the impact of our transport. Added Roger White, Business Improvement Manager at TDG: “We are committed to supporting Dulux’s environmental agenda, not only with these vehicles, but also with our other initiatives, such as recovery of cardboard and polythene waste.” The new trailers will be used on UK operations from Goole and Stowmarket.
Going Green is packed with practical advice and information on how to go green in the different areas of your life. Chapters cover going green at home, in the kitchen, in your beauty regime, at work and when travelling. It also tells you how to calculate your carbon footprint, how to cut back on waste and do more recycling and how to be more efficient with energy use. One chapter is devoted to simple and cheap tips to start you changing the way you live.
Author Cora Lydon is passionate about this topic, and believes that if everyone made just one small change we’d be a step closer to saving the environment.
Published by Need2Know – the imprint of People’s Publisher Forward Press that focuses on overcoming real life problems – Going Green – The Essential Guide is the 50th in the series and is available now from the Need2Know website. The book is also available through Amazon and all good bookshops.
Research has shown that tenant satisfaction is strongly linked to the appearance of social housing, as attractive, colourful and well maintained community areas encourage individuals to take pride in their homes and neighbourhoods, promoting cooperation and community spirit within a population. In fact, according to a recent survey of 27,000 social housing tenants from across the country by the Tenant Service Authority (TSA)*, 81 per cent of tenants listed repairs and maintenance as the top issue that they expected their landlord to get right.
As the market leader in the paints and coatings arena, Dulux Trade is ideally placed to help LAs, HAs and RSLs transform their housing stock and provide attractive and colourful public areas that help to inspire cohesive communities and maximise tenant satisfaction levels. It is therefore launching the ‘Transforming Communities’ campaign – a chance for providers of social housing to win a Dulux Trade transformation for a community area at one of their properties. From a youth centre to a communal garden, all nominated projects will be considered.
Three projects will be selected to receive a Dulux Trade transformation, worth up to £2,000, and the remaining seven shortlisted entries will receive £100 in Dulux Decorator Centre vouchers to put towards their own Dulux Trade transformation – all helping to create colourful communities that tenants can be proud of.
For a chance to win a Dulux Trade transformation, LAs, HAs and RSLs should nominate the area that will make the biggest difference to tenants’ lives, by completing the following sentence in 50-100 words: ‘Our project needs a Dulux Trade transformation because…’ Entries can be submitted by post, along with a photo of the nominated area, to ‘Transforming Communities’, Tangerine PR, Giant’s Basin, Potato Wharf, Castlefield, Manchester, M3 4NB. Alternatively, entries can be submitted online, before 5pm on 30 September 2009.
Projects will be judged on originality, community involvement and the benefit the transformation will bring to the residents, and will need to include the use of paint in the transformation. The renovation work will need to be completed in late October 2009, so access to the area at this time will be crucial.
Shortlisted entries that meet all of the above criteria will receive a site visit at the beginning of October, after which the winning location will be chosen and the Dulux Trade transformation will begin. A range of PR activities will also support this initiative, so winning projects will benefit from great publicity opportunities for the nominating LA, HA or RSL.
* Tenant Service Authority ‘National Conversation’, June 2009
Blake is best known for the cover artwork on the Beatles’ ‘Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ album. He decorated a paint can with an ‘I love recycling’ design to support Norfolk’s work in informing consumers that empty paint cans are fully recycled.
Norfolk has been collecting paint cans for recycling since manufacturer Impress approached it earlier in the year as part of its goal to increase the amount of metal packaging that can be converted back into new packaging.
The sector hopes the rest of the country will follow suit but says paint cans suffer because they are currently classified as ‘not widely recycled’ because of the product it contains.
Nick Mullen, director of the Metal Packaging Manufacturers Association, said it was a confused situation where the product, rather than the packaging, was determining the on-pack logo. “I don’t know of any other case where a pack has been declared as not recyclable because of the product.”
Mullen hopes that more councils will follow Norfolk’s example because the used paint cans could be completely recycled. “The issue is how householders dispose of the product, but if we can get more local authorities doing what Norfolk has done, then at least we can get into the ‘check recycling locally’ category.”
For more on the metal packaging sectors concerns about recycling logos on paint cans, click here.
The trade range of Ecosense paints launched in 2008 boasted a 30% reduction in the carbon and water footprint, whilst “The newly launched Ecosense range is aimed at retail customers. It has a carbon and water footprint half those of the standard emulsion, contains minimal VOCs and its production generates 40% less waste.” This is thanks in part to a reduction in the amount of titanium dioxide used.
Ecosense paint is also less odourous than other paints and the containers are “…lighter and easier to clean. For Ecosure, they contain 25% recycled plastic. Rolled out across all products this should save 140 tonnes of plastic and 270t of carbon dioxide annually.”
Dulux are also working to establish a take-back scheme for trade customers and, through trials with Carillion (one of their largest customers), have redesigned brush-washing machines so that the water is recycled.
The ENDS Report, Issue 421, February 2010, pp.29-30.
The scheme was officially opened by Councillor Bob Wellington who presented the Chair of CoStar, Mrs Evelyn Winfield with a cheque for £4732 on behalf of Awards for All Wales. The funding has enabled CoStar to purchase the container and equipment necessary to set up the project. The launch was also attended by Martin Pearse of Community Repaint and CoStar Trustee Tom Matthews (pictured). Also pictured are Lynne Howles and Lorraine Hicks of CoStar.
The Repaint Project is based at the Threepenny Bit Community Hall in Greenmeadow, Cwmbran. The Community Hall has recently had a makeover and is now open again for community use. It is hoped that the local community will make use of the paint available and the services at the Community Hall.
Gerry Nelson, from the Calverton Miners Welfare Trust, accepted the first tin of paint from Don and the launch was also attended by Councillor Richard Butler, Amy Roberts and Ashleigh Salmon from Veolia Environmental Services, Alice Stechly and Helen Lester from Nottinghamshire County Council and Katie Wilson from RCAN (Rural Community Action Nottinghamshire).
The first scheme to join the network this year, Community RePaint Cambridgeshire will collect residents’ unwanted paint via the six household waste recycling centres run in partnership by Cambridgeshire County Council and the waste management company Donarbon. Third-sector organisation, CCORRN (the Cambridgeshire Community Reuse and Recycling Network) will then redistribute the paint to local charities, community groups and those in need.
The scheme looks set to be very popular as Nikki Di Giovanni, CCORRN Programme Manager, explained “We already have a waiting list of people wanting paint – from schools to play groups, to people who are unemployed and just want to do up their house.”
The network re-distributed more than 215,000 litres of leftover, reusable paint across the country in 2010, to projects such as the makeover of the children’s ward at Newham University Hospital, London, which was carried out by young people participating in the Prince’s Trust Team Programme.
“As part of the programme the team choose a project that will have a long lasting benefit for the community and then set about raising funds to make it possible,’” explained Team Leader, Ben Adefisan, “By using paint from our local Community RePaint scheme we were able to create a bright and welcoming environment for the children on the Rainbow Ward and still have money for the other materials that we couldn’t otherwise afford.”
Community RePaint, which has been sponsored by Dulux since 1993, also brought colour to the lives of individuals, such as Andy*.
“Andy is a 41 year-old man suffering from mental health problems, who, for a number of reasons, no longer felt safe in his home, but could not afford to move,” said Community RePaint’s Manager Martin Pearse. “We were able to help him to re-decorate his flat and improve his living conditions by supplying paint that would have otherwise ended up in landfill.”
In 2010 Community RePaint:
• Collected 316,641 litres of paint
• Re-distributed 215,848 litres of paint
• Saved 561 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of taking 190 cars off our roads
• Provided 132 volunteer and 112 training opportunities
Sue Brighton, Environmental Projects Manager added that, “Dulux is pleased to continue the long term sponsorship of the Community RePaint network and shares its vision to touch the lives of many individuals and communities in such a positive way through paint.”
