Uni-Blinds integral blinds manufacturer Morley Glass has added another dimension to its ‘three R’s’ waste reduction, re-use and recycling strategy by developing a partnership which gives a second life to the steel drums used by its IGU (insulating glass unit) sealant supplier.

The company has partnered with WasteCare, a unique recycling and waste management company that specialises in the disposal, recycling and recovery of industrial waste products. This enables the high quality 210 litre steel drums used by Fenzi to be reconditioned and re-used, rather than simply melted down for recycling.

WasteCare have agreed to buy the 40 post-use steel drums that Morley Glass go through every month and recondition them for re-sale. Once reconditioned, the steel drums are suitable for a number of potential uses.

Every penny generated by Morley Glass through the sale of the waste steel drums is going into the GreenVision initiative, a fund to support environmental and social improvement projects which was established by the company in 2021 as part of its post-consumer glass recycling scheme. GreenVision gives charities, schools, volunteer groups and individuals across Yorkshire and beyond an opportunity to apply for financial support for their initiatives, and so far, more than 180 grants have been awarded by the fund.

Ian Short, Managing Director of Morley Glass said: “Sustainability should be at the heart of every manufacturing business, and that includes continuously looking for ways to reduce waste. Recycling is vital to reducing landfill, but the process of taking a product back to its raw material state does have its own carbon footprint.

“Hence why re-use of waste materials is always a better option wherever possible, and we already do that with the wooden boxes in which our ScreenLine integral blind systems are supplied from Pellini. Hundreds of these are used by local schools for design and technology projects every month, as well as by young people taking part in the ground-breaking Creative Enterprise Challenge, where budding entrepreneurs are tasked with developing a new product and launching it within just five days.

“Given WasteCare’s expertise in being able to handle industrial waste materials, they have now enabled us to take a big step forward with our IGU sealant drums. As part of their reconditioning process, they are able to remove and dispose of the Visqueen linings and restore them to a standard which meets the same legal and safety requirements of a brand new steel drum.

“And the icing on the cake is the extra revenue this process raises for GreenVision. Our post-consumer IGU recycling process is generating ever greater volumes of cullet for the manufacture of new glass, which ensures there is always a healthy fund available for good causes to apply for. But the extra money raised from the sale of our steel drums is going to allow us to support even more projects which benefit the environment and local communities.”

Amongst those who have benefited from a GreenVision grant is Leeds based CATCH (Community Action To Create Hope), a youth charity formed of volunteers dedicated to making a positive difference in their local area. One part of their work involves preparing food parcels for those affected by food poverty, for which the volunteers grow their own fruit and vegetables where possible. A GreenVision donation funded the growing tunnels to help achieve this.

Other beneficiaries include ‘village in bloom’ groups, a vegetable-growing initiative in the village of Kippax near Leeds called Incredible Edible, and Huddersfield Royal Infirmary where GreenVision supported the development of a wellbeing garden. Larger charities have benefitted too, including Yorkshire Children’s Charity and Cash for Kids.

Find out more about GreenVision and the sustainability strategy of Morley Glass at www.morleyglass.co.uk.