Top Stories

May 22, 2014

Circular Economy

Dell advances green packaging, closed-loop recycling

Technology giant Dell continues to raise the bar for the high-tech industry when it comes to innovative packaging choices and ground-breaking recycling initiatives. This week, its sustainability team is disclosing details about two specific industry “firsts”, both of which are the result of close, collaborative partnerships in its supply chain. First, Dell has become the second high-profile company to announce a deal with AirCarbon, an innovative plastic material from Newlight Technologies created by pulling carbon out of the air. Newlight, which last year got a $4 million grant from the US Department of Energy, also recently announced a relationship with US telecoms company Sprint, under which it is making “carbon-negative” iPhone accessories. In addition to the Newlight deal, Dell is turning to long-time manufacturing partner, Wistron GreenTech, to enable another big breakthrough: becoming the first company in the IT industry to earn a closed-loop recycling validation from UL Environment. Dell’s forthcoming OptiPlex 3030 All-in-One desktop computer will be the first to contain a minimum of 10 percent post-consumer recycled plastic, collected through Dell’s ongoing electronic-waste recovery processes. (Business Green)

Consumers

Tesco to remove checkout sweets in ‘healthy choice’ move

UK supermarket giant Tesco is to stop sweets and chocolates being sold at checkouts at its smaller stores in the UK in an effort to help customers make healthier choices. The supermarket said it would take away confectionery from near its tills by the end of the year after conducting research into the issue. Larger Tesco stores stopped selling sweets at checkouts 20 years ago. Public Health Minister Jane Ellison welcomed the move, saying it would help tackle obesity and ill health. Tesco says its research found about two-thirds of customers questioned said removing confectionery from checkouts would help them make healthier choices. Tesco chief executive Philip Clarke said: “We all know how easy it is to be tempted by sugary snacks at the checkout, and we want to help our customers lead healthier lives. We’ve already removed billions of calories from our soft drinks, sandwiches and ready meal ranges… and we will continue to look for opportunities to take out more.” Katie O’Donovan, of parenting website Mumsnet, said Tesco’s move was “positive” and would make life “that little bit easier”. (BBC News)

Supply Chain

Asian Agri to stop sourcing from illegal plantations

Asian Agri, one of Indonesia’s major crude palm oil (CPO) producers, has announced that it will only source from farms with legal documentation, in line with its commitment to become a sustainable and environmentally-friendly CPO producer. The company announced that it will be implementing a policy that requires all suppliers of its oil palm fruits, including independent farmers (not including small-scale “plasma” farmers) and other third-party oil palm fruit suppliers, to provide legal documents covering their freshly harvested fruits. The policy is part of the company’s effort to prevent encroachment of natural and protected forests, stop illegal oil palm plantations and build a sustainable supply chain. Overseas buyers, especially in Europe, will increasingly only buy CPO products that are sourced from plantations that are certified as sustainable. The certification is given to companies that can, among other things, prove that they are not operating in forest conservation areas and causing deforestation. (Jakarta Post)

Environment

Homeworking holds key to carbon reduction for businesses, report finds

Increasing the numbers of employees working from home could save up to £3 billion in energy costs for UK businesses, reducing over three million tonnes of carbon emissions nationwide. A new report released by the Carbon Trust indicates that homeworking can significantly reduce office energy consumption and rental costs, as well as additional CO2 emissions created by employees when commuting. Advances in technologies such as smartphones and cloud computing means it is now all the more feasible, with the report revealing a significant increase in homeworkers to over four million out of a 30 million-strong workforce. “Homeworking is on the rise, with numbers increasing by over half a million since 2007,” said the Carbon Trust’s managing director of advisory Hugh Jones. “This new research shows that in the right circumstances, it has the potential to be expanded significantly and be a win-win for business and the environment.” (Edie)

 

300 firms leaving Beijing to reduce smog in capital

Beijing will move 300 heavy polluters out of the capital before October to reduce smog and speed up industrial reform, according to authorities. The companies, which have high water and energy consumption, include construction material and furniture manufacturers. “These factories and companies will be relocated in nearby cities or regions after technology upgrading and product restructuring,” said Zhang Boxu, director of the Beijing Commission of Economy and Information Technology. Beijing authorities say 288 enterprises were moved out of the capital in 2013, helping the city to cut sulfur dioxide emissions by 7,000 tons. They are now also drawing up guidelines to encourage polluting enterprises to move out, whilst cracking down on illegal plants that cause pollution. (China Daily)

 

Image source: Smog over Beijing’s Forbidden City by Brian Jeffery Beggerly / CC 2.0

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