Major shopping centre reduces its charges
One of Northern Ireland’s premier shopping centres is sharing the
cost benefits of improved
environmental performance with its retail tenants.
Buttercrane Shopping Centre in Newry, County Down, is home to 60 retail businesses - including Marks and Spencer, Dorothy Perkins and Primark - and attracts some 5.5 million visitors each year.
The centre is committed to limiting its environmental impact and has reduced landfill waste by 25% by encouraging its tenants to recycle more. This has resulted in substantial cost savings which have been passed on to retailers in the form of reduced service charges.
The centre’s management team has provided retailers with additional recycling bins so that they can separate different types of waste. All cardboard packaging and plastics are now sold for recycling and wooden delivery pallets are turned into woodchip bedding for bloodstock stables.
The centre recently invested £15,000 in a baling machine in order to recycle waste on site. The cost of the machine and extra recycling bins will be offset within two years by money saved through recycling.
In addition, the management team has cut water usage by installing plastic ‘hippo’ bags in public toilet cisterns which save three litres of water per flush. It has also fitted passive infrared sensors that limit flushing in urinals to when the building is occupied.
In 2006 the centre implemented an environmental management system (EMS) with assistance from the cross-border STEM Project. This has enabled the management team to further assess and control the environmental impact of its activities and services.
A series of environmental training and awareness programmes for staff have been introduced as a result of the EMS. Retailers are also made aware of new recycling initiatives and their environmental obligations at tenant meetings and through regular memos.
“We aim to continually improve our environmental performance through the support and involvement of all our employees and tenants,” said Peter Murray, general manager of the Buttercrane Shopping Centre.
“Increasing the amount of recycling we do and reducing our waste disposal costs have resulted in real financial savings for the centre. We have been able to pass some of these cost savings on to our tenants in the form of reduced service charges, so they have benefited financially as well.
“We have also been able to invest in a bailing machine and additional recycling receptacles for tenants as a result of savings made. Reducing waste also means that we are doing our bit to help preserve the environment for generations to come.
In 2006 Buttercrane Shopping Centre was recognised for its green achievements when it picked up a special environmental accolade at the Newry Business Awards.
“Increases in landfill charges and ever more stringent environmental legislation will force all of us to recycle more in future,” added Peter. “Businesses should see this as an opportunity to reduce their costs as well as limit their impact on the environment.”
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