Section 2 i) Initial Research Work - Gewerbliche Schule Ravensburg

Due to these measures the company has already made the first steps to reduce theamount of their energy. The analysis shown below point out that the average use ofenergy per tonne has gone down in the last two years from approximately2400KwH’s\Tonne to 2250KwH’s\Tonne. The company set the aim to reduce energyconsumption steadily within the next years.The head of the company also told us that the carbon footprint is not a problem ofthe industry, but a problem of society. In the UK there is less plastic recycling than inGermany and old plastic is still dumped in landfills whereas in Germany it isincinerated; the energy gained from theat process is heat.Waste – RPCThe company tries to avoid as much waste as possible. The waste which isaccumulated during the production process will be recycled. There are wastecontainers everywhere in the production hall, where you can separate the waste.50% of the material which is needed to produce the packaging is recycled material.The products are used for packaging, which alsomeans waste after being used. Thus, the companyactually produces waste. However, the companyargues, that packaging also avoids a lot of waste. Forexample bananas stored for 7 days keep fresher in aplastic bag than without packaging. This way a lot offood-waste is avoided. Over 25% of the waste whichhouseholds generate each week is food-waste; only18% is packaging waste. Goods-waste is also reducedbecause the packaging protects the goods fromdamages. In addition it is possible to recycle the packaging-waste – over 60% of allpackaging from homes, commerce and industry is recycled. The rest is dumped inlandfills but Mr Bryan Glasper, the General Manager of RPC, pointed out that wastedumping in the UK is a problem of society and not of the company.38