For the hard-pressed citizens of 1940s Europe, the truth of the slogan ‘waste not, want not’ was proven every day. In 2010, the message is being embraced anew by the RNLI to help it meet its responsibilities and to stretch donations ever further

Uppermost in everyone’s mind during the Second World War was the need to be sparing in the use of meagre resources. This generation economised on raw materials, saved on energy and salvaged waste commodities.

As late as the 1970s, the visit of the rag and bone man with his horse-drawn wagon came with a loud cry of ‘rag bone’ or ‘any old iron’. Children would pester their mother for whatever she had, because the rag and bone man gave away balloons, goldfish and even a few coppers in exchange for old clothes and scrap metal.

But the development of the ‘throw-away society’ saw the demise of such characters, and the tide of waste grew. Eventually, in fear of drowning in landfill, and in recognition of the disastrous impact our waste has on the natural environment, legislation brought recycling back into fashion. For some individuals and organisations, it’s all a bit of a hassle, time consuming and not worth the effort. For others, high-profile news items or simple financial incentive has spurred them on.

Wildlife Camerawoman Rebecca Hosking was so shocked by the sight of marine animals dying from ingesting plastic bags that she worked to convince her Devon community to stop their use. In May 2007, the small town of Modbury became the first in Europe to ban carrier bags. The idea echoed the RoI’s 15-cent ‘plastax’ on carrier bags. Introduced in 2002, it led to a 90% reduction in use.

Waste is wasteful

In legal and business terminology, waste is defined as anything that you discard, intend to discard or are required to discard, including materials sent for recycling or prepared for reuse. To state the obvious – waste is wasteful! It required materials and energy to create and will require more to dispose of, so avoiding the creation of waste in the first place is key to saving resources and money.

This is the first step in the ‘waste hierarchy’, followed by the reuse and refurbishment of goods, and then value recovery through recycling. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) defines these steps collectively as waste minimisation and advises that disposal is the last resort.

The RNLI is classed in law as a ‘waste producer’. It is therefore required to comply with a growing raft of environmental legislation. For example, treating waste before sending it to landfill is expected. Separating for reuse or recycling counts as treatment as do other processes that change the waste’s characteristics.

The environmental impact of all organisations is increasingly coming under scrutiny – including from within. At the RNLI, a groundswell of concern among staff and volunteers in 2007 led to the formation of an environmental project group. Following research and consultation, its members devised a policy for improving the RNLI’s environmental performance and recommended the appointment of an environmental manager. The Executive Team endorsed it and Jo Jones was recruited in 2008.

Saving lives comes first

Jo faced a real challenge. She explains: ‘While environmental improvements need to be made, they should be cost effective and not impact on the RNLI’s primary purpose of saving lives at sea. We need to balance this purpose with our wider responsibilities.’ Her first year was spent analysing the RNLI’s electricity and gas consumption, lifeboat fuel use, road miles, flights, paper and water use, and landfill waste production – at all sites across the UK and RoI.

This allowed her to calculate the RNLI’s carbon footprint for the first time and provide a benchmark for future performance. Energy conservation and waste minimisation are priority areas for improvement. As Jo says: ‘2010 is going to be waste year!’

A complex task

Jo is leading the adoption of an environmental management system (EMS) for the RNLI, to the requirements of ISO 14001: ‘This international standard allows us to identify and control the environmental impact of all our activities and continually improve our performance. It’s a systematic approach to setting targets, achieving them and demonstrating that they have been achieved.’

If this sounds excessive, the need for an EMS is demonstrated by the apparently simple task of identifying types of waste. The European Waste Catalogue List of Waste (EWC 2002) is 20 chapters long! Municipal waste alone comprises 30 types, including paper and cardboard, glass, kitchen waste, textiles, solvents, fluorescent tubes, detergents, batteries, wood, plastics and metals, all of which the RNLI uses. Some of these are then classed additionally as hazardous or special waste.

All RNLI activities that produce waste and have an impact on the environment will be dealt with but the larger sites are being tackled first. For example, waste produced at Headquarters in Poole is classified as general mixed municipal waste, including hazardous and special waste. It is minimised or disposed of using specialist waste disposal companies.

During the past 3 years, landfill waste from the Poole site has been reduced by nearly 2,500m³ (approximately 137 tonnes) by improving controls and by increasing recycling. No paper waste is sent to landfill. All in-house printed materials are produced on material that is recycled and recyclable. In 2010, the RNLI expects to recycle 40 tonnes of paper.

Hazardous or special waste comprises a range of substances, materials and electrical components that are likely to affect the health of humans, animals and the environment. This includes oils and oily filters, batteries, computer monitors and other electronic equipment (EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations apply), non-water-based paints, plasterboard and clinical waste.

Bulk it

If a site annually generates more than 500kg of hazardous waste it must be registered with the environmental authorities. RNLI Headquarters and all RNLI divisional bases have their own hazardous waste registration, and divisional technicians are licensed to take hazardous waste from lifeboat stations and lifeguard units back to base.

By bringing this waste from over 300 sites back to just 6, it can be ‘bulked up’ and disposed of through specialist contractors. Oil and fuels, for example, are separated from water and recovered and the water phases are treated before being discharged to sewers.

Sites don’t even have to be land-based. Lifeboat crews accumulate food and paper waste, rags, cans, glass, metal, and bottles when at sea and all must be brought ashore to be disposed of in line with port and harbour legislation.

Clean it

Rescue craft and equipment need to be cleaned. Sometimes elbow grease alone is not enough but cleaning products may end up in the marine environment to damaging effect. They often contain chlorine, ammonia, potassium hydroxide and solvents, all potentially harmful.

‘Friendly’ alternatives are available but not always cost efficient. A recent trial by the RNLI using an eco-friendly cleaning agent on slipways found that greater quantities had to be used. The Environment Agency stated that this was more damaging to the environment.

Fresh water must be used too and often ends up in the sea rather than being recycled unless interceptors are used. Making seawater usable by removing salt is difficult and expensive but a handful of newer lifeboat stations have rainwater harvesting.

Reuse IT

A desire for the latest, fastest, shiniest piece of kit means that every year up to 220M computers are disposed of worldwide. This mountain of ‘e-waste’ contains just over half a million tonnes of lead, making it a major health hazard. The Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment legislation dictates that EU organisations dispose of their unwanted computers more carefully. Indeed, the RNLI considers this to be an integral part of its IT equipment lifecycle management.

For example, in 2005–6, the RNLI contributed 200 of its old computers to Computer Aid International (CAI), a charity that refurbished, tested and then sent them on to developing countries where access to computers is beyond the reach of most. Unusable equipment went to the CAI’s recycling partner to strip the 95% recyclable parts and dispose safely of the rest. This year, a complete renewal of ageing PCs at every lifeboat station and lifeguard area support centre is underway. As part of the deal, the old computers will be sent back to the supplier where they will be refurbished for reuse or recycled.

Generate it

As in days gone by, waste can still generate cash. Readers may be familiar with the RNLI’s programme to turn discarded inkjet and toner cartridges and mobile phones into funds to help save lives at sea. By participating you also help to reduce the production and disposal of non-renewable materials.

From 2003–8, supporters helped raise over £34,000 in this way. In 2009 alone, almost as much again was raised from just cartridges thanks to The Recycling Factory who will be also recycling phones this year. (See page 43.)

Income is also generated from the careful disposal of old boats, vehicles, equipment, clothing, and any other items no longer required by the RNLI. The charity’s Disposals Coordinator Adrian Frogley is kept busy organising sales, in particular to other members of the International Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF). In 2008, 17 all-weather and 2 inshore ex-service lifeboats were sold to the China Rescue and Salvage Bureau.

Adrian says: ‘The global financial climate meant it was a tough year for boat sales in 2009, but we did sell the last Arun class lifeboat to the Monte video Pilots Association along with a large amount of parts. In 2010 we will continue to work with IMRF organisations, including those in Iceland, Chile and Uruguay, to support them with sales of ex-service lifeboats.’

The future

The challenges ahead are daunting. Improvements must bring cost benefits, mustn’t ask too much of volunteers and must take nothing away from the RNLI’s core purpose.

A full audit of waste is underway. The various waste minimisation options will then be considered. Reviewing waste contracts and contractors is equally important – would the RNLI get a better deal by using one waste management provider, despite working across so many geographical and political borders? Should food waste be sent to energy-producing companies? And what improvements can be made from the mixed municipal waste recycling services?

Communication is vital for the success of any such scheme and Jo Jones is reassuring: ‘Wherever possible, environmental improvements within the RNLI will be achieved in consultation with staff and volunteers. Our working methods must produce viable results – a short-term gain that is neither sustainable nor beneficial in the long-term is not an option.’

She concludes: ‘All of us have a vital role to play to reduce waste and generate cost savings, so suggestions from volunteers, staff and supporters are always welcome.’ As Edmund Burke, the orator and political thinker, said in the late 1700s: ‘Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.’