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Sustainability and the environment

The furore surrounding global warming and climate change has reached an unprecedented high as businesses increasingly come under fire for the effects that their manufacturing activities are having on the environment. cooler innovation explores what can be done to tackle the problem and unveils some of the innovative products and services that are making a move in the right direction.

Michael Barnett of the British Water Cooler Association (BWCA) kicks off the discussion by outlining the issues that are facing the planet as a whole, as well as looking more specifically at the role the cooler industry must play in helping to offset its own carbon footprint.

Global cooling - The challenge ahead

“Climate change and its specific effect, known as global warming, is said to potentially be the biggest environmental threat facing the universe and mankind today.

“Extensive media coverage, environmental groups and regulatory lobbyists have added fuel to the global warming debate, and in the process have driven it to the very top of the public agenda, forcing governments and politicians to embrace it for reasons of political and social correctness.

“Major corporations have not been immune to this debate and have in fact been among the first to incorporate environmental policies and strategies into their future plans. It is said that as many as 80% of the FT Global 500 companies.

(the world’s largest companies) acknowledge the importance of the global warming debate and identify it as a business risk. In excess of 35% are already said to be taking appropriate action. The water cooler industry is therefore not alone in facing the challenge ahead. Nevertheless, it may have to go it alone in seeking some solutions, which are most appropriate and unique to the industry.

“To date, the issues tackled by the Industry have related mainly due to regulatory, quality and safety issues and have evolved relatively slowly, allowing time for the Industry to adapt to the challenges in a manner which will reduce their commercial impact. The environmental challenge before the industry now, however, is one which has not arrived totally unexpectedly. It has been on the horizon for a few years, but its ascent to the top of the public agenda over the past 12 months has been nothing short of meteoric.

“Global warming has provoked fierce scientific debate. Not that anyone in the scientific community ever questions, or disputes, that the universe has entered a period of global warming, with the consequences of rising sea levels, drier hotter weather and increasing holes in the ozone layer. These facts, we are advised, are indisputable and accepted by both sides of the scientific community. What is hotly disputed, however, is the root cause of climate change and global warming.

“The real question being debated is whether global warming is manmade or a natural phenomenon – the latest one of several cycles of warming and cooling, eg ice ages, which the universe has been through in its 20 billion years of evolution since the Big Bang?

The facts

“Whichever is the right answer, the inescapable conclusions are that: - Global warming is occurring - Mankind can contribute to its reduction

“Environmental groups and government agencies worldwide regularly inform the public about how one can individually contribute to reducing global warming and combat the threat to the universe by doing the following:

1. Use energy efficient light bulbs and turn off electrical appliances properly

2. Drive fewer miles and convert to electric or battery powered vehicles

3. Cut down on short haul flights and taking holidays in far off destinations

4. Buy more seasonal and locally produced food

5. Recycle household waste

The terminology

“To quantify and analyse the impact of global warming, new terminology has evolved and requires a brief introduction.

Ecological footprint

An estimate of the land and sea (earth) area that the human population needs in order to provide all the energy, water, food and materials to fully support itself for a period of ONE year.

Bio-capacity

An estimate of the total energy, water, food and materials that the earth can provide to support the human populations of the world for a period of ONE year.

It is said that mankind’s current ecological footprint exceeds the earth’s bio-capacity by over 25%. In other words, mankind’s activities on earth are unsustainable in the long term.

Sustainability

Is an activity which meets mankind’s present needs without compromising the ability of coming generations to meet their own future needs.

“The inability of mankind to balance his present needs with the ability of the earth to provide them on a sustainable basis is not a new phenomenon. Scientific sources have charted these needs against the earth’s capacity to provide them since the early 1960s and it is estimated that sustainability ceased in approximately 1988.

“It is further forecast that mankind’s current rate of activity will increase by over 100% over the next 25 years, as industrialised nations such as China evolve into fully fledged consumer societies.

“Mankind’s demands on the earth’s resources are varied, each with its own adverse impact and sustainability value. To measure and quantify these demands and their impact and effect in an ecological context, footprint analysis is of growing importance.

“Mankind’s ecological footprint is a composite of many contributing factors each with its own footprint. Popular with the media has been the carbon footprint.

Carbon footprint

A measure of the impact of mankind’s activities on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gas produced. It is measured in units of carbon dioxide (CO2).

Greenhouse gases: are component gases of the atmosphere, most of which occur naturally, while others result from manmade industrial activities, eg water vapour, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and CO2.

Greenhouse effect: an occurrence whereby solar heat is trapped within the earth’s atmosphere as a result of the presence of greenhouse gasses, causing the temperature of the earth to rise.

“The greenhouse effect (at least at levels which occur naturally) is generally considered to be good, since it keeps the earth at a habitable temperature for humans. However, it is said that by clearing forests and burning fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil excessively, humans have dramatically increased the amount of CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere, causing temperatures to rise too high and thereby bringing about global warming.

The water cooler industry

“How does the water cooler industry contribute to the increase of greenhouse gasses and thereby global warming?

“The key is the industry’s carbon footprint, which with respect to water coolers (both bottled and POU) comprises of the:

1. Manufacture and shipping of water coolers and related products worldwide.

2. Extraction, bottling and delivery of bottled water (bottled water coolers).

3. Extraction, processing and distribution of municipal water (POU coolers).

4. Electrical energy consumed by water coolers in refrigerating, or heating the water.

5. Recycling of materials such as water coolers, bottles and filters at the end of their life.

“Each of these will contribute to the industry’s carbon footprint and will result in emissions of CO2 gas into the atmosphere. These emissions are measured in tons of CO2 for the industry as a whole, or in grams of CO2 per litre of water dispensed from the water cooler.

“What measures can the water cooler industry take to reduce its carbon footprint and its adverse impact on the environment through bringing about global warming?

“Firstly, what is needed is to determine the industry’s current carbon footprint? While an average value can be approximated worldwide, it will most probably vary from one continent to another and country to country, due mainly to the logistics of distribution. A national, carbon footprint value is probably the most significant value at this time.

“Having established a baseline level for the industry’s current carbon footprint, there are several courses of action which may be employed. These may be implemented simultaneously to achieve the fastest impact on CO2 emissions, or consecutively, resulting in a slower impact. The decision of which course to follow will be largely influenced by both economic, as well as operational, considerations.

The following are steps in the process to reduce the industry’s CO2 emissions, both directly and indirectly:

Carbon offset: - a method to balance, or indirectly reduce, the carbon footprint through the purchase of carbon credits.

Carbon credit: - a currency which is tradable on the international market with a monetary value equivalent to ONE tonne of CO2.

“There is much controversy about ethical carbon credits, however, they are normally linked to emissions reduction projects such as energy efficiency, green power, renewable power technology and forestation, where the outcome of the investment in carbon credits has a visible and measurable reduction in greenhouse gasses. The credits are available through carbon offset providers.

“The optimal state is one where the industry’s greenhouse gas emissions are balanced by an equal offset and the adverse environmental impact is reduced to zero. It is also referred to as being carbon neutral.

Carbon neutral: - a state whereby using a carbon offset programme, carbon credits are purchased to a value balancing CO2 emissions.

BWCA

“The BWCA recognises its role in pioneering the UK industry‘s obligations in reducing global warming. This recognition is not new. It was as long ago as 2004 that the BWCA introduced the Environmental Recycling Charge (ERC) in response to EU Directive of 2003 on WEEE, and mandated members to financially provide for the recycling of water coolers at the end of their useful life.

“Polycarbonate 19 litre water bottles used by the bottled water cooler industry are multiple-use containers, which bear deposits to ensure their return to the distributor. These have a life of some 50 to 70 round trips over approximately five years, in marked contrast to one-time use PET bottles used by soft drinks suppliers.

“The BWCA Environment Committee is currently analysing the UK industry’s carbon footprint for both bottled and plumbed-in water coolers. While it may appear that the bottled water cooler has a larger footprint due to the requirement to deliver bottled water, it is apparent from early desk research that the electrical consumption of both bottled water and POU water coolers in refrigerating the water plays an extremely significant role in energy consumption terms, bringing about an almost balance of the two footprints.

“The BWCA has drafted the following environmental statement:“

The BWCA has identified climate change and the water cooler industry’s carbon footprint as a priority agenda item for its members.

The association, through its membership, is committed to:

a) Reducing the industry’s carbon footprint. b) Investing in and implementing alternative low carbon technologies for the industry. c) Funding a carbon offset programme to neutralise the industry’s carbon footprint.

The BWCA recognises its pivotal role in directing industry resources to reduce members’ carbon emissions in an effort to reduce global warming. It works with stakeholders, corporate advisors and government agencies to attain socially responsible, environmentally sustainable, energy efficient carbon footprint reducing policies and strategies for its members.

The above comments were made by Michael Barnett, of the Hydropure Group, and Chairman of the BWCA Annual General Meeting on 25 April 2007

Environmental ethos

If the cooler industry wants to cut down its contribution to global warming in the long term, developing new products that reduce waste, use less energy and are reusable, could be an effective way of achieving its goal.

As well as the products that it offers, components, spare parts and consumables provider Abbeychart has given its entire company policy a green overhaul. Sourcing goods from companies who share the same ethos, the firm carries out environmental audits to ensure that its suppliers are also aiming to make their business operations carbon neutral. The products themselves will only be taken on board if they have been manufactured in an energy efficient way or will help to reduce power consumption.

Examples within the company’s portfolio of environmentally friendly products include the biodegradable Bioguard cleaning range (left), and the recyclable sanitary quick change EcoAquaFlow water filter that offsets the carbon impact of conventional plastic or polypropylene head and cartridge systems, which are difficult and expensive to recycle. It has also developed an energy saving vending light for backlit display panels. The low voltage LED lights are an improvement on using fluorescent tubes as they offer 80% less power consumption, with a seven times longer lifespan.

“Vending machines operate 24/7 and are being used in ever-increasing number, satisfying consumers’ vending needs at work, at school, and during leisure time. Accordingly, improving the energy efficiency of vending machines is of the highest importance,” said Sales and Marketing Director Steve Slark. “We believe the reduced environmental impact of Abbeychart’s LED display panel will be highly attractive to manufacturers, operators and consumers alike.”

Further initiatives include promoting the use of unbleached or oxygenated coffee filter papers, as opposed to papers that are bleached white using environmentally harmful chemicals; reducing the waste generated by its own business premises by 30%; and implementing a tree planting programme around its newly built warehouse.

Another company that believes its ethos could influence its customers and help support their environmental policies is PHS Waterlogic. The water cooler and dispenser company has praised the recent move by the UK government’s Food Standards Agency, Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Department of Transport to use filtered tap water in its offices, claiming that it will cut the energy required to manufacture plastic bottles, reduce the carbon emissions produced by bottle transportation and prevent plastic waste generation.

Calling for central, local and regional government offices to make the switch, the firm believes that its machines offer greener water access as they feature a sleep mode, which saves on electricity when they are not in use, as well as compressors that use eco-friendly gas. PHS also has a recycling programme in place for reusing returned units’ spare parts and supports the Save A Cup scheme by actively helping its customers to participate.

For some cooler companies, helping the environment has been central to their raison d’être since their inception. After launching its first environmentally friendly water dispensing system 17 years ago, Vivreau has continued to design solutions that assist companies with reducing their environmental impact.

Managing Director Stephen Charles, believes that companies who neglect their environmental responsibilities and focus solely on commercial gains will have to step out of their comfort zone if they want to continue to compete. “Any business operating in today’s competitive marketplce needs to be aware of the green issues,” he said. “Our clients are becoming more open about their corporate social responsibility and not being able to respond with a like minded approach would be a major drawback. Many companies, especially the larger blue chips, now have an environmental policy, which includes an assessment of suppliers’ green credentials.”

Vivreau’s original Table Water Bottling System, which is now used in the board rooms of around 40% of the UK’s top 100 companies, dispenses filtered, mains-fed water into reusable glass bottles to reduce packaging waste, as well as the “water miles” totted up by transporting bottled water. It incorporates LinkLine technology that enables an entire building to source its water from one central unit that uses one filter. This is preferable to installing individual systems that use more energy and require separate filters.

All of its systems, including the latest VR3000 (left) and VR4000 models, are also fitted with power saving options as standard to reduce their electricity consumption, and are returned to Vivreau’s premises after use, where most components, such as the cooling, carbonation and boiling mechanisms, are refurbished and reused.

Holding the view that being carbon neutral doesn’t go far enough in tackling the problem, Stephen said that the company will continue to implement new initiatives until it becomes carbon positive.

He is optimistic that environmentally friendly dispensing systems will become commonplace in the future, saying: “In 10 years time they will be the norm, not the exception as they are now.”

Vivreau’s original Table Water Bottling System, which is now used in the board rooms of around 40% of the UK’s top 100 companies, dispenses filtered, mains-fed water into reusable glass bottles to reduce packaging waste, as well as the “water miles” totted up by transporting bottled water. It incorporates LinkLine technology that enables an entire building to source its water from one central unit that uses one filter. This is preferable to installing individual systems that use more energy and require separate filters.

All of its systems, including the latest VR3000 and VR4000 models, are also fitted with power saving options as standard to reduce their electricity consumption, and are returned to Vivreau’s premises after use, where most components, such as the cooling, carbonation and boiling mechanisms, are refurbished and reused.

Holding the view that being carbon neutral doesn’t go far enough in tackling the problem, Stephen said that the company will continue to implement new initiatives until it becomes carbon positive.

He is optimistic that environmentally friendly dispensing systems will become commonplace in the future, saying: “In 10 years time they will be the norm, not the exception as they are now.”

Ebac hot on reducing energy consumption

Recognising that energy efficiency is an important concern among its customers, Ebac has addressed the large power consumption discrepancy between cook & cold and hot & cold coolers by developing a new product.

Under Energy Star guidelines, acceptable levels for cook & cold models are 0.16kW hours per day, but for hot & cold the figure rises to 1.2kW hours per day, which is almost a 10 fold increase. Caused by the refrigeration function having to work harder to compensate for the heat given off, the difference in energy consumption for hot water coolers also brings about an additional electricity cost of around £50 each year.

Based on the Thermos flask concept that keeps hot beverages warm, Ebac’s insulated hot tank aims to reduce the energy consumption needed by 30 times and in turn increase the efficiency of refrigeration systems. Constructed from robust stainless steel with an Incaloy element, it features a vacuum insulated jacket with two layers, as well as a bottom entry supply tube and cool well portion to minimise heat transfer. Electronic proportional control maintains a constant delivery temperature, while its plug in/plug out operation facilitates simple maintenance when required.

Offering a typical daily stand-by power consumption of 0.03kW hours and running costs of £0.03, the hot tank comes as standard in Ebac’s FMax and EasyLoader coolers, and can be fitted in the remainder of its existing models. * Fully biodegradable plastic from Metabolix*

Metabolix and ADM are joining forces to produce a range of natural, biobased plastics that are sustainable and biodegradable. Mirel is a line of plastics developed from renewable resources such as corn sugar that biodegrade back to nature in a wide range of environments including soil, compost, rivers and oceans.

Oil based plastics are made using almost 10% of total US oil consumption – about two million barrels a day. They contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and negatively affect the global ecosystem, as they do not biodegrade.

“Today marks an important step in providing consumers with products made of plastics that don’t harm the environment,” explained Metabolix President and CEO, Jim Barber. “We are now commercialising biobased, renewable alternatives to petroleum based plastics that will reduce our reliance on oil and the impact petroleum use has on climate change.”

Mirel plastics can be used for various packaging processes including injection moulding, cast film and sheet, blown film and thermoforming. Metabolix is now working with over 40 prospective customers on more than 60 applications for the material. The company said that although cooler bottles have not been produced yet, they are a real and definite solution for the future.

The two companies will be marketing Mirel through their Telles joint venture which is currently constructing its first commercial scale plant in Iowa, US. Expected to begin operations in 2008, the facility will output Mirel at an annual rate of 110 million pounds.