1. Environment
Policy
To promote the reduction of energy, water and waste used or generated throughout the Group with the aim of reducing the environmental impacts of its operations, products and services. The approach taken to achieve this common aim varies throughout the Group depending on the nature of the work carried out at a business unit and the stage of development of a business unit's environmental management systems.
Each site has an environmental management system based on three main principles:
- To identify materials, processes, products and wastes that cause or may cause pollution and to implement measures to avoid, reduce or control pollution where technically and economically viable.
- To comply with applicable environmental laws, regulations, codes of practice and other environmental requirements. To achieve such compliance we develop and maintain management systems for identifying relevant requirements and for monitoring the performance of related activities.
- To continually enhance and improve our environmental management systems to ensure they are appropriate and effective.
Performance
Gas, electricity and water usage over each of the last five years is set out in the table below. The figures in parentheses are the consumptions of gas, electricity and water (as appropriate) per £1.0 million of the Group's revenue. It can be seen that, apart from electricity usage in 2005, from 2004 onwards the Group's consumption of gas, electricity and water per unit of Group revenue has reduced each year.
| Year | Gas | Electricity | Water | Group revenue |
| 2003 | 4,993(25.9) | 8,115 (42.1) | 25.9 (0.13) | £192.8m |
| 2004 | 7,133 (38.5) | 8,345 (45.0) | 40.0 (0.22) | £185.4m |
| 2005 | 7,092 (36.4) | 9,125 (46.8) | 27.5 (0.14) | £194.9m |
| 2006 | 7,879 (35.4) | 10,159 (45.7) | 30.5 (0.14) | £222.3m |
| 2007 | 8,102 (29.6) | 11,082 (40.5) | 33.2 (0.12) | £273.8m |
(1) Units of measurement for gas and electricity are megawatt hours. For water they are cubic metres in 000's.
(2) The system for the collection of data was refined in 2004. The figures for 2003 are therefore likely to be understated and should be disregarded for the purpose of reviewing consumption trends.
Actions
Anton/Bauer continues to be an active member of the battery recycling scheme in conjunction with the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation (RBRC). In 2007 Anton/Bauer forwarded to RBRC 35,000 pounds (2006: 44,000 pounds, up from 31,000 pounds in 2005) of nickel cadmium, lithium ion and nickel metal hydride batteries returned to the Company for recycling. Anton/Bauer is also a member of the PRBA (Portable Recharging Battery Association) whose mission is to provide leadership in obtaining consistent domestic and international solutions to environmental and other selected issues affecting the use, recycling and disposal of small sealed rechargeable batteries.
