Fisher Scientific, the UK’s leading supplier of laboratory products, has achieved registration to the environmental management system ISO 14001.
ISO 14001 recognises that a company is managing its operational impacts on the environment in both the short and long term.
Fisher Scientific recognises its social responsibility as a global organization to assess and regulate the impact they have on the environment. Managing that impact also means working more efficiently and creating a better working environment for employees.
In the last few years, Fisher Scientific has carried out a number of environmental initiatives, including taking back cardboard packaging from customers and recycling bottles, and a lot of the operational strategies had already been put in place. The ISO 14001 accreditation proves the company is committed to managing its impacts on the environment.
To gain accreditation, companies are required to look at the business and determine how it impacts on the environment. It is then necessary to identify where the most significant impacts occur and develop a plan to manage these effectively. Management plans are continually reviewed and improved, and the ultimate aim is to prevent pollution.
The ISO 14001 standard provides a formal and logical basis for environmental management using the main principles of professional management and based on the process of “plan, implement, check and review”. It aims to support environmental protection and prevention of pollution in balance with socioeconomic needs.
With more and more environmental legislation coupled with rising costs it becomes increasingly important for every company to do what they can to safeguard our environment.
Here at Fisher Scientific UK, we take our responsibilities very seriously and we are constantly working on ways to minimise the environmental impact of our (and our customers) activities.
The re-use and recycling of what would otherwise be waste materials is just one of the ways we can all help the environment.
In order to help our customers with their own costly waste management issues, we offer a collection and recycling service for a range of Fisher Scientific products with a Fisher Chemicals label:
Our packaging waste collection service is focused on recycling and reuse rather than disposal.
Cardboard and polythene packaging received from suppliers is reused or recycled. We also reuse pulp inserts for chemical packaging.
We also comply with the “Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2005. We are registered as a member of the Veolia Environmental Services’ compliance scheme. The scheme obtains evidence of recovery and recycling from packaging waste collected and reprocessed by Veolia Environment.
We use GreenFill biodegradable loosefill material instead of polystyrene chips. GreenFill is an environmentally and cost effective alternative to polystyrene loosefill.
Material is:
Fisher Scientific operates a collection and recycling service for used Fisher Chemical 2.5L glass (Winchesters) and plastic coated glass bottles from our customers.
Click here for details of collection service.
The company currently collects 10,000 Fisher Chemical bottles per week from customers.
53% of these returns were reused in 2007, the rest recycled as cullet.
Bottles are washed, visually checked and QC tested.
Plastic bottles are recycled by a reprocessing company for use as underground pipes.
Water used in the bottlewash was optimised in 2003 - consumption has been reduced by the equivalent of approximately 35 bathfuls of water per hour.
Please remember that this service is only available for Fisher Chemical packaging
Bottles enter the washing plant and are stored on pallets.
Bottles are then rinsed in hot water rinse, followed by a hot detergent wash and a rinse in pure water.
They are then air dried.
Final rinse water is recirculated for use in pre-rinse.
When a bottle is cleaned and washed, bottles are coded with a UV fluorescent ink.
Bottles are visually checked to ensure there is a maximum of 3 ink marks.
If inspector sees 3 crosses, bottles are then sent for recycling as cullet.
Bottles are held in quarantine until QC testing is performed.
Clean bottles are then batch-checked in our QC Department to ensure that there are no contaminants before they are used again.
If bottles are unsuitable for reuse for whatever reason, they are broken down and supplied to glass manufacturers for recycling.
There are a number of guidelines which you need to adhere to with regard to ruturning packaging to us - very briefly...
We would ask that you do not leave sodium wire in the bottles as it is very difficult to see in amber bottles.
Also can you please ensure all bottles are empty and fully drained.
After use, please cross through the label but do not obliterate all the information on the labels.Finally, please do not hesitate to contact us if you wish to come and look at our operation, just contact your Account Manager who will be able to organise a visit.
You need to ensure that all bottles/packaging do not contain hazardous product.
Please remember that our staff do not expect product or wastes to be present. All drivers are provided with protective clothing and the relevant training, but the presence of unanticipated waste poses a very significant risk to them.
PLEASE DO NOT leave sodium wire in bottles, this is difficult to see in an amber bottle and can be very hazardous to personnel handling returns.
We would ask that customers try to avoid putting your own labels directly on to the bottle. Our labels have special glue that is designed to wash off in the bottlewash cycle; customers’ labels cannot be washed off preventing re-use and necessitating the scrapping of the bottle. This accounts for 80% of the scrap bottles disposed of by Fisher Scientific.
Please ensure there are no broken glass bottles as these pose a risk of injury to our staff.
All glass must be securely packaged, ideally in a Fisher Scientific box with the pulp components, or in a suitable cage such as those provided by Fisher Scientific.
Unless being used with the pulp inner to return empty Fisher Scientific bottles, any empty cardboard boxes should be flattened to reduce the amount of space required and should not be contaminated with chemicals, as this would also constitute special waste.
Please do not return loose-form bottle packaging.
There are two ways you can request packaging to be returned to Fisher Scientific, subject to the capacity of the vehicle loading:
Click here for full details of Customer Packaging Returns Information
Paper catalogues are produced using paper sourced from environmentally aware forest product companies – pulp used in the manufacture of the paper is sourced from sustainable forest resources.
The paper sourced for printed catalogues is an accredited FSC grade.
We currently recycle 3 tonnes office paper per month.
We recycle old catalogues received back from customers.
We also encourage customers and suppliers to use electronic invoicing - increasingly utilising e-commerce to reduce paper. E-commerce has resulted in a 42% saving on paper generated orders.
We operate a printer and toner cartridge recycling programme with the Charity Scope.
New additional commercial vehicles as part of company fleet...
New enhanced training programme for drivers...
New Michelin tyres introduced to fleet including their tyre regrooving programme...
Fisher Scientific operates it's own fleet of diesel vehicles and we are introducing a number of new replacement commercial trucks to the fleet for 2009.
At Fisher Scientific, all our drivers are trained to handle hazardous goods, hold ADR vocational licences, carry TREM cards with each shipment and comply fully with the latest EU legislation covering the shipment of dangerous products.
We have also switched to using Michelin tyres for the fleet. These low resistance tyres offer fuel savings compared with traditional ranges on the market. By reducing fuel consumption they also reduce the emission of tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Michelin operate a regrooving and retreading programme which also enables the full potential of casings to be exploited.
New training programme for 2009: involves training drivers to best standards to help reduce fuel usage, carbon dioxide emissions, reduce accidents and engine damage.
We have recently implemented a NEW "Track & Trace" satellite navigation system which facilitates better journey planning through regular reviews, computerised routing, scheduling and vehicle telematics etc - see below for details.
We also use route planning software which facilitates more efficient planning of routes and consequent increased fleet efficiencies.
All our vehicles are selected to optimise load capacity - as operating a vehicle larger or small than required will lead to inefficiencies and adverse environmental impact.
Features include:
Fisher Scientific is committed to seeking to reduce the impact of its activities on the environment.
In line with the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations 2006, Fisher Scientific is registered with Gambica B2B Compliance Ltd, which is a legally approved Compliance Scheme. (Approval Number WEE/XP3338PD/SCH).
Fisher Scientific's producer registration number is WEE/CH0049TZ.
Gambica B2B Compliance Ltd will take on the legal responsibilities for the reporting on, the collection and treatment of, all WEEE that Fisher Scientific is obligated for, ensuring that the appropriate recycling targets are met.
Fisher Scientific UK will cover the recycling cost once it reaches an Approved Authorised Treatment Facility if you have:
Please note that all the relevant Hazardous Waste Consignment notes and Decontamination Certificates must be correctly completed and signed off. Gambica B2B Compliance Ltd will provide this documentation prior to collection.
If you require any more information please e-mail: European.RA@thermofisher.com
*Electrical, Electronic Equipment that is private labeled for Fisher Scientific UK Ltd (Fisherbrand, Griffin or Technico) or Electrical, Electronic Equipment that Fisher Scientific UK has imported into the UK and placed on the UK market.
Fisher Scientific has been awarded the prestigious Green Apple Gold Award for Environmental Best Practice on behalf of the company's laboratory chemical bottle collection, wash and recycling facility.
Fisher Scientific collects bottles and associated packaging directly from customers after use. Each bottle is then washed, dried and inspected to ensure that it is suitable for re-use. Through this process, the company handles a half-million glass and plastic-coated glass bottles per year. Approximately 50 percent of the bottles are deemed suitable for reuse, while the rest go to recycling companies to be crushed and melted down into other glass products.
Through this program, Fisher Scientific is doing its part to be a more sustainable business, and it is helping its customers fulfil their own missions to reduce waste. Together, the company and its customers are doing their parts of reduce, reuse and recycle.
The Green Apple awards are given by The Green Organisation, an independent, non-political, non-activist, non-profit environment group dedicated to recognising, rewarding and promoting environmental best practice around the world. The Green Organisations' work began in 1994, and experience has shown that many have followed the examples of environmental best practice demonstrated by their Green Apple Award winners. Previous winners include Tesco, Anglian Water, Arrow Distributors, Balfour Beatty/Skanska joint venture, Canary Wharf Contractors, Champney's Resort, Environmental Crop Management Limited, Europa Quality Print and The GSH Group.
The general manager for Fisher Scientific Northern Europe commented, "We are delighted to receive this award as it recognises the efforts we, as a company, are making to implement better environmental business practices."
The award was presented, at the House of Commons, on the 10th November 2008.
