A Wiltshire-based packaging manufacturer has invested in a new wastewater treatment facility at its Cricklade production site.
GWP Group said the new equipment would eliminate the need to transport 350,000 litres of wastewater each year, reducing costs and cutting carbon emissions.
The business previously stored, and then pumped, wastewater generated from washing down printing equipment into a tanker. A registered waste carrier then removed the water from the site in 20,000-litre batches. Tankers would travel as far as the Midlands to dispose of the wastewater via a specialist treatment site.
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The new system removes the need for on-site storage and for transportation, GWP said.
James Pedley, group operations manager at GWP, said: "The new equipment will make a significant difference to our operations. It will free up significant storage, make our processes much more efficient and minimise the potential for leaks and wastewater spills.
"Of course, there is a significant environmental benefit too. By eliminating the transportation of significant volumes of wastewater, the associated carbon emissions are reduced."
The project is the latest in a string of initiatives that GWP is introducing across the business to improve sustainability. The company has converted all of its lighting to LED, has electric delivery vehicles within its fleet, and invested in the installation of solar panels in July 2024.
Ruth Cook, managing director at GWP, added: "How we process wastewater is a crucial part of our ongoing sustainability strategy and complements the other initiatives we are implementing.
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"We both understand and take very seriously our responsibility to the environment and to helping our customers achieve their sustainability targets too."
GWP Group currently employs around 100 people across two sites in Wiltshire (Cricklade and Salisbury), designing and manufacturing a wide range of bespoke packaging products.
The wider Macfarlane Group, which GWP became a part of in 2021, comprises more than 1,000 employees.