Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do here at Singletons. We know that a circular economy, where we reuse and recycle more than we produce, is the ideal solution to reducing our environmental impact.
That’s why we encourage all of our clients and customers to think about their carbon footprint and recycle where they can. When you bring scrap metal to us, we sort through it and send any suitable materials to be remade into other products, while you save space at home, help reduce overall waste, and minimise your carbon footprint.
To better understand how the scrap metal and recycling industries can support the UK Government’s target to reach Net Zero by 2050, a Carbon Footprint Assessment was commissioned by the British Metals Recycling Association (BMRA). The Carbon Footprint Assessment, conducted by Tunley Environmental, was the first of its kind and concluded that UK metals recycling’s Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect) emissions could be reduced by 93% by 2050!
The BMRA authored Recycling Today for a Greener Tomorrow: A Roadmap to Net Zero for the UK Metals Recycling Industry, which mentions that the industry could see a dramatic decrease in overall carbon emissions by almost 70%. A switch to steel made solely using Electric Arc Furnaces (EAFs) instead of traditional blast furnaces could reduce the industry’s carbon footprint by 38%.
However, even with scrap yards and recycling professionals coming together with the BMRA, more pressure needs to be put on the UK Government, with the goal of stricter legislation being put in place. Based on the findings of the Carbon Footprint Assessment, the BMRA has listed five key asks of the UK Government within its Roadmap.
These are:
- To ensure that metals recycling businesses are eligible for the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme.
- To expand the uptake of biofuels by introducing a 10p per litre reduction in fuel duty for biofuels like Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), with an annual review to ensure competitiveness.
- To provide affordable financing, allowing operators to secure Government-backed low-interest rate loans for power and grid connection infrastructure upgrades.
- To incorporate fee modulation – based on recyclability and recycled content criteria – into upcoming reforms of the Batteries, End-of-Life Vehicle, and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations.
- To adopt science-based standards, such as the Steel Climate Standard formulated by the Global Steel Climate Council, which do not penalise recycled content.
With these five things in place, along with the support of BMRA members and customers, the metal recycling industry could be well on its way to achieving a massive reduction in emissions, leading to a cleaner, greener, more sustainable planet for everyone.
To find out more about how you can reduce your carbon footprint, or to do your bit by recycling some scrap, contact us for more information, or pop into our scrap yard for a quote and same-day payments.
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