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The Environment
Steelite International is working closely with a number of suppliers and organisations, and continually monitoring, developing and improving procedures to create minimum impact on the community and environment, while ensuring maximum efficiency and cost savings for the future sustainability of the business.
Environmental Policy
Steelite International has been certified to the ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management Standard (EMS) since the certificate’s introduction in 1996. In addition, with new targets set through the Green Initiative to cut wastage of raw materials, energy and water, Steelite International is determined to reduce the company's carbon footprint and impact on the environment.
Steelite International is a member of The Green Organisation that rewards and promotes environmental best practice around the world and the Staffordshire Business & Environmental Network, which aims to help local businesses reduce environmental impacts while also generating profits.
Lamella Machine
Steelite International has a dedicated, innovative approach to caring for the environment. In 2007, the business became one of only five companies in the UK to install a Lamella system. Steelite is the only tableware manufacturer to use a Lamella system for recycling clay waste.
Since its installation in July 2007, the Lamella machine has recycled a staggering 350 metric tonnes of clay body per year, which equates to:
- 350 tonnes of clay per year that does not need to be quarried – reducing impact on the landscape and the energy required to remove/purify it.
- 350 tonnes per year that does not need to be transported to Steelite International from Cornwall – creating savings on vehicle emissions and the use of fuel.
- 350 tonnes of waste material per year can be re-used that would otherwise have been sent to landfill – reducing landfill and the impact on the environment by saving fuel and vehicle emissions that would have been created to transport the waste.
In addition to creating clay to re-use, fewer chemicals are now required to separate waste. This has a positive effect on the environment and water discharged from the site is also purer.
The Lamella has significantly reduced Steelite International’s impact on the environment. The company now recycles in excess of 90% of manufacturing waste. In 2010 Steelite International received a Green Apple Award for the Lamella project.
Ultimately, the Lamella has contributed towards the sustainability of tableware manufacturing, as well as saving natural resources and subsequently, assisting in the reduction of global warming.
Centrifuge System
The centrifuge system works by spinning waste material out of waste water at very high speed, which has a bonus effect of giving you clean water for drain rather than cloudy water, similar to spinning water out of clothes in a washing machine, only we are spinning the water out of waste glaze and then reclaiming it.
The clean water which is then used for spindle wash off rather than sending it to drain, designed to be installed at the same time as the second set of centrifuges.
This process saves circa 100 tonnes per year in glaze whilst also saving us around 20 cubic metres of water per day. This has also reduced the amount of chemicals that we used to use whilst trying to reclaim glaze by using more primitive methods, and it has dramatically improved the waste water that does leave site.
This has not been tried in our industry before to our knowledge but with entering the green apple awards, what we have achieved will be shared all over the world, and hopefully will be picked up on by other companies from other industries to try to reduce the global impact that manufacturing has on finite resources.
Steelite International remains committed to its environmental policy and continues to implement new methods to reduce its commercial impact on the planet.
Green Credentials
2022
- Became Gold members of the Green Organisation.
- Based on 2022 figures, Steelite International are recycling in excess of 99% of waste.
2019
- Awarded the Green Apple Environmental Gold award for environmental best practice.
- Became Silver members of the Green Organisation.
- On behalf of the Green Organisation, Steelite's drive to reducing environmental impact has seen 646 trees planted around the world in areas that need them the most.
- By using Woodland Trust printer paper, Steelite International has helped fund 1.86 hectares of new native UK woodland during 2019, to capture 743 tonnes of CO2.
2015
Steelite International have set a target of recycling 100% of operational waste by 2015.
2013
- Became a Silver Member of The Green Organisation.
- Achieved a Sustainable Restaurant Association (The SRA) approved supplier, becoming the only tableware manufacturer to get accreditation.
2011
In 2011 Steelite International produced total wastes of 3464 tonnes of which 3382 tonnes was recycled, 98% of all waste.
This includes recycling 100% of all
- Pitcher Waste & Pins
- Plaster Mould Waste
- Cardboard
- Glass
- Packaging
- Clean Refractory Waste
2010
- Awarded the Gold Green Apple Environment Award.
- Made for Life Campaign launched highlighting the importance buying quality British products.
- By recycling clay waste, Steelite International save up to 243 tonnes of CO₂ every year.
2007
In July 2007 Steelite International introduced the Lamella machine which has recycled 350 metric tons of clay waste per year since introduction. This means;
350 tonnes of clay per year does not need to be quarried – reducing impact on the landscape and the energy required to remove/purify it.
350 tonnes per year does not need to be transported to Steelite International from Cornwall – cutting vehicle emissions fuel usage.
350 tonnes of waste material per year can be re-used that would otherwise have been sent to landfill.
1996
ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard.
Made for Life
Steelite International's Made in England – Made for Life campaign promotes the benefits of British manufactured tableware, and underpins the four elements of their mission statement Read More
