Managing Director of ATG Group, Dr Mark McKinney, attended The Industrial Symbiosis Business and the Environment Conference on May 31st, 2017 to receive the Gold Standard Award for demonstrating an exemplary commitment to Industrial Symbiosis.
The Industrial Symbiosis Service finds economic and sustainable ways for businesses to let their waste or excess resources be used to the benefit of another business. The service is delivered by International Synergies NI on behalf of Invest NI and works with businesses of all sizes and from all sectors. With its 1900 members, the Industrial Symbiosis Service has facilitated over 450 synergies since 2007, resulting in 392,000 tonnes of waste being diverted from landfill and marked their 10th anniversary by paying tribute to the people and organisations who have shown outstanding engagement.
ATG Group was first involved with the Industrial Symbiosis Service at a synergy workshop and through the service has developed links with other companies leading to several projects. One of these projects led to ATG Group winning this award. Braidwater Ltd were the building contractors for a housing development in Belfast where significant amounts of contaminated land had to be dealt with before construction could begin. Thanks to the Industrial Symbiosis service ATG Group were approached by Braidwater and explained their aim to reduce costs by diverting the contaminated material from landfill. Both companies agreed on a strategy involving the removal of 38,304 tonnes of waste.
As part of this synergy:
- 20,340 tonnes of waste was tested, processed and returned as inert fill
- 4,500 tonnes was disposed of as it could not be recycled
- 12,888 tonnes were classed as inert material and used as fill under an NIEA exemption at another Braidwater site.
Other benefits included:
- Additional sales: £562,000
- Cost Saving: £1,200,000
- Virgin Materials: 20,340 tonnes
- Private Investment: £70,000
- Co2 Reduction: 2,099 tonnes
- Jobs Safeguarded/Created: 28
- Landfill Diversion 20,340 tonnes
Elaine Kerr, Deputy Director for International Synergies said: “The team at International Synergies was unanimous in its decision to present ATG Services Ltd with one of ten Gold Standards at our 10th Anniversary Conference. The Gold standard has been created to represent what Industrial Symbiosis is and the diversity of its application within any business model. ATG has fully embraced the concept of Industrial Symbiosis into its business model and utilises the Industrial Symbiosis Service regularly. Through attendance at Resource Matching workshops and engaging in synergies ATG has worked collaboratively to achieve significant cost savings for businesses while improving the environmental performance of resources. The Industrial Symbiosis service has achieved over £40m in economic benefit to the 450 businesses that have been involved in resource matching (Industrial Symbiosis) since 2007.”
