May 2011
Wellman International have won ‘The Waste to Business Resource Award’ at the prestigious Green Awards 2011 ceremony, held on the 14th April, Dublin.
These National Awards, in their fourth year, were initiated through the Irish Department of the Environment, the purpose of which is to celebrate excellence in sustainability and to encourage best practice among organisations and individuals alike.
Wellman International’s entry centred on their ‘flake to fibre’ process, which involves the production of fibre products using plastic bottles as its raw material source. Wellman, which utilise 1.6 billion plastic bottles annually in the production of their fibre, is Europe’s largest recycler of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles and is also the leading European producer of polyester staple fibre products. Applications for which Wellman fibre is used are diverse, ranging from home furnishings and personal care items such as baby diapers to applications for technical applications such as automotive, insulation and filtration products.
The Wellman entry was strongly supported by an independent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study, undertaken at Utrecht University in conjunction with Adidas and Lenzing Fibres. Findings of this study concluded that Wellman International fibre made from rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate), has a 76% lower carbon footprint than fibre made from virgin polyester. Production of Wellman International rPET fibre also uses 86% less non renewable energy, depletes mineral resources by 85% less than virgin polyester and releases 82% less acid rain causing causes and 76% less euthrophication-causing substances. It also results in the release of 81% less photochemical oxidant forming chemicals. According to Managing Director, Frank Gleeson ‘This accreditation is particularly important to us as it recognises that Wellman pursue a genuine and validated sustainability agenda, one which not only has a positive impact upon the environment but the benefits of which can be passed on to our customers and in turn to the consumer’.
Wellman can also offer full traceability of raw materials and opportunities to participate in ‘Closed Loop™’ partnerships, which can facilitate the recovery of 100% polyester components from end-of-life products, and so enhance the sustainability of customer processes and products.
For more information please contact Celene Rafferty, Product Manager at Wellman International (+353 (0) 46 9280200 or visit wellman-intl.com.