ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY 2023

Registered Charity No: 1185186

Founder, Jane Atkinson –07979 691429

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Positive Path Foundation recognises the need for a positive environmental approach, however the nature of our charity and our service provision means that many of our events are conducted on third party sites.  The focus is on our small office and our approach to travel to these destinations.

Wherever possible the option of utilising environmentally sustainable processes will be promoted.  Employees and Volunteers are encouraged to take an interest in the environmental issues that affect their area of activity to avoid waste and promote re-cycling of materials.

OBJECTIVES

The company recognises that the activity undertaken by Positive Path Foundation can have a significant effect on the environment and therefore accepts responsibility for managing its operations in such a way as to comply with all relevant statutory provisions and codes of practice relating to our service provision.

 Positive Path Foundation recognises that good environmental practice is an opportunity to improve performance by:

  • Reducing pollution and waste
  • Using energy and resources more efficiently
  • Lowering costs
  • Minimising disturbance to the neighbours due to being on a residential area
  • Improving health safety and morale

 

LEGISLATION

Positive Path Foundation will also ensure that all activities carried out by the Charity will comply with, or exceed, environmental target requirements.

Positive Path Foundation are aware of their duties under the Environmental Protection Act (1990) to: –

  • Prevent anyone from dealing with their waste illegally
  • Prevent the escape of their waste
  • Ensure that waste is only transferred to an authorised person
  • Ensure that an accurate description of waste is provided when the waste is transferred, and a transfer note completed

Positive Path Foundation will fulfil our environmental responsibilities and co-operate fully with clients and third party service users/providers achieve that goal.

 

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Positive Path Foundation will co-operate with any waste management plans in operation.

Waste minimisation, which includes reduction, re-use and recycling, is the mainstay of our strategy to ensure:

 

  • Good handling, protection and housekeeping to avoid damage to materials.
  • Recycling of packaging materials where feasible in accordance with suppliers’ instructions and any Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997

Where it is unavoidable to produce waste, it must be:

  • Appropriately handled by competent/licensed operators
  • Segregated where feasible to aid recycling
  • Promptly placed in the correct disposal area, stockpile or receptacle. Where licensed recycling centres are used for the disposal of materials it is ensured that different components are separated and disposed of at relevant parts of the facility
  • Disposed of in accordance with Section 34(1) of Part II of The Environmental Protection Act 1990, Waste Management Duty of Care and The Special Waste Regulations 1996, with documentation retained

 

CONSERVATION OF ENERGY

The use of energy requires monitoring and review to establish measures to avoid using resources, power etc. unnecessarily.

Staff are encouraged to use public transport where this is practicable and to share company vehicles rather than travelling to sites individually.

Energy conservation is also a priority at the company offices where wasted energy is discouraged and low energy use equipment and fittings are in use.

 

Use of Energy and Water

Wherever practicable materials, plant and equipment shall be provided on the basis that they:

  • Thermally efficient
  • Consume low levels of energy and water
  • Are evaluated against design requirements in order to reduce environmental impact

 

CONTROL OF POLLUTION

Emissions to AiR

Wherever practicable plant, transport and equipment shall be provided to ensure effective protection of air quality from emissions

Materials will be:

  • Delivered in planned optimal loads
  • Contained to minimise dust during transportation and operations

 

Nuisance

Noise and vibration disturbance shall be reduced by:

  • Avoiding the use of excessive noise
  • Service provision within agreed hours
  • Using well maintained, modern equipment suitable for the provision
  • Locating any noisy plant to avoid disturbance to neighbours

 

Disturbance to the local community will also be minimised by:

  • Parking in designated areas
  • Adhering to traffic and pedestrian management schemes

 

SELECTION OF MATERIALS

Where Positive Path Foundation has influence upon the selection of materials certain environmental factors must be recognised for example: –

  • Use of recycled material where practicable
  • Use of natural in preference to highly processed materials.
  • Using timber which is sourced from well managed forests.
  • Avoiding on-site preservative treatment of timber to minimise health and pollution risks
  • The use of paints which have no or low amounts of organic solvents.
  • Standardisation and modular sizing for waste reduction
  • Pre-scheduling of cut to length components
  • Recycling capability at end of useful life

 

INTERNAL OFFICE POLICY

 Greater health and environmental awareness have led to an increasing adoption of greener products and systems. The result has been that the following systems are in place at the office: –

  • Purchase of paper, cardboard packaging etc. made from recycled materials
  • Undertaking electronic preparation, transfer, and storage of information wherever practicable to avoid the use of paper
  • Use of scrap paper for notes and messages etc.
  • Recycling of paper, cardboard, bottles, and cans used at the office
  • Encourage all at the office to avoid waste by limiting power use and ensuring that lights, equipment, and heating are switched off when they are not required
  • Encouragement of use of public transport by staff whenever practicable.

 

STATEMENT

The Environmental Policy of Positive Path Foundation is to operate in such a way that it attains:

  • Compliance with Legal Requirements and site-specific arrangements
  • Efficient use of natural resources
  • Minimising environmental disturbance
  • Reduced energy requirements
  • Effective waste management

 

All employees and volunteers have a part to play in ensuring that the Positive Path Foundation Environmental Policy is followed.

Positive Path Foundation is committed to the implementation of this Policy.