SUSTAINABILITY SEALING THE
SUSTAINABLE DIFFERENCE T
BMJ talks to Geocel about the key drivers behind the uptake of its ecoSEAL sustainable alternatives to traditional methods.
he demand for sustainable products across all markets and sectors is now higher than ever. New greener, sustainable alternatives to everyday products are in constant supply and demand, especially as we continue to see the destructive outcome of the wider consumption of single-use plastic.
That’s according to Andrew Cummins, senior product manager at Geocel. “This push towards sustainable products is in part due to a growing sense of responsibility, as many individuals and organisations now take a far more considered approach to choosing the products they use on a daily basis,” he continues. “Legislation is of course playing a key role, particularly as the government looks to introduce tighter taxes on the disposal and production of unsustainable products.” The construction industry consumes around 23% of all plastic produced in the UK, some 50,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste every year. Furthermore, a recent Considerate Constructors Scheme survey found that 95% of respondents believe the construction industry needs to make a change with its consumption of plastics and packaging. 81% also suggested that the industry is currently not doing enough.
Much of the plastic consumed by the construction sector is single use, Cummins points out, including an estimated annual total of over 100 million plastic cartridges that end up in landfill. “That is why Geocel launched the ecoSEAL system, to provide a sustainable alternative to single-use plastic sealant and adhesive cartridges. The system comprises a re-usable and recyclable plastic sleeve, that can be paired with a number of popular trade products, including Painters Mate, THE WORKS PRO, Dowsil 785+, 796 and 799 aluminium foils,” he says.
Crucially, the ecoSEAL system can be used on average 75 times, reducing the amount of single-use plastic consumed every day by those that adopt the system. The system can also be used with any standard gun, making it easier
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for installers to embrace more sustainable solutions, and the used foils are also eight times smaller than traditional cartridges – making them around 60% lighter. Cummins adds that recent statistics show that approximately 60% of all skipped material by weight is packaging waste and in 2017, it was calculated that England only had 6.8 years of non-hazardous landfill capacity left. With the number of landfill sites dramatically reducing, waste is having to travel further, increasing transport costs. “It is also expected that the government will continue to increase landfill costs further having already more than trebled since 2008 to £91.35 a tonne. By adopting a sustainable solution, builders and installers can achieve a significant reduction in plastic waste and ensure that less material is ultimately sent to landfill.”
As of April 2022, businesses that produce or import plastic packaging with insufficient recycled content will be subject to an additional tax. This, Cummins explains, means that any company producing or importing plastic packaging without at least 30%
recycled content will have to pay a tax. “As of today, cartridges used within the construction industry are manufactured from 100% virgin plastic, so the new tax will inevitably lead to an increase in the cost of production of sealants, adhesives and fillers, which will ultimately affect the customer.”
Geocel has seen a significant uptake of its ecoSEAL system, with the sealant foils, sleeve and nozzles now being stocked at major merchant branches such as Travis Perkins, Selco, and Toolstation in addition to a number of other independent and smaller merchant branches.
“For merchants with larger contractor or public sector customers, the pending tax on virgin plastic products is likely to have an impact on the sealants and adhesives they specify and buy,” he says. “Finally, the shift in public sentiment means individuals are now actively looking for sustainable alternatives. For merchants who stock and champion them – it means it is an ideal time to help the customer in that endeavour, secure the sale and contribute to a greener construction sector.” BMJ
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net January 2021
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