Landmark city-centre venue, The Forum, has been working hard to boost its environmental credentials by working with local waste recycling company Anglian. Results from the first 12 months of the partnership have seen great progress with all waste being processed locally, achieving 71% recycling and 0% going to landfill.
Anglian bins to collect dry mixed recycling and general waste were put in last June, helping staff and visitors in The Forum to do their bit to ensure as much waste as possible can be recycled. A total of 24.98 tonnes of waste has been collected from The Forum in the past year, including four tonnes of food waste from within The Forum and Library offices. General waste and recycling collected by Anglian is sent for processing locally at its 10-acre licensed facility in Norfolk. Food waste is sent for anaerobic digestion at a nearby plant, which uses it to generate power for homes in South Norfolk.
Monthly reporting provided by Anglian has enabled The Forum to closely monitor and benchmark its progress. Looking ahead to the next 12 months, The Forum is keen to use these figures to further increase recycling rates as the partnership develops.
Built in 2001, The Forum has welcomed close to 25 million visitors and is home to one of the busiest libraries in the country. It is also a cultural hub, providing a whole host of free events every year.
Rowan Whiteside, marketing and communications manager at The Forum, said: “The Forum Trust is an independent, self-financing charity, which prioritises sustainability and is committed to reducing the environmental impact of the organisation. The partnership with Anglian has enabled us to be much more accountable with our waste – we can see where it’s going and what happens to it, as well as getting monthly reports on our recycling rates, and exploring opportunities to reduce our waste further. As a local organisation, we are pleased to be working with Anglian, a Norfolk-based supplier who processes our waste right here in the county.”
Jamie Parker, key account manager at Anglian Waste Recycling, said: “We are delighted to be working with The Forum as one of the city’s most popular venues, helping to manage their waste journey and doing our bit to support their sustainability goals.”
Alongside improving its waste recycling processes, The Forum is also undertaking a range of additional sustainability measures such as upgrading to LED lighting, which has already reduced energy use by 12.6%.
Anglian Waste Recycling offers a free waste audit for businesses looking to achieve their sustainability aims, reduce the impact of waste on the environment and save money. To find out more, see