Waste contract

Maslen Environmental, which recently relocated to new offices in Salts Mill, Saltaire, has signed the deal to advise companies on how they can cut waste and see the impact on the bottom line of their accounts.

The project is targeted particularly at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), especially those that operate in the manufacturing and construction sectors.

In only a fortnight since the programme was started, Maslen has already helped two Bradford firms to save £120,000 by increasing their efficiency.

And national research has shown that, on average, up to four per cent of turnover is lost on waste - but a quarter of that could be recouped by implementing simple measures.

Rob Pheasant, who is leading the project after recently joining the firm from Bradford Chamber of Commerce, urged companies to make the most of the opportunity.

Companies undergo an audit to see how efficient they are through EnviroWise, which is part of a Department of Trade and Industry initiative.

Maslen then provides ten hours of free consultancy - funded by regional development agency Yorkshire Forward - to identify where cost savings could be made.

Mr Pheasant said forthcoming rises in landfill taxes would make inefficient practices even more expensive.

"The cost of landfill is effectively going to double and yet there are relatively simple measures that can be taken to improve things," he said. "I think there is definitely a problem and that is particularly the case because we are looking at SMEs.

"A lot of them are not doing this intentionally. It is often a case of firms always having done things in one particular way and they don't have the time or the means to change it."

Maslen, which was founded in Little Germany, Bradford, 14 years ago, specialises in environmental research and design.

For more information on the project, contact Rob Pheasant on (01274) 714269 or e-mail: r.pheasant@Maslen-environmental.com