Environment Policy
Our Environment Policy underpins our commitments and directions for the way we interact with our community and the environment.
Environmental management
We are committed to integrating sustainability principles into the way we plan and operate our business, so we can meet the needs of our community while preserving the quality of life for future generations.
Our environmental management system (EMS) ensures all our activities are fully integrated, co-ordinated and reviewed, so we can minimise our environmental footprint and deliver positive environmental outcomes.
We have some important policies, plans and specific programs to support our EMS:
Environmental Management Plan
Our Environmental Management Plan provides a framework for meeting our Community and Environment Policy commitments.
Environmental performance indicators
We track and report our activities using a pre-defined set of environmental performance indicators (also called ESD indicators).
Case study: Offsetting our plastic use
In 2021, we became the first business partnering with community-driven initiative, Plastic Police, to completely offset our soft plastic use.
Over the past three years, we have collected and diverted more than three tonnes of soft plastic from landfill through our participation in the local engagement program that collects, recycles and reuses soft plastics.
We have implemented soft plastic recycling at our Honeysuckle, Tarro, Tomago and North Lambton sites, and our procurement rate at June 2021 was 63% and climbing, meaning we have purchased items made from 2.4 tonnes of soft plastic, and are well on our way to recycling more soft plastic than we use.
One such project saw us obtain 200 posts made from 2.1 tonnes of recycled soft plastic. The sturdy, steel-reinforced recycled plastic posts, which will be used as markers to locate underground valves, have replaced virgin steel, saving resources and reducing costs by half.
Manufactured by Plastic Forests in Albury, the posts are built from 85% recycled plastics, including soft plastic and coffee cups, 10% Australian made steel, and 5% processing aids and UV stabilisers.
Our heritage assets
We have a rich heritage that spans across over 125 years of work in managing water throughout the Lower Hunter. Learn about the heritage assets that we've attained.