The Director General of Environmental Quality and Evaluation, Ministry of Environment, Jaime Alejandre, Director General of the Spanish Association of Distributors, Supermarkets and Supermarkets (ASED), Ignacio García Magarzo and Director Environment Development Working Alba Cabins have launched the Handbook on Good Practices in the Distribution Sector Food and Supermarkets.

According to the contents of the associated companies to ASEDAS are very active in environmental matters, despite being part of a sector that is characterized by a moderate environmental impact. In recent years, have joined its management voluntary initiatives in many kinds of environmental protection, such as reducing emissions of polluting gases into the atmosphere in freight transport, reduction of the noise of loading and discharge, the energy cost savings through rationalization of lighting systems in facilities or recycling of various materials through the selective collection of waste.

The highlight of the handbook is the result of sum of the various environmental initiatives carried out by distribution companies in the line of the campaign launched by the Ministry of Environment Total is what counts.

In the case of the supermarkets are the use of biodiesel by some of the lessons that are part of ASEDAS. The use of this green fuel has allowed reducing CO2 emissions by 24 percent. Another contribution has been reduced by 25 per cent of trips made by trucks through the optimization of distribution routes, saving energy and emissions involved.

companies ASEDAS help reduce the problems of traffic congestion and noise and air pollution associated with the incorporation of best practices related to the loading and unloading of goods at retail outlets, such as a night distribution. Inside

efforts for the promotion and use of recycling, one company has managed to save 50,000 tonnes of cardboard a year thanks to the use of reusable packaging business. Similarly, using cardboard shredders from another supermarket chain have been recycled 70,000 tonnes of cardboard a year.

It is also important to note the implementation of such practices in activities support of the distribution as cleaning or lighting. A logistics center has dropped by 30 per cent contamination of their wastewater through optimization detergents and other products of disinfection. Similarly, the use of natural lighting and better use of artificial light has allowed savings of almost 70 percent of energy expenditure resulting from the lighting.

Also deserves special mention is the initiative developed by another of the companies of ASEDAS that recycles the material generated by the signs of shops and turns it into boxes and bottle that their customers can use to take the purchase home. This has won the 2005 prize design strategies for the recycling of Waste Agency of Catalonia.
 

Source: ASEDAR