A new home for foam

Introduction

Yorkshire Forward has helped to find a novel use for industrial waste in a solution which also protects the environment.

• CO2 reduction of 26 tonnes
• 2 tonnes diverted from landfill
• 200m3 of skip volume saved

Summary

A North Lincolnshire manufacturer of soft toys and teddies is making good use of previously unwanted off-cuts of polyethylene foam, a by-product of the manufacture of hoses for the oil, gas, petrochemical and dredging industries.

Grimsby-based Dunlop Oil and Marine had a problem disposing of lightweight but very bulky foam waste. They approached National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP), a programme co-funded by Yorkshire Forward, to see whether the foam could be put to good use by another company. NISP put them in touch with a toy manufacturer, who quickly saw the foam’s potential, once shredded, as a suitable stuffing for soft toys.

NISP seeks out mutually beneficial links between companies so that resources such as energy, water and materials from one company can be recovered, reprocessed and re-used by others, resulting in economic and environmental benefits.

Thanks to NISP, this synergy has reduced the time needed to compact foam waste and saved on disposal costs. There is now a sustainable outlet for the material and all parties are pleased to see the foam used as feedstock rather than going to landfill.

What is Yorkshire Forward’s connection with this initiative?
NISP is co-funded by Yorkshire Forward. Find out more about NISP at www.nisp.org.uk.

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