Our aim is to offset the environmental impact of our event at every stage in the production chain. We challenge our contractors to be more sustainable and actively de-select companies that are not making efforts in this area. In addition to this, we have introduced a range of initiatives that aim to make it as easy as possible for our visitors and exhibitors to manage the impact of their attendance at the show.
We have summarised our sustainable initiatives below, but we are always open to new ideas so if there is anything else that you think we should be doing then please contact us at [email protected]
Travel
We are working with Ecolibrium to help offset our travel. We use the Travel Carbon Calculator which is promoted to exhibitors and visitors to offset the carbon impact of their travel. All National Running Show team travel will be offset using this method.
Graphics
We are encouraging exhibitors to use reusable fabric graphics and not foamex
Main Contractor – Freeman
Our main contractor Freeman has a detailed and extensive sustainability policy which can be found here.
Venue Initiatives – The NEC
- The NEC is a zero to landfill venue with an average recycling rate of circa 80%
- Mixed recycling and General waste is transported to a local plant just 7 miles from site where it is sorted and recyclables removed
- Recyclable material is transported to a second plant in Wolverhampton where it undergoes further sorting, grading, is bulked and enters the commodities market
- Remaining waste is utilised as waste to Energy, and generates electricity for homes and businesses in the Birmingham area
- Any residual ash from the Waste to Energy process is used in road building scheme
- Food waste is separated on site and taken 4 miles to the Severn Trent Anaerobic Digestion Plant
- The food is composted and the resulting methane generates electricity to power the local sewage plant, with excess put back into the National Grid
- The resulting compost is sold on to local farmers as fertiliser
- Segregated glass waste is taken to a processor in Walsall
- High quality glass cullet from the processing is used to make further glass bottles
- Lower quality cullet is used in road building
- Metal waste is collected as a mixed load and transported to a processor 5 miles from the NEC
- Large wood waste items are segregated and taken to a local processor less than 3 miles from the venue
- Wood is sorted and utilised in various ways depending on the grade such as reclaimed/reused, biomass pellets, animal bedding, wood chippings for use on land
- Pallets are collected, stored and taken to a local company 2 junctions up the M42
- Here they are checked/repaired and re-distributed into the transport industry
- Our policy is that waste should not travel more than 30 miles from site, minimising carbon emissions and supporting local businesses
- We have a fleet of waste vehicles based on site, so no unnecessary travelling takes place, further minimising emissions
- We regularly find alternative ways to deal with discarded items, such as donating them to local community groups for reuse
- Past donations include supporting community cafes with chairs and tables, community garden projects with soil/hardcore/bark, local hostels with excess food, counselling organisations with office furniture
Last updated 20/10/2020