07.03.14
FCO achieves new Carbon Trust Waste Standard
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has become the first public sector organisation to be certified to the new Carbon Trust Waste Standard.
It has also been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard on reducing greenhouse gases.
According to the FCO, it now diverts 97% of its waste away from landfill, with almost all waste being recycled or incinerated with heat recovery. It has also cut the carbon emissions of its UK operations by 23% between 2009/10 and 2012/13.
Owen Richards, the FCO’s sustainable operations manager, said: “We are delighted to be the first public organisation to have been certified to the Carbon Trust Waste Standard, as well as to the Carbon Trust Standard.
“We are continuously monitoring utility and travel data to spot waste or find scope for improvement. With technology constantly advancing, there will always be opportunities for the FCO to do its vital work but with a smaller environmental footprint and at lower cost.”
Additionally, more carbon and waste saving measures are planned at the FCO. For example, data centres which need substantial energy to run, and about as much energy again to stay cool, will use virtualisation technology to provide the same service with far fewer servers. This could save around 1100t of CO2 per year and will save money on electricity.
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