Scottish companies could save £2.36bn by going green

Zero Waste Scotland has announced that Scottish companies could save £2.36bn a year by reducing waste costs.

Firms could also cut water and effluent bills by up to 50 per cent and reduce their energy bills by up to 20 per cent by changing their approach to waste, the waste and resources advice body states.

The services sector could stand to make savings of almost £1.2bn. Checking for leaks, identifying materials that can be reused, switching off electrical equipment, and working more effectively with their supply chain by arranging deliveries on the same day as other firms in the local area, are all achievable steps to boosting the bottom line.



The manufacturing sector could make savings of around £454m, where one simple step for manufacturers could be taking the environment into account at the design stage of a product - ensuring it will be longer lasting, reusable and recyclable at the end of its life.



The Scottish construction industry could see financial savings of over £170m simply by implementing a site waste management plan at the start of a project, resulting in less waste being sent to landfill and a welcomed boost to profits.

Iain Gulland, director of Zero Waste Scotland, said: "Businesses must overcome the perception that going green adds cost – the opposite is true."

"Those companies that have addressed their environmental performance with even small changes have measured savings in their bottom line – which could hit as much as one per cent of turnover."

Further information:
Zero Waste Scotland