Hardstaff Barriers has taken another major step towards sustainability by recycling every single item of old or damaged PPE. In January, Hardstaff Barriers made the pledge to recycle rather than dispose of all personal protective equipment that can no longer be worn.
Since then, the company has collected 30kg of used PPE, which has reached the end of its life, to be recycled to create new products. Hardstaff Barriers have teamed up with Granite Workwear, an ISO14001 certified company, which has launched its very own textile destruction and recycling service for old or damaged workwear and PPE.
Environmentally stable planet
Hardstaff’s first collection of PPE for recycling, which includes 10 pairs of trousers, eight fleeces, vests, hats and t-shirts, coincides with Global Recycling Day, which takes place on March 18, 2022. With the theme #RecyclingHeroes, this year’s event recognizes the people, places, and activities that showcase how the Seventh Resource and recycling contribute to an environmentally stable planet and a greener future for all.
Granite Workwear destroys all clothing, including boots and belts, by recycling it into new fibers
Granite Workwear destroys all clothing, including boots and belts, by recycling it into new fibers, for a variety of products including new fabrics. Plastics from safety glasses and helmets are re-chipped for re-use in the plastic industry. Metals from studs, buttons, zips, and toe caps and melted down for reuse. The only product that it cannot recycle is the high visibility tape, which goes to incineration. The service is carried out by Granite at no cost, with customers simply needing to send the clothing back to them.
Creating sustainable infrastructure
In the UK, approximately one million tons of clothing is disposed of every year and 10,000 items of clothing are sent to landfills every five minutes. This is approximately 30% of all clothing. Kathryn Cooper, Head of ESG (Environment, Social and Corporate Governance) at VRS Solutions Group, of which Hardstaff Barriers is part of, said: “We are thrilled to be able to recycle these used items of PPE rather than simply throwing them away.”
“We’re so pleased that the items we once had no choice but to dispose of, can now be fully recycled and turned into new products and materials. VRS Solutions Group is part of Hill and Smith Holdings PLC, an international group of companies operating within the infrastructure and galvanizing markets. One of the group’s main objectives is to create sustainable infrastructure and safe transport through innovation.”
