Kier Highways Project Adopts EnviroPad® as Best Practice
The Environment team on Kier Highways’ £150m A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool project in Lancashire has switched to using the Green Rhino EnviroPad® for spill control.
On construction sites, contractors have a legal requirement to protect the environment and prevent pollution.
Using smart polymer technology, the EnviroPad permanently locks in hydrocarbons, preventing water pollution and reducing waste. EnviroPad is not just better at capturing and retaining hydrocarbons than alternative approaches, it is better value too – having a greater oil retention capacity while costing less.
Kier Highways’ Sustainability Strategy and One Planet Action Plan (OPAP), ‘Driving for a Sustainable World’, is built upon 10 principles which align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These principles include ‘Sustainable Water’ and ‘Zero Waste’. On this project, the environment team’s aim is to reinforce good practices within Kier in terms of pollution prevention and sustainability.
Rebecca Shadlock, Senior Environmental Manager for Major Projects at Kier Highways commented on the demonstration and trial of the EnviroPad at Windy Harbour.
“We have used the traditional nappies before but want to trial innovative products when they become available.
“We invited Adam Leyton from Green Rhino to our site to demonstrate EnviroPad. Our general foreman, who coordinates the refuelling and pumping activities, was also invited to the demonstration.
“Green Rhino briefed site-based teams on how the product works and its capability to reduce environmental impact. Feedback was extremely positive from everyone who attended the demonstration.
“Right away, we trialled the EnviroPad at one of our compounds where we have refuelling activities. Following this successful trial, our foreman recommended that we transition to EnviroPad.
“We find that colleagues engage with our efforts to improve sustainability much more when we include them in our decision-making process, and we are making significant efforts to embed sustainability into everyone’s role. We have a programme of communications, including toolbox talks and lunch’n’learn sessions to inform all our staff of our objectives and the part they play in achieving them.”