Award-winning ingredients and ready-to-eat products specialist, Beacon Foods, has been praised for the quality of its waste management system following an annual inspection last month.
The family-owned company, which has four units in Brecon Enterprise Park, Brecon, has achieved the Certificate of Environmental Management Phase 3 of the Seren Environmental Standard (BS 8555) for the 11th year in a row.
The certificate relates to the processing of raw fruit and vegetables to produce sauces and chutneys for their subsequent packaging and onward delivery to customers.
The inspection by Tarian Inspection Services reported no incidents or issues with water quality testing in the past year.
“Again, risks and opportunities appear to be managed well and the system is documented to a very high standard,” said the report. “Records are excellent and the environment manager is very competent at managing the essential plant to ensure environmental compliance. Excellent to see how housekeeping has improved in all areas.”
The inspector comments about company’s “very comprehensive” emergency safety plan and notes that a carbon footprint plan is in place.
The company’s plans for the next year include expanding Unit 3, calculating the company’s carbon footprint and continuing to review procedures.
The report is a feather in the cap for Beacon Foods’ environment manager, Paul Davies. He completed The Chartered Institution of Waste Management (WAMITAB) Level 4 Medium Risk Operator Competence for Non-Hazardous Sludge and Land Spreading qualification earlier this year.
The qualification is designed to give technically competent people the knowledge and skills to ensure waste sites comply with Environmental Permitting Regulations.
Paul manages Beacon Foods’ waste treatment plant and the spreading of sludge on farmland for agricultural gain. He ensures that a contractor carries out the spreading in a safe and controlled way, keeping meticulous records for Natural Resources Wales (NRW).
“The BS 8555 Environmental Management System standard accreditation is very important to our customers as it’s a measurement that we are doing things correctly to improve environmental performance,” explained Paul.
“We work in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park and it’s imperative that we look after our neighbours and the environment.”
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