Environment award for Vale's highways maintenance division
The Vale of Glamorgan Council is celebrating another
success on the national award scene.
Judged as being worthy of a silver accolade in the annual Green
Apple Awards, the council's highways maintenance division has been
recognised for its efforts in promoting environmental best
practice.
Accepting the award at a House of Commons ceremony from
Professor David Bellamy, the council's operational manager (highway
maintenance), Keith Jones, said: “This is a great tribute to the
best endeavours of the staff and workforce and reflects the efforts
which we continue to make to minimise our impact on the
environment.”
Examples of areas of work which won the council its award
are:
• 100 per cent of street lighting energy green sourced;
• use of aluminium street columns and lighting units which have
a longer lifespan, and can be recycled at the end of their
life;
• illuminated bollard shells sourced from recycled plastic;
• all construction waste reused or recycled;
• use of pioneering solar powered lights;
• use of latest highway surfacing materials with noise reduction
features;
• development of a new reed bed facility for recycling waste
material from highways gullies;
• minimising disturbance to flora and fauna in construction
works and activities;
• construction of a new facility to protect and preserve great
crested newts, and
• a 24-hour, 365 days a year highways emergency call out system
to deal with flooding.
Congratulating the staff, Cllr Rob Curtis, cabinet member for
visible services with specific responsibility for sustainability,
said: "The council appreciates its responsibility to try and
safeguard the environment for future generations. It is, therefore,
committed to ensuring environmental best practice in as many areas
of its work as possible."
Caption: Vale of Glamorgan Council operational
manager (highways maintenance) Keith Jones receives the Green Apple
award from Professor David Bellamy.
19/12/2007