ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
At Matalan we recognise our responsibility to minimise the potential of causing harm to the environment and strive to sustain and improve the environment through the careful consideration of design, selection of materials and operational procedures.
We continually communicate with our customers encouraging them to recycle old items, from clothing to electrical items and batteries.
We're committed to complying with all regulatory and legislative requirements in all aspects of the business and will endeavour where practicable to ensure that our contractors and suppliers also comply. We see this as a minimum standard with respect to environmental issues. Matalan also has, or is introducing wherever possible, processes to monitor and make improvements on areas such as:
- Waste disposal
- Energy consumption
- Fuel efficiency
- Products from sustainable sources
- Recycling
We regularly review our policies and procedures to make sure that we maintain an appropriate level of environmental awareness and responsibility.
Please find attached our Strategic Energy and Carbon Report 2020/21
We have a board director with overall responsibility for all environmental issues, ensuring this is always on our agenda, that sustainability is a key focus for the business and that our suppliers are following.
Minimising Our Emissions & Waste
As a retailer we are always looking at ways to minimise waste creation throughout our supply chain. Our total carbon emissions on energy alone have reduced by more than 50% in recent years but we know there’s lots more to do. Just some of the areas we are making progress on include:
Reducing plastic
- We now re-use all our clothes hangers as part of an official re-use programme, with each re-used hanger saving 34% of carbon emissions versus a new hanger.
- We’ve eliminated single use carrier bags and introduced bags for life. We’re now working on replacing all plastic carrier bags with FFC approved paper bags by 2022.
- We’re working to introduce a minimum of 30% recycled composition in our eCommerce packaging by 2022.
More efficient vehicles
- Our latest fleet of vehicles emit 25% less CO2 compared to a similar engine.
- More eco-friendly systems in our buildings
- We are rolling out LED lighting and other energy savings to our stores and have so far converted almost 50 stores.
Recycling
Alongside our ongoing focus on minimising waste creation, we are committed to managing our waste responsibly and increasing our collective approach to recycling where possible.
As part of our commitment to minimise the negative impacts of waste, we also partner with energy providers to divert our store and head office waste from landfill to energy resources. In 2020, we successfully converted more than 98% of both our store and head office waste to this purpose.
Dry Mixed Recycling (Cardboard, Paper, Bottles)
At Matalan, we have a dry mixed recycling programme in place across our estate of stores, distribution centres and head office. All our employees play an important role in helping us to recycle personal and commercial waste via dedicated dry mixed recycling facilities across our sites. Thanks to their efforts, in 2020 we recycled 785 tonnes of dry mixed recycling across our portfolio.
Clothing Recycling
To avoid sending non-saleable and returned stock to landfill, we donate it to charity partners instead. In 2020, we donated more than 15,000 mixed bags and cartons of stocks from stores and almost 200 pallets of stock from our distribution centres, diverting approximately 100 tonnes of clothing that could otherwise have gone to landfill.
As part of our terms of business, our overseas operations donate all gold seal samples to local charities.
Electrical Waste Management
Recycling old electrical items
Unwanted electrical equipment is the UK’s fastest growing type of waste. Many electrical items can be repaired or recycled, saving natural resources and the environment. If you do not recycle electrical equipment will end up in landfill where hazardous substances will leak out and cause soil and water contamination – harming wildlife and also human health.
We’re proud to support your local authority in providing local recycling facilities for electrical equipment.
To remind you that old electrical equipment can be recycled, it is now marked with the crossed-out wheeled bin symbol. Please do not throw any electrical equipment (including those marked with this symbol) in your bin. Recycle your electrical and electronic devices free at your local recycling centre. To find your nearest centre, visit the www.recycle-more.co.uk website and type in your postcode.
To find more information on WEEE recycling and to locate your nearest recycling centre please visit the www.recycle-more.co.uk website.
Recycling batteries
When batteries begin to rot away in landfill, dangerous chemicals such as lead, cadmium, zinc, lithium and even mercury may leak into the ground causing soil and water pollution. This can be harmful to animals, humans and the environment. Recycling used batteries is a great way to help protect the environment. Matalan is working with Valpak Limited to provide household Battery Recycling Bins at all of our stores to make it easy for our customers to recycle used batteries. Each battery placed in the recycling bin will be taken apart and the materials used to make something new.
Please note that Matalan cannot take back Automotive or Industrial Batteries for Recycling. Alternatively, customers can take used batteries to a participating council recycling site. For your information on the location of your nearest site and for advice on all aspects of recycling at home, please visit the www.recycle-more.co.uk website.
Matalan Restricted Substance Policy
Matalan requires all of its suppliers to be aware of all current legislation and directives regarding hazardous substances that apply to their products and ensure their products comply, it is a legal requirement that the materials used Matalan consumer products and packaging, do not contain hazardous materials, or traces of them, above the limits specified in the relevant legislation like the REACH Directive, the Packaging Directive, the RoHS Directive, etc.
It is the responsibility of all Suppliers’ to be aware of all current legislation and directives regarding hazardous substances, including REACH and Matalan recommend that all Suppliers test their Products where applicable to ensure that the relevant laws are not contravened. This includes the need to be aware of updates to Annex XVII of REACH, which covers various restricted substances, and to be up to date regarding the listed SVHC’s on the ECHA Candidate List.
The following information regarding applicable directives, testing, best practices and legislation is provided to the Supplier as a guideline only and is subject to ongoing updates and amendments. The Supplier must note that the list is not exhaustive and there may be other requirements that apply or change. The Supplier has full responsibility for the awareness of directives, testing, best practices and legislation and must ensure that they are up to date with all relevant matters.
The Supplier should have a comprehensive knowledge & expertise of their product & must ensure they are fully aware which directives and testing requirements are applicable to their products. If the Supplier is in any doubt, they should always contact an accredited test laboratory in the first instance prior to contacting their relevant Technical Services Technologist.
The list provided below is for guidance only and should not be regarded as definitive. REACH regulations and the list of RESTRICTED SUBSTANCE AND SUBSTANCE OF VERY HIGH CONVERN(SVHC) are regularly updated. Suppliers must ensure their products comply with all the current legislation and directives. More information can be found in REACH Regulations.
In addition to REACH regulation suppliers must refer to all communication sent via Matalan B2B platform and respective supplier quality manuals for regular updates and changes and follow the latest guidelines.