Interplas 2017

Tuesday 26th – Thursday 28th September 2017, NEC, Birmingham

Axion Polymers will be exhibiting at this year’s Interplas exhibition on stand number A74.

The team will be showcasing the full range of our latest polymer grades including high quality, fully recycled ABS, polypropylene and polystyrene.

Axion Director Keith Freegard will be speaking on the main stage on Thursday 28th September at 14:30 about sustainable materials for circular product design. Keith will focus on the importance of using sustainable materials for plastics product design, including why designers should think ‘circular’ and how they can put this into practice. He will explain the impact of material choices on full product lifecycles for durable goods, as well as looking into primary waste streams as sources of materials.

Axion’s Head of Consulting Services Jane Gardner will be speaking on the main stage on Wednesday 27th September  at 13:30 about RecoMed, the PVC take-back scheme for single use medical devices.

It should be a great show. We hope to see you there!

RecoMed wins National Recycling Award for medical PVC recycling

RecoMed, the PVC medical devices take-back scheme, is a joint winner of the Waste Prevention category of the 2017 National Recycling Awards for its innovative approach to sustainable healthcare recycling.

It’s yet another accolade – the third in two years – for the unique UK-wide scheme, which is run by project partners Axion Consulting, a resource recovery specialist, and the British Plastics Federation (BPF). Set up in 2014, RecoMed supplies recycling containers, communication materials and collections to participating NHS and private hospitals.

Funded by VinylPlus, the voluntary commitment to sustainable development by the European PVC industry, the scheme provides an alternative, sustainable disposal route for waste medical items made from high-quality medical grade PVC. This material has been recycled back into new goods, such as horticultural products, by specialist recyclers.

Collecting the award at a ceremony at the London Hilton, Park Lane on behalf of Axion and the BPF, Axion’s Principal Consultant Jane Gardner said: “We’re thrilled and very proud to win this high profile award, which recognises the tremendous achievements of all participants and hospitals in recycling plastics from the medical waste stream.

“Now operating in ten hospitals, RecoMed continues to grow and is attracting more and more interest. The scope for development is huge as the scheme could ultimately be replicated across Europe. We are particularly impressed with the enthusiasm and commitment of clinicians without whom this scheme would not be possible,” she added.

Francisco Morcillo, Head of Public and Industrial Affairs at the BPF said: “RecoMed shows once again how PVC has come a long way when it comes to sustainability, becoming a guiding light for other materials. Not only PVC is a very cost-effective material with a great performance, it is also helping hospitals reducing their waste management costs whilst contributing to the principles of a circular economy.”

Praising the scheme, the judges commented: “This showed great initiative in changing behaviour in a sector that is notoriously difficult to establish effective waste segregation at source.”

The National Recycling Awards, organised by Materials Recycling World magazine, celebrate excellence, innovation and best practice across every aspect of waste management: recycling, recovery and reuse.

In 2016, RecoMed won the Sustainability category of the 2016 INOVYN Awards for its innovative approach to sustainable healthcare recycling. The previous year, RecoMed’s excellence in sustainability was recognised with the 2015 Association for Anaesthetic and Respiratory Device Suppliers (Barema) and the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI) Environment Award.

It is estimated that up to 2,250 tonnes of PVC could be recycled by collecting items, such as anaesthetic facemasks, oxygen masks and associated tubing, from UK hospitals. Participating hospitals save money on waste disposal costs by recycling non-infectious PVC medical items instead of sending them to clinical waste steams which are either incinerated or sent to specialist landfill sites.

Axion running team smashes charity target in memory of Simon

Axion staff took part in the annual Great Manchester Run and raised well over £3,000 for charity in memory of our late colleague Simon Wilkinson who passed away from cancer last summer.

Axion’s fund-raising team effort completely smashed an original target of more than £1,500 in aid of The Christie Hospital where Simon received treatment.

Twenty five employees from across Axion’s three sites competed in the 10k event – the largest of its type in Europe – at the end of May.

Sam Haig, Axion’s Head of Engineering & Research, who worked with Simon, a Principal Engineer, commented: “All of the team members from Axion felt very privileged to take part in the Great Manchester Run on Sunday 28th. The tragic events of the previous Monday made it a very emotional day, but there was a hugely positive attitude throughout the city and along the course, with thousands turning out to support the runners.”

Sam continued: “Simon was a very popular, professional and respected colleague. Axion is proud to have been able to help raise £3,416 for The Christie, in his memory. Special mention must go to Simon’s children David and Amy, who took part in the race alongside the Axion team, and his son Jack, who sped round the Junior race to finish in second place.”

He added: “The weather held up nicely, and the sun came out just in time for the team to enjoy a refreshing drink together afterwards!”

Anyone wishing to donate can do so at the Virgin Money Giving page.