Environment
As a metal finishing company we are subject to a wide range
of environmental controls regarding the use of hazardous chemicals,
health and safety, disposal of waste products to land, air
and water as well as in part, the issues concerning the recycling
of products treated with chemicals such as chromium. We apply
strict internal controls to ensure compliance with all of
these issues as well as accepting regular audits and inspections
from the local authorities, the water company and health and
safety regulators.
Health
and Safety
The Health and Safety of our employees is critical to us.
In early 2005 we issued a fully revised Health and Safety
Policy and related procedures following a comprehensive audit
carried out by a fully qualified firm of external consultants.
We now carry out regular internal Health and Safety audits
in addition to an annual external review. Daily production
is carried out under strict internal guidelines regarding
safe working practice and all of our employees are fully trained
in the correct use of facilities and emergency control procedures.
Whilst not required, we have installed a state of the art
fume extraction and scrubbing system within the factory which
results in an internal air quality which can be described
as superior to that found in the average office.
Controlled
Substances
Many of the chemicals used in the treatment of aluminium are
controlled by legislation and regulations. These regulations
require that we control the emission of fumes to air, the
discharge of waste water to the local sewage system and the
disposal of solids and sludges to landfill and incineration,
all processes of which are subject to frequent/regular inspection
by the relevant controlling bodies. Certificates of all controlled
waste disposals are maintained in accordance with current
legal requirements.
RoHS
and WEEE Compliance

The
RoHS Directive bans the sale of new electrical and electronic
equipment containing significant levels of lead, cadmium,
mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB)
and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) from 1 July 2006;
and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive
(WEEE) requires manufacturers to finance the recycling of
their electrical products. The only controlled substance
relevant
to our processes is hexavalent chromium, which is used for
Chromic Acid Anodising and Alocrom finishes. To satisfy
customer
demand as a response to these recent changes we now offer
Irridite NCP and Surtec 650 as alternatives for the potentially
chromate
bearing treatments of alocrom 1000 and 1200 where required.