Defra is pleased to announce that they are expanding their testing of the new eCertification system for GB-NI trade. The system will complement the NI Protocol Bill’s ambitions for a green and red lane system, simplifying the movement of agri-food goods through the red lane by digitising the certification and verification process. Testing is currently being prioritised for consignments to Northern Ireland as part of Defra’s Digital Assistance Scheme (DAS), but the system is designed to be used for the movement of such goods to any international destination that requires EHCs.

If you would like the opportunity to participate as an early user, to both gain experience and provide feedback, that will help improve the system prior to launch, all you need to do is complete this simple expression of interest form.

There are now 78 certificates within 9 commodity groups which are available to test through eCertification (see below for the commodities in scope). For those businesses that express an interest to participate, Defra can offer you a simple onboarding process and access to a relationship manager to familiarise yourself with the system.

If you have any questions or wish to discuss this opportunity further, and without commitment, please contact Defra by emailing them at DAS@defra.gov.uk.

The maker of popular brands like Cathedral City and others has been fined £1.5 million – the largest fine ever awarded for an Environment Agency conviction in the South West.

The environmental performance of Dairy Crest Limited has been unacceptable for too long and needs to significantly improve, says the Environment Agency.

Dairy Crest Limited, owned by Saputo Dairy UK, and its management of the Davidstow Creamery near Camelford, north Cornwall, has been falling way short of the standards expected by the Environment Agency when it comes to the company’s management of liquid waste, odour and environmental reporting, Truro Crown Court heard.

According to the Environment Agency, ever since the site changed production to focus on whey processing, particularly to produce powder used in baby milk and other products, the effluent being discharged into the River Inny has been more challenging to treat. This has resulted in unacceptable pollution of the local river, which is a tributary of the River Tamar, causing significant harm to fish and other aquatic wildlife. Another issue has been foul odours which have often affected the lives of local residents.

Dairy Crest, which produces brands such as Cathedral City at its Davidstow plant – the UK’s largest dairy processing facility and one of the largest manufacturing sites in Europe – previously pleaded guilty to 21 of 27 charges brought by the Environment Agency. For committing this catalogue of offences, the firm was fined £1.52 million at the crown court on 23 June 2022. It had already agreed to pay costs of £272,747.

Delivering the sentence, HHJ Simon Carr expressed the view that he had not seen consistent performance evidenced by the company over a five-year period. The judge identified a poor, middle management culture as a contributing factor to the environmental harm caused that should have been dealt with by senior management much sooner.

He said it felt like there was never a time without a problem and some of those responsible for the wastewater treatment plant felt bullied and unable to come forward.

Judge Carr added he had been “moved” when reading testimony from residents whose lives had been “blighted” by odours.

The offences included:

• Releasing a harmful biocide, used to clean the wastewater tanks and pipework, into the river and killing thousands of fish over a two kilometre stretch on 16 August 2016.
• Coating the River Inny with a noxious, black sludge for five kilometres in 2018, through a release of a mass of suspended solids in July and August 2018.
• Consistently exceeding limits on substances like phosphorous and suspended solids entering the River Inny, from 2016 up to 2021.
• Numerous leaks of part-treated effluent into nearby watercourses and onto the land.
• Foul odours repeatedly affecting residents over many years.
• Failing to tell the Environment Agency within 24 hours of when things had gone significantly wrong on site, on seven separate occasions.

Helen Dobby, Area Director of the Environment Agency, said: “As a large and well-established operator, Dairy Crest Limited should be up to the job of maintaining the required environmental standards. Instead, it has over a period of many years failed to comply with its environmental permit and not been able to protect local people and the environment.

“We acknowledge that Dairy Crest Limited has been taking steps to remedy the various problems, but unfortunately, these actions were not swift enough on many occasions and proved to be ineffective in stopping pollution.”

The Environment Agency says it remains deeply concerned about the environmental performance of this site and its impact on the environment. It will continue to monitor the situation and regulate this site closely and urges the operator to make the right decisions and level of investment on site to better protect the wildlife and people of Cornwall.

Environment Agency
June 2022

Rite-Hite has compelled together a guide which takes into account all of the issues that our affecting the logistics industry including safety regulations and how you can take preventative actions to solving these potential issues.

But as we know industrial safety regulations are constantly evolving as new technology and equipment is developed across the world. Global regulations are also emerging or being updated with an increasing emphasis on the physical and mental health of employees and their well-being in the workplace. This guide does not only focus on the current state of affairs but also looks into the future to see what potential issues there are the horizon for the logistics industry.

All senior executives working in the world of logistics are trying to balance is the need for increased efficiencies in and around the loading bay with the uncompromising need for safety. One can never be at the expense of the other. This is in turn driving safety equipment providers not only to look at individual products to address particular concerns, such as vehicle creep or premature drive-aways, but rather to see safety as an holistic issue that needs to be considered at a solutions level. The following guide consider the key risks and dangers within the loading bay, and the latest product technologies, innovations and solutions that are helping to address those risks and create an even safer environment in which to work. The loading dock is one of the most dangerous area of any warehouse and we need to know how to protect it, as one fatality is too many.

There has been a study done in the UK by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), put the total cost to a business of a single accident at £45,000, which at a margin of 10%, would require additional sales of £450,000 simply to cover what was lost. Which show the potentially massive financial impact that can be put on business when a accident occurs.

In this guide we also show how the Rite-Hite product range can help with the issues and will not only keep your loading safe, which is the most important factor, but will also keep productivity high and in some cases increasing productivity in certain areas. Rite-Hite can offer the right solutions to the issues surrounding the loading bay and other areas of a facility.

Please download our free guide on the below link:

https://info.ritehite.com/en/eu/loading-bay-safety-guide

How do you calculate the cost of your wrapping operations?

It’s all too easy to look at the initial price of a roll of film and assume that’s all you need to consider when ordering wrap, but does a cheaper roll provide good value for money when used?

Based on your current film specification, how much material do you use for each pallet?

If you wrap a large amount of product each day or week, you may find yourself going through a significant amount of thicker or less efficient film, which may raise your overall wrapping costs in the medium to long term.

Furthermore, budget films may not provide enough tension to maintain high integrity for your pallets in storage or transit, potentially losing stability over a short period of time. This results in potential damage to interior packaging and product; additional costs that may need to be considered when shipping.

Changing to a high-quality specialist wrap may, at first, appear to increase the initial cost per roll… but the benefits gained in terms of efficiency and performance will make vastly greater long-term savings.

We’ve listed just a few reasons why this is below:

1: High Stretch

Our Goliath hand films stretch 100 percent when used, whereas standard hand films can only stretch 25 percent before losing retention performance and tearing. This means that you only need to use half the material to secure a pallet for shipment. Similarly, our Goliath and ExcelAir machine films can stretch between 100 and 300 percent, which means that each roll can wrap far more pallets than a conventional film. As a result, far less wrapping material is required for each load shipped.

2: Reduced Ordering Costs

You can reduce the number of rolls required for your wrapping operations by using specialised stretch film that travels two or three times the distance (yield) of standard stretch film. Further optimisation of the wrap configuration is possible due to the films amazing performance. This reduces purchasing costs, frees up valuable storage space, and reduces the time spent replacing finished reels. In addition, fewer deliveries result in reduced transport costs, fuel usage and emissions.

3: Maintain Quality

Reduced material use does not imply decreased quality. Specialist films have a high durability and tension, ensuring the integrity and safety of the pallet throughout its journey. This also improves the presentation of your goods on the pallet, allowing for easy bar-code reading and a clear view of your primary products.

4: Reduce Waiting Times

Perforated films allow hot or moisture-laden products to cool or dry while being wrapped, eliminating the need for dedicated time and space in your busy operations. ExcelAir can cut your cooling times by more than 50 percent, saving you both time and money.

5: Return on Investment

We understand that your primary revenue is dependent on your products. Our films have been designed to protect and preserve your shipments, with the goal of minimising damage or spoilage of loads. This results in higher profit margins on each consignment delivered.

6: Film Waste

Our Goliath films have reinforced edging, which not only ensures a stronger, more reliable wrap, but also allows rolls to be dropped, thrown, or run over without tearing, unlike standard films, which will continue to tear in use. Due to performance issues, we estimate that approximately 13% of standard pallet wrap is discarded without being used. This must be considered during the purchasing process, as the cost of waste could be used to purchase a better product.

7: Staff Productivity

Employees who dislike using pallet wrap are common in fast-paced warehousing and distribution. Standard films require far more effort to use because they are not flexible and cannot deal with protrusions, increasing the risk of strain and injury. Unreliable film, which frequently tears and fails, can frustrate and reduce productivity, especially near the end of a shift. Goliath film requires far less effort and your employees will appreciate your investment in their tools.

By embracing the latest technology in high-performance films, you can reduce film usage by up to 70% and costs by 50%.

It is not a difficult or lengthy procedure.

Goliath and ExcelAir films can be easily installed on existing machinery or introduced for hand wrapping, with no extra effort!