Devonia The Green Alternative

19th October 2009

A lot of media discussion is about how we as a society can reduce our carbon footprint by being more responsible by recycling our waste. Glass bottles are seen as an easy way to recycle by throwing them into skips to be taken back, melted down and used again. That is a good start but how much better would it be if those glass bottles were washed and re-used. Just think of the energy required to melt down the glass rather just wash it. The savings must be enormous.
Devonia do just that. They are unique in today’s ‘throw away’ society. The bottles they use are taken back when empty, washed and the refilled. Little effort is required by the end user all they have to do is put the empty bottles back in the crates they come in and the rest is done by Devonia. And in a business world dedicated to cost cutting having someone take your waste away for nothing is a bonus.
Every week Devonia contact their customers to gather orders and then send out their vans with the deliveries. When they deliver a customer’s order they remove the empty bottles and crates and take them back to the spring. There each bottle is inspected for damage, then washed in hot water, around 60° then rinsed in water at over 90° which also sterilises the glass. The bottles are then cooled, rinsed again and then filled. At every stage the bottles are monitored for damage and cleanliness. A very simple process but one that no-one else does.
Devonia has been doing this for ten years and in that time over 1 million bottles have been washed and re-used. Just think how much glass that has been saved as each small 330ml bottle weighs 250grams. That is a staggering 250 tons of glass which has been saved from at worst land fill or best being melted down for re use.
There is a marketing bonus as well. A lot of tourist come to Devon because they believe that Devon is the greenest county in England, where more is done to promote the environment and to cut carbon costs. So using a company that goes further than most to cut it’s carbon footprint can be a marketing gift. Have a look at their web site www.devoniawater.co.uk or contact Neil Graham on neil@devoniawater.co.uk or 07970 414875

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