Sustainability
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service is the second largest fire brigade in the UK. We provide fire and rescue services for the residents of the 10 local authorities that comprise Greater Manchester. We are committed to providing this service in a sustainable manner that enables us to continue to work effectively within the community.
Our Sustainability Policy
To achieve our goal of providing our service in a sustainable manner, we will:
- Take steps to reduce the environmental impacts of our operations;
- Endeavour to prevent pollution;
- Comply with applicable environmental legislation and other requirements to which we subscribe;
- Continue to work closely with local communities and businesses to promote fire safety;
- Continue to work with socially excluded individuals to promote social inclusion;
- Consider sustainability issues in procurement and new building design;
- Minimise the amount of waste produced at our sites and take steps to avoid waste going to landfill;
- Set objectives and targets for improving our sustainability activities;
- Communicate our sustainability performance to all employees and other interested parties.
We aim to continually improve our sustainability activities and this policy and objectives will be reviewed on an annual basis.
Ashton-Under-Lyne fire station
The first fire station in the UK specifically designed to be environmentally efficient was opened on 27th November 2007 in Ashton-Under-Lyne.
The £2.4 million station has achieved a ‘very good’ Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) accreditation, which is a measure of the building’s carbon footprint.
Initiatives such as rainwater harvesting to flush toilets and solar collectors to provide hot water for shower and washing, along with a recycling policy throughout the construction phase and life of the building ensures best use of resources is made. Recycled and waste materials have been utilised wherever possible in the construction programme and waste materials from the site have been recycled. This included:
- Recycled aggregates in the ground;
- Recycled crushed glass to bed drainage pipes;
- All spoil from site contained and re-spread following construction works;
- Timber products from sustainable sources all with accurate documentation.
Find out more about the project
Transport
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s entire fleet of vehicles are diesel engined, and although this may seem to the general public a rather unfashionable means of power, diesel engined vehicles are very efficient when compared against petrol and LPG alternatives. Their superior fuel consumption means that diesel fuel is far more sustainable in the long run than petrol. Although we cannot use Bio Diesel that is currently produced within the UK, technologies are being developed that will produce Bio Diesel which is compatible with modern high pressure diesel fuel systems, and once commercially available there is no doubt the brigade will make full use of its benefits.
Our policy since 2000 is to fit as standard exhaust after treatment systems to appliances which filter out many of the particulates and gaseous emissions that contribute to affecting the environment.
The latest appliances that we are about to use as a fire service meet Euro 5 exhaust emissions regulations which don’t come into force in the UK until October 2009. These new appliances when compared with the vehicles they replace will reduce Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx) by 75%, Particulate Matter (PM) by 80%, Carbon Monoxide (CO) by 80% and totally eliminate any hydrocarbons (HC) present within the exhaust system.
The bodywork on the latest appliances is manufactured from polypropylene material, which is absolutely 100% recyclable, and results in a reduction of 300kgs in the overall vehicle weight, which in turn reduces fuel consumption and ultimately exhaust emissions.
Other examples of our steps towards sustainability
- Cyclescheme – we have joined the Cyclescheme partnership to encourage our staff to cycle to work by providing them with savings on the cost of a new bike and safety equipment.Public transport – we allow non-uniform staff the opportunity to work flexible hours so they can travel by public transport to and from work.
- Waste - Our waste is removed by Bagnall and Morris and is subjected to a rigorous hand picked recycling process at their transfer station. Between October and December 2007, 52.57% of the waste thrown in bins at our headquarters in Swinton was recycled.
- Lighting - All rewiring programmes will involve using a high efficiency lighting system (high frequency T5) and a passive infrared (PIR) control and room occupancy sensors so lights can be switched off automatically.
- Heating - We use a high efficiency, condensing boiler plant, thermostatic control valves, solar collectors and a ‘TREND’ management information system to ensure that we make the best use of energy.
- Insulation - We have a building insulation project planned to reduce the heat lost through cavity walls and roof space. Also, double glazing and thermally broken barriers will be used for future window and door replacements.