A key principle of sustainability is that a product should be manufactured as close as possible to where it will be used to:
minimise the need for transport and the associated environmental, economic and social impacts of transportation
support the local economy and create local employment
prevent the export of the associated environmental impacts of production to another location with less stringent environmental and social protection legislation.
Interpave manufacturers have production plants located around the UK, offering effective national coverage minimising product transportation. Similarly, production plants have historically been sited to optimise local sourcing of manufacturing materials. Unlike imported precast concrete, granite or sandstone products, or plastic based materials of unknown origin or requiring reprocessing, no trans-world shipping is involved. But Interpave manufacturers are also working on other improvements, for example with truck efficiency including driver training, use of bio-fuels and tyre pressure monitoring.
Interpave manufacturers use the latest, automated plants which are clean and quiet, making them good neighbours. They employ an ethos of responsible materials sourcing, taking particular account of the impact of extraction on the environment. As substantial employers, they play an essential role in the economic and social well-being of local communities throughout the UK.
An Interpave member is working with The Wildlife Trusts in their part in the BBC’s Breathing Places campaign, aiming to mobilise the public to become more actively involved in nature conservation.
