Boston Scientific among top prize winners at national awards

The commitment of one of Galway’s biggest employers to recycling, energy and waste management was recognised at a prestigious awards night in Dublin last week.

Boston Scientific Galway were amongst the winners at the inaugural Pakman Awards – formerly the Repak Member of the Year Awards – at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin on Thursday night as they were crowned winners of the Environmental Education and Awareness Initiative of the year award.

Boston Scientific Galway has always been committed to environmental education and awareness. Since 2000, their site in Galway with 2600 employees – a small town, formalized their commitment when certification to the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System was achieved.

The journey they undertook resulted in the reduction of waste generation by 34% and increase waste recycling to 80%.

They achieved this by an easy replicated programme for their employees and continuous training of all employees on sustainable waste management.

The aim was to encourage their employees to take action today both at the workplace and in the home, to reduce, reuse and recycle waste so that in the future their grandchildren can work and play in a green world of their own.

Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly led the congratulations along with 300 representatives from leading businesses, organisations and community groups.

“The Pakman awards are an excellent example of organisations in the recycling and waste management industry coming together with a common purpose to highlight and reward best practice initiatives and excellence across a number of waste streams,” he said.

The Pakman award, which has replaced the Repak Member of the year award, seeks to recognise complete excellence in the environmental approach taken by a business, organisation or community group in all aspects of their operations.

Repak is this year celebrating 18 years of packaging recycling success in Ireland. This is founded on the consistent commitment of its 2120 members, who are now responsible for funding the recycling of 800,000 of packaging, which they place on the market, ensuring consumers are now recycling more than ever before.

Irish businesses have invested over 350 million through Repak in ensuring that their packaging does not go to waste.