Skip to content

Environmental Policy

Environmental Policy

Abels are proud to have held the standard of ISO 14001 since the 21st April 2016.

The ISO14001 is an internationally agreed standard which sets out the requirements for an environmental management system. It helps organisations such as Abels to improve their environmental performance through more efficient use of resources and reduction of waste, and better working practices.

Abels Environmental Policy

Abels are ISO 14001:2015 certificated – please find pdf copy of certificate HERE


We are concerned about the environment in which we live as well as the environmental implications of the products and materials we use.

General Policy

Abels objective is to minimise environmental affects, whilst providing a wide choice of services to meet the high performance requirements of our customers.

Being a consumer of paper products we make every endeavour to use the products responsibly.  We encourage use of products from a source which is effectively managed and controlled, together with products which are recycled.  As a transport operator we are committed to run efficient and well maintained vehicles and seek ways to reduce our affect on the environment.

Our general aims are:
  • To reduce waste and the consumption of the worlds resources
  • To reduce the release of pollutants into the environment
  • To design products to minimise any negative effects on the environment in production, use and disposal
  • An improved service to meet our customers requirements which will contribute to the protection of the future generations’ environment
  • Compliance with all applicable environmental laws and regulations
  • Maintain our ISO14001 standard
  • Reduce the below aspects with measurable objectives of 5% (based on calendar year data)
    • Stationary Paper being Used within the Office
    • Water Consumption
    • Electricity Consumption
    • Skips Waste / Recycling
    • Maintain Zero Plastics Usage

Neil Pertoldi
General Manager & Director

How We Do This:

Reviews of our recycling and the impact on the environment are completed, at the least, on an annual basis by senior management, but are continually monitored and updated as and when appropriate.

Staff training, from induction onwards, explains the importance of reducing waste and how the company views its corporate responsibilities.

Vehicles are now purchased with Euro 6 emission standards which limit the nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. Older vehicles, are Euro 5 and maintained to the highest standard. All our vehicle bodies are aerodynamically designed to reduce fuel usage and to maximise capacity.

Installed EV Charging points for the company vehicles.

Miles & Kilometres per gallon / litre are recorded and monitored. Safe driving practices are assessed and monitored and training is provided, as deemed appropriate, to reduce fuel usage and vehicle maintenance costs.

We maximise vehicle loads on both journeys, to and from the UK, by circulating to the trade our vehicle movements in Europe, involvement within the Harmony network and advising all sales staff of available trips and space on offer for potential customers.

All the cardboard we use for packing and storage is made from recycled material.

We utilise the cartons from import shipments when an additional card covering is required or extra padding is needed when loading containers for export removal.

We have a designated skip for cardboard / paper waste and another for wood products, which are collected and taken for recycling.

We assist clients in reducing waste by offering the disposal of unwanted personal belongings via Abels nominated charity and Young People Littleport.

We have recycling bins situated throughout the workplace and paper is re-used on the reverse for in-house printing or as scrap pads prior to recycling bin disposal.

We send all used toners and inkjet cartridges to Sweetbriars, Norfolk for recycling.

We minimise the waste of materials by re-using wherever possible and keeping stocks to ‘just in time’ order levels subject to economic purchase rates.

We have a switch off campaign for lights and electrical appliances and a final sweep of the office is completed prior to evening closure.

Reviewing and monitoring Abels energy usage with the ability of how solar energy can be used effectively.

Batteries are collected and recycled from all staff.

Environmental Actions to achieve General Policy

1. Facilities – Office & Warehouse
  • Utilisation of paper, use on both sides
  • Place office waste paper into carton tallbins for correct recycling
  • Avoidance of meaningless copies by use of email
  • Energy saving signs in prominent places
  • Review of documents printed from emails to avoid needless pages
  • Toners to be recycled via Sweetbriars since July 2019
  • Re-use of stationery materials from files which become dormant
  • Digital storage of records
  • Internal documents to be transported in re-used envelopes and pouches
  • Non use of artificial lights unless needed for health and safety reasons
  • Closing down and switching off of electronic equipment avoiding unnecessary standby modes
  • Assessment of environmentally efficient lighting to replace existing methods
  • Return to appropriate businesses all redundant electronic equipment for safe recycling and disposal
  • To offer to clients recycling of their discarded items, to be resold by auction and shops run by the Abels nominated charity, thus saving on waste disposal via the like of; Pure Planet Recycling
  • Chemical analysis undertaken (risk assessment) of all liquids on site, and review how to dispose of hazardous waste.
  • Working parties to monitor ways to improve efficiency
  • Batteries box for collecting and recycling
  • Blue recycling bin within the kitchen & portacabin
  • Low Energy Lighting
  • Low energy heating
  • Fridges / freezers disposed of environmentally
  • Metal taken for recycling
  • Pallets collected for re-use
2. Packing Materials and Recycling
  • Paper products like cartons to be made from material which comes from managed deforestation schemes and will be recyclable.  No raw material from the world’s endangered rain forests is to be used
  • Any bleaching of packing paper is carried out using Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) methods
  • To re-use packing materials and offer to clients the benefit of doing so.  This will include using materials, from imported shipments from overseas locations
  • To consider and use durable packing crates instead of cartons, especially on office relocations
  • Barometer spill kits training undertaken
  • To advocate to clients a conventional van wrap service with woollen blankets for van removals within Europe, to avoid the use of paper products with limited reusable life
  • To utilise as often as possible ISO containers for shipping, to avoid the need for additional overcasing of consignments into wooden boxes / crates
  • We will re-use import cases received for export shipments and recycle (re-use) special purpose cases made for pictures, lights and the like on both UK and overseas moves.  Where necessary cases will be refurbished to allow for re-use and to meet overseas regulations on the use of treated timber
  • No raw materials containing lead, mercury, cadmium and hexavalent chromium be used in the total quantities exceeding 100pp, as provided for by the regulations in force, particularly the European Directive no 94/62 EC
  • Segregation of recyclable waste
  • Waste to be placed into appropriate skips for safe disposal
3. Vehicles
  • We shall actively promote cleaner air by reducing emissions through efficient route planning and vehicle selection
  • We shall maintain regularly a modern fleet of vehicles, aerodynamically designed and of an engine capacity to run at maximum economical efficiency, which will reduce emissions and minimise fuel usage
  • Satellite Navigation Systems have been installed to assist in reducing wasted journeys and driver analysis
  • Company cars will be selected with minimum Co2 emissions, whilst ensuring retention and motivation of the employee concerned, moving towards EV vehicles on renewal
  • Researching of suitable EV fleet vehicles
  • Diaries will be organised to reduce unnecessary mileage of vehicles and car sharing to the same location of work will be promoted amongst staff
  • We shall seek the reduction of part or empty vehicles on distance trips, especially in mainland Europe, by offering to clients part load alternatives, communication with other like minded moving companies and use of the Fleetmatics
  • The use of swap body vehicles will aim to reduce wasted time and reduce the number of vehicles required
  • Vehicle downtime is to be monitored to increase productivity and therefore avoid unnecessary fleet size.  Directions to all jobs are to be issued to the crews to reduce mileage travelled.  Early starts are to be considered to allow vehicles to travel to homes at a time which is less congested and inefficient
  • Vehicle incidents (accidents) are to be closely monitored and areas, or drivers, which show concern are to be considered for remedial training
  • Efficiency mileage returns will be reviewed to ensure drivers and vehicles are not using excessive fuel or unnecessary idling.
  • Driver training in safe and efficient driving to reduce fuel consumption and less wear on vehicle parts to reduce energy usage
4. Training
  • At induction all our policies including the above environmental policy will be explained to all new staff
  • As our crews and administration staff use a significant amount of paper in their daily routines they are to be regularly instructed in specific waste reduction methods
  • Spillage training to counter a potential hydraulic fluid leak from a forklift & how to control and avoid contamination into environment.
5. Suppliers
  • We shall seek to share and obtain involvement with the suppliers we use to meet our aims.

Updated 6th February 2024 – Issue 013