The construction industry is increasingly looking for ways to replace everyday products with more sustainable alternatives. One such method is to swap traditional sealant cartridges for sustainable foils and reusable sleeves, thanks to innovative solutions such as Geocel’s ecoSEAL system.
The destructive impact of single use plastic consumption is apparent around the world. With a higher demand for sustainable products than ever before, all markets and sectors are turning to more environmentally friendly products to reduce their individual contribution.
In 2021, the Environment Agency labelled the construction industry as the worst offender for generating contaminated waste. Consuming 23% of all plastic manufactured in the UK and producing an estimated 50,000 tonnes of plastic packaging waste every year, it’s clear to see why the organisation takes this viewpoint.
Making up a proportion of these figures is the approximately 100 million sealant cartridges used each year by the sector which must be sent to landfill due to the traces of sealant residue left inside.
As such, sealant cartridges, like all other waste materials, are subject to landfill tax, which has more than trebled since 2008 to cost £98.60 per tonne. This means it is more expensive than ever for the industry to dispose of waste like sealant cartridges, particularly for public sector contractors and other large-scale operations with stringent budgets and new environmental goals.
There has already been a growing sense of responsibility towards sustainable products, showcased by many organisations taking a far more considered approach to the products they choose to use on a daily basis.
For sealants and adhesives, the scale of use means that contractors go through countless cartridges in an average week that must then be sent to landfill. However, thanks to the demand for a greener alternative, manufacturers have developed foil and sleeve solutions that can be used in conjunction with a standard sealant gun. Contractors that are looking to limit their environmental impact can easily make the switch to these systems as once the foil has been placed in to the sleeve, the process of applying the sealant is exactly the same.
Geocel is proud to be one of those manufacturers. With our innovative ecoSEAL system, we can provide some of the trade’s favourite sealants in sustainable foils, including DOWSIL™ 785+, 796 and 799, Geocel’s Painters Mate and THE WORKS PRO, to ensure contractors don’t have to compromise on product quality. The system is incredibly easy to use – simply cut the foil, insert into the re-usable plastic sleeve, attach the nozzle and fit the sleeve into any standard gun.
Switching to ecoSEAL is a minor change that has the potential to reduce plastic waste output significantly. The plastic sleeve can be re-used up to 75 times and then recycled at the end of its usable life span, as such the system delivers a huge improvement on traditional single-use sealant cartridges. Furthermore, when emptied, the foils are eight times smaller and approximately 60% lighter than traditional cartridges, allowing contractors to ultimately cut down their cartridge waste by 60% and save on that crucial landfill tax.
Click here to find out more about ecoSEAL.
With the ecoSEAL system, the trade’s favourite sealant and filler products are now available in foils.
