Two ‘zero landfill’ years in a row for CMS Window Systems

The company, which is one of Scotland’s leading designers, manufacturers and installers of PVC-U and aluminium windows, doors and curtain walling, pioneered the concept of closed-loop windows and doors more than 13 years ago by establishing comprehensive in-house waste recycling facilities alongside its manufacturing operations.

This ensures all its waste materials can be fed back into the manufacture of new products with ease in line with the key sustainability goal of creating a circular economy.

In the latest 2018-19 reporting period, CMS’s recycling facilities received 2,806 tonnes of post-use windows and doors – timber, PVC-U and aluminium frames – which were dismantled and separated ready for collection, along with its manufacturing waste, by specialist recyclers. So effective are these processes, that CMS is now sending 97% of its waste away for recycling and the remaining 3% is going for use in refuse-derived fuel (RDF) and waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities.

Where possible, recycled materials become part of new windows and doors fabricated by CMS. In the case of its glazing, a partnership with Saint-Gobain Glass enables new double glazed units to contain 38% of post-use recycled glass – an industry leading level.

The two-year zero landfill milestone comes as CMS is named as a finalist for a prestigious environment business award. In making the shortlist for a Best of VIBES Award, CMS is one of the select few Scottish businesses to be recognised for their long term record on environmental sustainability, which includes the efficient use of resources and supporting the wider goals of sustainable social and economic development.

David Ritchie, CEO and CMS Window Systems said: “We are delighted to be setting the standard for environmental sustainability in our industry, and waste minimisation and avoiding landfill has always been a key part of our strategy. By achieving a zero waste to landfill rate for a second consecutive year, we have demonstrated that hitting our target last year was not simply a one-off and that our processes and systems are robust and effective for the long term.”

CMS has aligned its sustainable development strategy with that of the United Nations. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides “a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future”. It is underpinned by 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including ‘Quality Education’, ‘Decent Work & Economic Growth’ and ‘Responsible Production & Consumption’, which CMS has translated into numerous initiatives across the business, including the creation of the CMS Academy. This is currently providing apprenticeships for twelve young people and helps to tackle high NEET rates in the local community.