The GBN’s ABLE project (Cardboard to Caviar) has recently been presented with the Chartered Institute of Waste Management (CIWM) inaugural ‘Innovative Practice in Wastes Management and Resource Recovery Award 2006’ at a special ceremony arranged at the project site at Caldervale sewage treatment works in Wakefield. The award was presented by the Institution’s Vice President, Keith Simmonite to the GBN’s Project Manager, Graham Wiles. The award was won ahead of competition from 49 other applicants, and focuses on excellence in innovative practice relating to wastes management or resource recovery demonstrating original thinking.

Graham Wiles receives the award from the Institution's Vice President, Keith Simmonite

The ABLE project won the award from a ‘phenomenal number of very high quality entries’, commented Terry March, Chairman of the Education, Training and Membership Committee at CIWM. Mr March explained that the ABLE project had won the award since it “encompassed all of the attributes we were seeking in terms of innovation, novelty, environmental and social elements”.

The project provides training and development of job skills for groups from the probation service and youngsters from across the West Yorkshire area in danger of being excluded from school. They will receive training in aquaculture, horticulture, land and countryside management and will grow plants and vegetables in planters made from recycled plastic from the GBN’s plastic recycling company, Intruplas. Project Manager, Graham Wiles explained: “The project conserves the resources of today for use tomorrow. At the same time it uses those resources as a catalyst for the training and education of disadvantaged people, enabling them to be integrated back into society. Some of these people have severe learning difficulties and the horticultural side is extremely beneficial”.