BAILEY BALLOONS
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY STATEMENT
We are committed to providing a quality service in a manner that ensures a safe and healthy workplace for our employees and minimises our potential impact on the environment. We operate in compliance with all relevant environmental legislation and we will strive to use pollution prevention and environmental best practices in all we do.
We will: –
Integrate the consideration of environmental concerns and impact into all of our decision-making and activities.
Promote environmental awareness among our employees and encourage them to work in an environmentally responsible manner.
Train, educate and inform our employees about environmental issues that may affect their work.
Reduce waste through re-use, recycling and by purchasing recycled, recyclable or re-furbished products and materials where these alternatives are available, economical and suitable.
Promote efficient use of materials and resources throughout our facility including water, electricity, raw materials and other resources, particularly those that are non-renewable.
Avoid unnecessary use of hazardous materials and products, seek substitutions when feasible, and take all reasonable steps to protect human health and the environment when such materials must be used, stored and disposed of.
Purchase and use environmentally responsible products accordingly.
Where required by legislation or where significant health, safety or environmental hazards exist, develop and maintain appropriate emergency and spill response programmes.
Communicate our environmental commitment to clients, customers contractors and the public and encourage them to support it.
Strive to continually improve our environmental performance and minimise the social impact and damage of activities by periodically reviewing our environmental policy in light of our current and planned future activities.
Our Commitment
This Environmental Policy covers all activities carried out by Bailey Balloons.
1. Re-use and disposal of balloon materials:
Bailey Balloons has a commitment to provide a high quality service to all of its customers and clients. All of our equipment is well maintained and uses latest technology, which has a direct impact on the environment.
Balloon Baskets. These are sourced locally from Bridgewater and are made of wicker from a sustainable source. The baskets can last up to 15-20 years if well treated and maintained. At the end of the life of a basket we find alternative uses for them, eg. display items for shops and theatre props.
Balloon Burners. These are made at Cameron Balloons, also based in Bristol. Burners last for in excess of 20 years and Bailey Balloons have upgraded all their burners to liquid pilot lights and latest technology combustion coils to maximise calorific heating per litre of propane. So far we have not had to recycle many burners as we have kept them well maintained but when they become too old we pass them on to the British Balloon Museum for educational purposes.
Balloon Envelope. The nylon thread is manufactured in the UK and woven, dyed and coated either in UK or Europe. Plans to bring all manufacturing back to Gloucester are on going and should be finalised Autumn 2012. Cameron Balloons cut and sew the envelopes at their Bedminster factory. We always re-cycle old envelopes having them re-branded if financially viable and they are still airworthy or for older unflyable ones we donate them to children’s clubs/schools/hospices to use for ‘parachute games’ etc. At the moment there is no acceptable technology to recoat the material but Bailey Balloons keep up to date with latest developments. We recommend the use of the new material Hyperlast for our balloons as Hyperlast has almost double the life span of conventional rip stop nylon.
2. Propane.
Hot air balloons use propane gas. Propane is non-toxic and insoluble in water, so poses no threat to aquifers or the groundwater supply. It is also not harmful to soil and is one of the lightest hydrocarbons in existence; it is one of the cleanest burning of all alternative fuels. An average flight of one hour in a 105,000 cubic foot balloon use approximately 40kg of propane, producing 120kg of carbon dioxide.
Bailey Balloons are investigating using carbon offset company Carbon Clear to offset their balloon flights and will offer this facility to their clients.
3. Office Practices
Updating low efficiency office lighting to more energy efficient devices.
Reducing electricity consumption by turning office equipment off when not in use.
Recycling a minimum of 50% of our office waste and to aim to keep increasing this.
Looking at all our promotional material and stationary to be printed on 100% recycled paper.
Using recycled materials where available. Re-using packaging and being more rigorous in recycling items that cannot be reused directly;
Vehicle Use
All of our vehicles are regularly maintained and only used for necessary company use and shortest distances worked out where possible.
Total vehicle mileage will be calculated annually and carbon offset calculated and purchased through Carbon Clear, it is estimated this will be in the region of 12 tonnes.
Nominated Director for Bailey Balloons Environmental Policy is Jo Bailey
This policy statement will be reviewed annually every September.
Signed
Managing Director
Jo Bailey
………………………………… Date: 3rd November 2020
Director and Chief Pilot
Clive Bailey
………………………………… Date: 3rd November 2020
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Version 12 Nov 2020
