Landfill waste is a growing problem worldwide, especially in developing cities. Our cleaner production efforts ensure re-use of waste generated by our business, reduction in the volume of waste generated and of our carbon footprint. Our goal is to have 60% of our waste recycled either inside or outside our operations by 2025. One approach of achieving this is by finding other industry partners who can re-use the waste (for instance making of cooking briquettes from saw dust and manufacture of block boards), significantly reducing landfill deposits.
World Environment Day:
This is a
defining event in BMI’s annual calendar. Activities to mark the day take
place every
5th of June and involve our staff and the local communities. We celebrate
the environment and its blessings through initiatives such as tree planting
campaigns; campaigns to promote a clean, safe, and beautiful city; and
environment
campaigns and training to raise the community’s awareness of the environment
and the need to protect it.
Clean, Safe, Beautiful City and Environment Campaign
We are committed to promoting a cleaner, healthier, safer, and more
beautiful place to live and work by forging mutually beneficial partnerships
with Mbarara City. Our key focus is on litter prevention, education on
litter management; and beautification of the city.
Tree Planting Campaign:
As we
seek to assure the quality of our products and pursue long-term business
growth for our timber business, we need to control the entire process, from
tree planting to producing the final product.
Our commitment is to the growth of small and medium scale rural commercial tree farmers. Over the next five years, we shall support them through our “Go-green Project” to grow only the best genetic quality trees. This is an effort to ensure that timber is grown in a sustainable and renewable manner, with environmental protection at heart of this approach.
Eucalyptus is a type of tree that we grow for our timber business, but it is also an important source of income for small scale farmers in many parts of Uganda, providing building poles, wood fuel and timber. Eucalyptus Grandis is preferred because of its ability to grow fast and coppice (regrow when cut).
Community Environmental Awareness Training We shall continue to hold annual stakeholder engagements/meetings with community leaders and members in our catchment area to build capacity, initiate and manage projects to drive community development.
The trainings shall focus on sensitization on environmental and legal tools to enable community members to effectively manage their environment. Participation is the programme is on voluntary basis; women and youth are especially encouraged to participate.
Environment Reporting:
Over the
next five years, our goal is to significantly improve the level and openness
of communication to our community and the Government on
the impact of our business operations on the environment.