Environmental Policy

Introduction: 4 Woods Carpentry and Construction Limited ("the Company") recognises its responsibility to manage the environmental impacts of its operations. We are committed to protecting the environment, preventing pollution, and continually improving our environmental performance. Though our business (carpentry and construction services in England & Wales) is small-to-medium in scale, we acknowledge that even a small company can have a meaningful impact by operating sustainably and responsibly.

Our Commitment: We will comply with all applicable environmental legislation and relevant codes of practice, and aim to follow industry best practices for sustainability. Specifically, we commit to:

Waste Management: Minimise waste generation and dispose of waste responsibly in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Duty of Care regulations. We prioritise waste reduction, reuse, and recycling wherever practicable.
Pollution Prevention: Prevent pollution of land, air, and water. This includes controlling noise, dust, and site run-off, and ensuring no harmful substances (like fuel, oil, wet cement, or chemicals) contaminate the ground or watercourses during our works.
Resource Efficiency: Use energy, water, timber, and other resources efficiently and wisely. We will seek opportunities to conserve energy (e.g., using low-energy tools, switching off idle equipment), reduce water usage, and avoid unnecessary consumption of materials.
Sustainable Procurement: Consider environmental factors when sourcing materials. Where feasible, use materials from sustainable sources (e.g., FSC or PEFC certified timber) and choose local suppliers to reduce transport emissions. Avoid materials known to be environmentally harmful where alternatives exist.
Climate Impact: Do our part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This includes optimising transport logistics (planning jobs to minimise travel distances, encouraging car-sharing or efficient routing) and maintaining our vehicles and equipment for best fuel efficiency. We also seek to use or trial greener technologies (like electric tools or vehicles) when financially and practically viable.
Legal Compliance: Remain up to date and compliant with environmental laws such as waste disposal regulations, hazardous waste regulations, and any site-specific requirements (for example, planning conditions related to ecology or noise). We will obtain and adhere to any necessary permits or licenses for waste handling, emissions, or discharges if our activities require them.
Biodiversity and Conservation: Respect and, where possible, enhance local environments. If our work might affect wildlife or natural habitats, we will take steps to mitigate harm (e.g., avoid disturbing nesting birds, follow tree protection measures on sites, and consult ecologists if protected species like bats or newts are discovered on a project site). Landscaping or green measures (like planting trees or shrubs after construction) will be considered to leave a positive footprint.
Continuous Improvement: Set and review environmental objectives and targets periodically (for example, a target to increase our recycling rate by X%, or to reduce office energy consumption by Y% over a year). We will monitor our progress and adjust practices as needed to achieve these goals.

Waste Management Details:

We implement the waste hierarchy: Reduce waste at source (measure twice, cut once to avoid material wastage; order materials in correct quantities; prefer reusable or returnable packaging), Reuse materials when possible (e.g., off-cuts for noggin's or temporary works, pallets returned to suppliers), Recycle appropriate wastes (segregate metal, clean wood, plasterboard, plastic, etc., for recycling streams), and responsibly Dispose of residual waste.
Site waste: We provide waste skips or containers on projects and label them if segregating. We ensure our waste carriers are licensed and that Waste Transfer Notes are obtained and kept for all waste removed. Hazardous waste (like asbestos, certain paints or chemicals) will be handled by licensed specialists and consigned per Hazardous Waste Regulations.
Office waste: In our office/yard, we recycle paper, cardboard, toner cartridges, etc. We minimise paper use by digitalising documents and defaulting to electronic communication. Old IT equipment or tools are disposed through WEEE-compliant recycling.

Preventing Pollution:

Chemical Storage: All fuels, oils, and chemicals are stored in appropriate containers in a secure, bunded area to contain any leaks. On sites, refuelling is done over drip trays. Spill kits are available and staff are trained in their use. We will report any significant spills to authorities as required and clean up immediately.
Water Protection: We avoid pouring waste liquids down surface drains. Concrete/cement washout from tools is done in designated areas away from drains or watercourses (e.g., in a lined pit or container) to prevent alkaline runoff. For any work near streams or drainage systems, we may use silt fencing or filters to prevent sediment pollution.
Dust and Air Quality: On dusty operations (cutting masonry, sanding wood, etc.) we use dust suppression (water damping or on-tool extraction) and appropriate PPE for workers. We also consider neighbours—if doing demolition or bulk sanding, we schedule and mitigate so as not to cause nuisance dust offsite. Burning of waste is strictly prohibited. Our vehicles and machinery are maintained to minimise exhaust emissions; engines are not left idling unnecessarily.
Noise Control: Noisy works are planned within reasonable hours and in line with any local rules (like not early morning or late night in residential areas). We use silenced equipment where possible and erect temporary noise barriers for extended loud operations. We communicate with neighbours if a particularly noisy phase is unavoidable, to maintain good relations.

Resource Efficiency and Sustainable Practices:

In design/build projects, we consider and suggest sustainable options (e.g., energy-efficient insulation, use of reclaimed materials if structurally suitable, low VOC finishes for indoor air quality).
Our office and workshop use LED lighting and have thermostats to avoid overheating. We encourage simple actions like turning off lights and equipment when not in use and printing only when necessary.
We track utility usage at our premises and try to improve year on year. For example, if electricity use is high, we investigate why (old appliances, leaving machines on) and correct it.
We support our employees using public transport or car-sharing to job sites when feasible. Where possible, we schedule work to reduce multiple trips (delivering materials in one go rather than many small trips, etc.).

Supplier and Subcontractor Engagement:

We communicate our environmental expectations to subcontractors and suppliers. For key suppliers, we prefer those who demonstrate environmental responsibility (such as having ISO 14001 or clear environmental policies). We may ask about their sourcing (e.g., do they offer certified sustainable timber or recycled content materials).
Subcontractors are required to follow site environmental rules (e.g., not to pour paint or chemicals down drains, to segregate their waste, to use our designated refuelling area, etc.). Any fines or costs from their environmental negligence may be charged to them per our contracts.

Training and Awareness:

We include basic environmental awareness in our staff inductions and occasional too-box talks. Topics may cover waste segregation, preventing pollution, and being a good neighbour on site.
Key site staff are briefed on how to handle any environmental incident (like a spill or neighbour complaint about noise) and to inform management immediately.
We encourage employees to suggest eco-friendly ideas (like sourcing a new eco-product or changing a process to reduce waste). Constructive suggestions are considered by management, and if implemented, we acknowledge the contributor.
If any employee or subcontractor is found wilfully violating environmental rules (e.g., dumping waste illegally), it is taken seriously and can lead to disciplinary or contractual action, as well as being reported to authorities if appropriate.

Emergency Preparedness (Environmental):

We maintain spill response materials as noted and have an emergency plan if a serious incident occurs (like a significant fuel spill or hitting an unknown underground oil tank). The plan would include stopping work, containing the pollutant (using spill booms, shutting valves), notifying relevant agencies (Environment Agency hotline, etc.), and deploying professional cleanup services.
Fire prevention on sites also has an environmental aspect: preventing fires avoids pollution from smoke or runoff from firefighting water. We enforce no-smoking in hazardous areas and safe use/storage of flammables.

Monitoring and Continuous Improvement:

The company’s management reviews environmental performance at least annually. This includes checking compliance (any incidents, any regulatory visits or notices), reviewing whether we met objectives (e.g., did we reduce waste volume, etc.), and setting new targets.
If an environmental incident or near-miss occurs, we investigate to learn from it. For example, if a subcontractor's pump leaked diesel on site (near-miss minor spill), we might decide to only use electric pumps or ensure drip trays under all small plants.
We keep records of waste transfer, training, inspections, etc., to demonstrate compliance and allow analysis.

Community and Communication:

We strive to be a good neighbour. On long projects, we may letter-drop the immediate neighbours with site contact info and expected timeline, especially if there are particular disruptive works planned. We maintain site tidiness to avoid dust or debris affecting the community (e.g., using wheel washing or road sweeping if we create mud on roads).
Any complaints received about environmental matters (noise, dust, etc.) are logged and responded to promptly by site management or the office, aiming to resolve the issue amicably and adjust practices to prevent recurrence.
We are transparent about our environmental efforts. This policy is available to the public (on our website or by request). Clients are informed of our commitment and sometimes it adds value (some clients choose contractors partly on sustainability criteria).

This Environmental Policy is endorsed by the Company’s Director and will be reviewed annually to ensure it remains current and effective. All employees and subcontractors are expected to adhere to the principles herein.