Eco innovations developed to tackle climate change by businesses and universities in Lancashire have been honoured at an awards ceremony.
Eco-I North West (Eco-I NW) is a research and development programme to create new sustainable technologies, products, and services.
Over the course of the programme, it will have given more than 330 small and medium-sized businesses access to its extensive knowledge base and cutting-edge research facilities, built new networks to drive innovation, and supported the development of innovative solutions which will save 3,850 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
Among the winners were Silverwoods Waste Management, based in Altham, and Lee Ollerenshaw from the University of Central Lancashire, for his partnership with ELE Advanced Technologies in Colne.
The success of the programme was celebrated at the Eco Innovation awards at the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.
Commenting on the awards, Dr Andy Pickard, manager of the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation, said: “Eco-I North West has been an incredibly successful programme which has showcased what can be achieved via collaborative research between academia and business.
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“These awards have been a celebration of the impressive work by our six regional university partners, talented undergraduates and postgraduates, and hundreds of small and medium sized businesses.
“Over the last three years we have created a melting pot of disruptive innovation, driven by collaboration which will continue long into the future.
"But if we are going to truly achieve the rapid transition to more sustainable economies and societies in the face of the climate emergency, we need to grow our network of collaborators.”
Silverwoods Waste Management, based on the Moorfield Industrial Estate in Altham, won the ‘Carbon Journey’ awards for its work with Lancaster University demonstrating how spreading cement bypass dust on agricultural land enhances soil quality and provides a more sustainable alternative to other fertilisers.
Managing director, Julian Silverwood, said: “We are thrilled to win this recognition from Eco-I North West.
"Our work with Lancaster University has been a huge success in helping us understand the full carbon sequestration of cement bypass dust when applied to agricultural soils.
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“It has validated that there is huge potential for the use of industrial waste to establish negative emission solutions, which is good for the environment and contributes to the UK’s aim to reach net zero emissions by 2050.”
Research student at UCLan, Lee Ollerenshaw, won the ‘Most impactful undergraduate’ award for his work with ELE Advanced Technologies, a high-precision parts manufacturer based in Cotton Tree Lane, Colne, with his project focussing on improving resource optimisation and waste management, supporting the company’s net zero roadmap.
Lee said: “It was a fantastic experience working with ELE to take steps to reduce their carbon footprint.
"Being able to apply my research in a real world setting and see success was extremely rewarding and precisely what Eco-I North West set out to achieve.”
Eco-I NW, which is part-funded by the European Regional Development fund, was led by the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation team at Lancaster University, in partnership with Central Lancashire, Cumbria, Liverpool, Liverpool John Moores, and Manchester Metropolitan universities.
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