The Eastex Materials Exchange scheme, run by Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT), has earned the distinction after saving more than 10,000 tonnes of goods from ending up in land- fill. The Edie Awards recognise environmental initiatives helping UK businesses cut their carbon footprint.

Eastex has been nominated in the waste and recycling category for its work helping firms in and around Peterborough save the environment and reduce waste disposal bills, and will be up against the likes of Anglian Water,

The Environment Agency and Coca Cola in the final round.

The project has received the majority of its funds from the East of England Development Agency (EEDA).

Senior executive for sus-
tainable development Kate Haigh said: "Eastex has achieved fantastic success since its inception in 2006, saving local businesses more than £1.5million in waste disposal and procurement costs.

The scheme has also saved 17,000 tonnes of CO2 from being emitted.

"Eastex has contributed to helping us achieve the 'green' ambitions as set out in the region's new economic strategy, such as reducing end-user CO2 emissions by 60 per cent and lowering the amount of waste produced by 37 per cent by 2031. Getting more from less is becoming increasingly essential and the East of England is playing a leading role in this field."

Eastex regional co-ordinator Ian Tennant is delighted that Eastex has been recognised for its achievements.

He said: "Eastex works to change businesses' perception of what they deem rubbish or waste materials. We aim to give rubbish a second chance, because after all, one person's rubbish is another's raw material."

The Eastex scheme is used by about 5,000 local businesses which can visit www.eastex.org.uk to register materials they are seeking or materials they no longer need.

One business that has used Eastex with great success is JRD Mouldings, based in Ely.

The company produces two skips a week of rubber off-cuts which were costly to dispose of. Eastex was able tlocate a company which was able to recycle the rubber, saving JRD Mouldings £1,700 a year and reducing its waste to landfill.

Eastex has helped re-home 10 tonnes of potpourri, stopped thousands of pounds worth of building materials from ending up in landfill and kitted out an entire charity shop for free using out-of-date display furniture from John Lewis.

Eastex has also helped Birds Eye, Lowestoft divert more than 150 tonnes of items and materials from landfill to local community groups within 15 months.

The 2008 awards for environmental excellence will be held at a first class awards dinner at London's Natural History Museum, on Thursday, November 13.

Visit the Eastex Materials Exchange website.