Sustainable Environment Policy

Durham County Council is one of the largest organisations and employers in the region and the way it functions makes a significant difference to our local environment. Through the Sustainable Environment Policy, we are constantly looking at ways in which the Council can make its services and functions more sustainable.

What is the Durham County Council Sustainable Environment Policy?

In 1998 Durham County Council officially adopted a Sustainable Environment Policy.pdf (1 page, 2777kb) setting out its commitment to reduce the environmental impact of its operations and services. In summary, the policy aims to make the council both resource-efficient and environmentally responsible. The Sustainable Environment Policy applies across all council services, operations and activities.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the policy. You can also see a copy on the Sustainable Environment Policy page.

Why does DCC have a Sustainable Environment Policy?

There are several reasons why DCC has a Sustainable Environment Policy:

• To help save resources and reduce waste.
• To help ensure that the council is environmentally and socially responsible.
• To help meet national government objectives, commitments and expectations.
• To help promote a positive public image and ensure that our actions are in line with the 'Looking after the Environment' corporate aim.
• To help ensure that the council complies with all relevant environmental legislation.

What's in the Sustainable Environment Policy?

The policy covers the following topics.

• Energy and water (saving energy, reducing water consumption, using renewable energy, and climate change).
• Waste (reducing, reusing and recycling waste from Durham County Council properties and operations).
• Transport (reducing the environmental impacts of home-to-work travel and council business travel).
• Sustainable procurement (reducing the environmental and social impacts of procurement and purchasing decisions).
• Wildlife and sustainable land management (reducing artificial chemical inputs, eliminating peat use, protecting and enhancing native wildlife and habitats).
• Built heritage and landscape (protecting and enhancing the County's landscape and built heritage) link to DCC built heritage pages.
• Sustainable construction (incorporating sustainability principles into new buildings including improving the environmental performance of new schools).

For more information on how the Sustainable Environment Policy is being implemented click on the individual links above or contact the Sustainability team on Tel 0191 3833361 or email Sustainability Issues.