9 May 2007

UK Leads Europe at Sustainable Development Awards

The UK quarrying industry is celebrating two major successes following the UEPG* Sustainable Development Awards, which took place last night in Brussels. With nine prizes being awarded to submissions from across the European Union, the QPA's two wins put the UK level on points with Spain, which also took a pair of trophies home.

The awards won by the QPA's submissions were:

• QPA member Eton Aggregates, a joint venture between CEMEX, Lafarge Aggregates, Summerleaze Ltd and Tarmac, took home the award for Economic Contribution to Society for its Dorney lake restoration. The former sand and gravel extraction site is now home to an Olympic-class rowing lake that has been designated an official venue for 2012.
  
  
• The QPA itself landed a Special Association Award for the groundbreaking work on health and safety through its www.safequarry.com best practice sharing website. The site is the first of its kind in the world and the Judges drew attention to the practical advice the site can offer operators in helping reach industry's target of zero accidents.

The wins show the QPA and the UK quarrying industry to be leading the way for the sector in Europe with an emphasis both on high quality operation and restoration with a strong emphasis on employee welfare.

The awards were collected by QPA Director General Simon van der Byl and Chairman Lynda Thompson, alongside representatives from Eton Aggregates and the QPA's Director of Health and Safety, Martin Isles.

ENDS

* UEPG stands for "Union Europeenne des Produceurs de Ganulats", which translates as the European Aggregates Association. It has existed since 1987 and represents its national member associations, such as the QPA in the UK, on economic, technical, environmental and health & safety policy.


Notes to Editors

The full submission for the Dorney Lake restoration which won the award has been provided with this press release.

For more information please contact Tim Parry by tel: 0207 9638000 or e-mail parry@qpa.org, www.qpa.org

The Quarry Products Association is the principal trade association representing the UK aggregates industry. Our members produce over 90% of aggregates extracted - sand and gravel and crushed rock - as well as silica sand, recycled aggregates, agricultural and industrial lime, asphalt, mortar, and ready-mixed concrete.