The Chancellor’s pre-Christmas pre-budget report rang bells in the plumbing industry. Amongst the grim news, the announcement of a new boiler scrappage scheme created a silver lining around the clouds.
The undisputed success of the motor industry ‘car scrappage scheme’ and very successful lobbying by the plumbing industry has encouraged Alistair Darling to introduce a scrappage scheme for old and inefficient boilers. Under the plans householders will be able to trade in their old boilers for newer, more efficient models. The cash required is part of a raft of eco measures in the pre-budget report.
“The boiler scrappage scheme is very welcome,” says Yvonne Orgill, chief executive of the BMA. “It will go some way in improving our nation’s energy efficiency. But now is the time to start thinking about water efficiency and we believe that major strides can be made in saving our increasingly scarce water resources by replacing the UK’s 11 million water guzzling toilets. A WC scrappage scheme is now on the cards.”
The government estimates that of the 45 million WCs installed in the UK the average consumes 9 litres per flush, and 7 million of these are flushing at the pre-war 13 litres. The very latest eco-friendly WCs flush with as little as 2.6 litres, short flush.
A simple scrappage scheme is now called for which will quickly and cost effectively scrap the “bad boy in the bathroom.” Similar schemes have been very successful in other countries and its introduction in the UK would have a dramatic effect on the nation’s water consumption.
In an average household the WC is flushed around 5000 times a year. If an old inefficient 13 litre pan is replaced with a modern eco-friendly product flushing with an average 3 litres those households can potentially save an annual 50,000 litres.
“The environment has been a priority for the BMA for very many years,” says Orgill. “Our members have introduced products which are both water and energy saving. A WC scrappage scheme will have real and lasting benefits for us all in the UK and the BMA will be lobbying hard to get the government to consider its introduction as soon as possible.”
Source: http://www.bathroom-association.org/press.asp?ID=285
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