A SHOPPING centre's 'forward-thinking approach' has helped it achieve its environmental goal.

Mill Gate, in Bury, has avoided sending any non-recyclable waste to landfill throughout 2017.

The centre has been working alongside Carbon Neutral Waste Management company B&M Waste Services since 2008 to reduce its waste levels.

In 2015, Mill Gate sent less than five per cent to landfill. This figure has continued to reduce, with just over two per cent being thrown away in 2016.

Last year, none of the 715 tonnes of waste went to landfill.

Diverting waste from landfill has reduced the shopping centre's indirect carbon emissions by more than 400 tonnes.

Marie Gribben, Mill Gate centre manager, said: "We are extremely proud to have achieved zero to landfill in 2017.

"Achieving this goal is down to the hard work and dedication of our team and our retailers. We will work hard in 2018 to make it another zero to landfill year."

Mill Gate's teams separate waste into recyclable and non-recyclable containers.

It is then taken to B&M Waste Services where it is hand-sorted to ensure cardboard, wood, metals and other recyclables are removed.

Non-recyclable rubbish is pressed into bales and taken to a combined heat and power (CHP) plant where energy is harvested to produce electricity and steam for thermal heating.

Paul Newton, corporate account Manager at B&M Waste Services, said: "It is the forward-thinking approach of Mill Gate shopping centre management and staff which has led to them segregating their recycling from their general waste.

"Year on year they've increased their recycling levels and they've now achieved 100 per cent diversion of waste from landfill, through using our Carbon Neutral service.

"They won a prestigious Green Apple award for the recycling efforts and we continue to work together to review and improve their waste and recycling scheme. Congratulations to Mill Gate."