Sussex based manufacturing and packing operation, A E Adams, has been selected by water efficiency product firm, Dry Planet Ltd, to manufacture 50,000 ‘Save-a-Flush’ bags for Southern Water, helping to champion its campaign to reduce water wastage.

Southern Water is giving away the free ‘Save-a-Flush’ bags to its customers to help promote water efficiency, in support of its water meter installation programme, which is currently being rolled out across the South East.

“We are always looking for opportunities to award contracts to companies local to our region and we are delighted with our new range of Save-a-Flush bags” says Malcolm Butchers, Commercial Manager for the Southern Water Metering Programme. “It’s great to see manufacturing thriving in the South East and by producing these locally, we also cut down on travel costs, reducing our carbon footprint.”

The perforated Save-a-Flush bags, designed to be placed in a toilet cistern, contain a polymer (super absorbent polyacrylamide) that expands when it comes into contact with water. The polymer, which can absorb up to 100 times its weight in water, is stabilised by silica sand that is added to the special PET and polyethylene laminated bag.

When fully expanded, the bags displace 1.2 litres of water with every flush, saving about 10,000 litres of water each year for a family of four and cutting about £30 off a water bill.

Production of the Save-a-Flush bags at A E Adams involves a specialist vertical form-fill-seal machine situated in a dehumidified area.

AE Adams, located in the Mackley Industrial Estate in Small Dole, West Sussex, has been producing the ‘Save-a-Flush’ bags for Dry Planet Ltd for a number of years, and is set to expand its production capacity as the demand increases.

“We have worked successfully with Dry Planet for many years now and it’s great to see our products being used to save water in the local area” says Derrie Fletcher, Customer Services Director.

A E Adams takes an active interest in environmental issues, constantly looking for new methods of manufacturing and packing products to help its customers to minimise the amount of packaging required for their products.

Founded more than 45 years ago, A E Adams is a founder member of the BCMPA (British Contract Manufacturers and Packers Association), providing a complete packing solution through manufacturing, filling and packing services.