Material matters

Britain’s economy today rests largely upon its manufacturing industries. It is therefore essential that maximum use be made of local and imported raw materials. In Britain, waste causes a loss of hundreds of millions of pounds each year. Coal is the most wasted commodity of all - inefficient boilers, factory equipment and old-fashioned household grates waste as much as half the total coal produced in Britain each year. Within ten years, at this rate, Britain could not maintain enough coal supplies to meet the demand. Factories must keep down to a minimum the number of waste articles, for instance, there is more often than not unnecessary waste from both metal and plastic pressing, spray-painting etc. More economical and time-saving methods are required in the manufacture of parts. The film draws attention to the small innocuous wastes which usually go unnoticed. It is these wastes that add up to a national bill which Britain cannot afford.