NORTH-EAST chemical company Ineos Acrylics has won an award for the way it minimises its impact on the environment.

The Billingham firm, which makes materials for acrylic-based products, received the internationally recognised ISO 14001 registration.

It was awarded by Lloyds Register Quality Assurance, official agents of the UK Accreditation Service, which investigated 18 months of work by the 400 people employed at the Cassel Works site.

The firm's environmental manager, Amanda Buck, said: "A lot of our customers ask about our environmental performance, and knowing that we have this award will give them an immediate understanding of the standards we set when it comes to managing our environmental impact."