FOCUS WASTE MANAGEMENT
34 APRIL 2020
REFERENCE NOTES
(1) www.gov.uk/government/publications/
resources-and-waste-strategy-for-england/
resources-and-waste-strategy-at-a-glance
(2) www.gov.uk/government/publications/25-
year-environment-plan
(3) https://assets.publishing.service.gov.
uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/
attachment_data/file/69403/pb13530-wastehierarchy
guidance.pdf
(4) Recycling and Waste Management Survey
2020: FMJ in partnership with Grundon Waste
Management
(5) www.fmj.co.uk/research-reveals-clearersignage
is-required-to-get-more-peoplerecycling/
(6) www.gov.uk/government/news/legislationto
ban-plastic-straws-stirrers-and-cotton-budsenters
parliament
(7) www.gov.uk/government/publications/
introduction-of-plastic-packaging-tax/plasticpackaging
tax
(8) www.veolia.co.uk/sites/g/files/dvc1681/files/
document/2016/11/Veolia_Imagine2050_-_
Imagine_industry_in_2050.pdf
(9) www.phs.co.uk/about-phs/environment/
impact of waste on the environment and
limited capacity of landfill, we can inspire a
real step change in behaviour. We’ve already
seen a movement against plastic pollution,
but this level of motivation needs to be
sparked throughout all waste streams so
end users make the right choices – which
will facilitate the entire disposal process.”
There is also, argues Edward Eagle, a
need to address a shi in the FM sector
towards transactional waste management
contracts. “In order to see seismic benefits,
there needs to be long-term changes
in place, reflected in longer contracts.
These contracts must centre around
carbon neutrality, as energy usage and
recycling and waste performance feed
into an organisation’s carbon impact.
Aspirational goals need to be put in place to
encourage clients to do more and engage all
stakeholders in the process.”
HOW DO YOU ENSURE YOU MEET WASTE
MANAGEMENT TARGETS IN THE FUTURE?
Prevention is the future, says Taylor: “I think
targets will move away from zero waste
to landfill and shi towards zero waste
production. Instead of asking companies to
report on the volume of rubbish recycled, it
would be more e ective if the government
could enforce reporting on how much waste
is generated in the first place. The pressure
to be sustainable and concepts such as
the circular economy will drive behaviours
we all need to adopt to combat climate
challenge. The ultimate target must be total
elimination.”
Veolia has carried out research with
Imperial College London into future trends
and technology, culminating in its Imagine
2050 report on the circular economy(8).
This showed the potential of a £29 billion
contribution to UK GDP and 175,000 jobs.
Says Eagle: “This is an opportunity for
the UK to lead the world in recycling and
sustainability. We need to see changes make
system-wide impact while keeping it simple
in application – materials to be recyclable
by design, collected more consistently and
ultimately reprocessed back into high-value
products.”
He also predicts that technology will
transform the waste and recycling sector,
with the increased automation of recycling
plants delivering the ability to capture
more resources from waste streams – and
do it more e ectively. “Equipment such as
solar auto-compacting bins, which send
notifications to collection crews when
they are full, will enable more waste to
be collected. Electrified mobile plant,
supported by a charging network, will
further transform the way the industry
operates as businesses aim for net zero
carbon.
“Vehicles will use on-board weighing
equipment to digitally record bin weights at
properties, enabling recycling performance
to be e iciently calculated. Handheld
devices will provide on-the-go reporting
and job completion, and all vehicles will
be digitally tracked to monitor and autoallocate
tasks dependent on geographical
location and capacity.”
However, while all the high-tech stu has
an important part to play, ensuring that
every stakeholder is fully educated and
engaged remains the most vital element
in meeting targets. Grundon’s Williams
advocates simple things like introducing
new posters and improved signage, investing
in new bins and containers that can boost
segregation, and adopting an employee
engagement platform to help promote
positive environmental behaviour change.
“And lastly,” he adds, “I would say
remember to reward people too. Whether
that’s by naming recycling champions each
month, encouraging senior managers to
reinvest waste savings for the benefit of sta ,
or shouting your waste success from the
roo ops when you win an award – it all helps
to spread positive messages.”
HYGIENIC SOLUTION
Organisations may do their utmost to
recycle and divert waste from landfill,
but hygiene waste is too o en forgotten
as a stream that should be managed as
part of a sustainability strategy.
Edward Griggs, Head of Waste Supply
and Subcontractors for phs Group,
says: “It is not uncommon for us to
speak to customers who are striving
towards zero waste to landfill, but when
they are questioned on hygiene waste,
admit that this had been overlooked.
As hygiene waste is typically landfilled
by the industry and cannot be recycled,
it presents a zero-to-landfill challenge.
Organisations who are truly committed
to sustainability need to review their
washroom operations and ensure
hygiene waste is both accounted for and
disposed of sustainably.”
He points out that landfill is not the
only available destination for hygiene
waste. “Phs has created a new journey
for hygiene waste through its LifeCycle
strategy(9), using it to create energy
to power homes, thereby diverting
waste away from landfill, supporting
customers’ sustainability objectives
and doing the right thing for the
environment.”
/
/resources-and-waste-strategy-at-a-glance
/25-year-environment-plan
/pb13530-waste-hierarchy-guidance.pdf
/
/legislation-to-ban-plastic-straws-stirrers-and-cotton-buds-enters-parliament
/plastic-packaging-tax
/Veolia_Imagine2050_-_Imagine_industry_in_2050.pdf
