FMJ.CO.UK WASTE MANAGEMENT FOCUS
NOVEMBER 2021 29
Waste and recycling has held onto its top spot in terms of
being seen as the most important of all the environmental and
sustainability responsibilities that FMs have to manage, but
more of them see it as a challenge (50.6 per cent) rather than an
opportunity (37.5 per cent).
Nearly 300 FMs completed the 2021 survey, making the number
of respondents comparable to previous years.
INNOVATIVE IDEAS
Grundon’s Stephen Hill, Head of
Sales, said: “This year’s results make
interesting reading and mirror many
of the things we are seeing with our
own customers.
“FMs are being asked to deliver
greater improvements and ROI on
tighter budgets, while at the same
time having to juggle changing ways of working. It’s no surprise
they see it as more of a challenge and I think all of us in the waste
industry need to respond with innovative ideas and support.
What is very encouraging is that more FMs say their organisations
expect a good waste management service will save them money,
with far fewer saying it won’t make a diƒ erence.”
In 2019 and 2020, only around 24 per cent of respondents said
there was an expectation that money could be saved, but by 2021
this had increased to nearly 33 per cent. The number of people
who recognised the opportunity to earn rebates on reprocessing
and recycling jumped from 5.45 per cent and 3.19 per cent to over
10 per cent.
There was however, an increased concern that a good waste
management service could cost more money.
“Given that return on investment is the number one concern
right now, it’s not unexpected that FMs will be worried that
investing in a good service will cost them more money,” continued
Hill.
“By working closely with our customers and really getting to
know their businesses, we’ve been able to make changes that
really do deliver. That may be identifying more waste streams that
have a value for recycling, or making sure that they are actually
only paying for their waste and not that of other businesses too.
Delivered properly, a good waste management provider will tick
all those boxes and can save you money.”
CLEAR TARGETS
Nearly two thirds of businesses – the highest in the history of
the survey – now have a waste management strategy with clear
targets, with only eight per cent saying they don’t have one.
When it comes to barriers around improving waste and recycling
performance, in line with previous years an inability to engage
staƒ with the need to recycle came in as the number one issue,
although it only scored 28 per cent versus well over 50 per cent
in 2018.
For the first time however, lack of senior management support/
understanding of waste management issues featured in the
top three, with nearly 17 per cent saying it was now a factor in
improving performance.
Employee education and engagement is still seen as critical
to success, receiving the highest score. Demand for practical
tips and advice – such as how to set up a Green Team or Waste
Champions – rose from less than 10 per cent in previous years to
26 per cent in 2021, showing that FMs understand the value that
such activities can bring to a business.
ACCURATE WEIGHING OF WASTE
The International Quarter London (IQL) is a new development on land in Stratford which once hosted the
London 01 Olympic Games. It blends oƝ ce space with entertainment, retail and sporting complexes,
alongside new homes and open spaces.
As managing agents for the I4L estate, -LL determined from the start to make sustainability a top priority
for tenants, who include the British Council, Cancer Research UK and UNICEF UK.
It created a Sustainability Charter
and among the objectives
was Ɔ unlike other similar
developments – to appoint one
waste management provider
for the entire estate, helping to
streamline collections, reduce
carbon emissions and improve
waste education among tenants.
As the preferred waste partner,
Grundon Waste Management is
L-R Grundon’s -ames Luckett, Contract Manager, pictured with Adam
Craig, Senior Estates Manager -LL
responsible for waste in the three
main buildings, working closely with managing agents Savills and CBRE, as well as at the adMacent TfL
building.
In addition to usual waste management activities, the Grundon team has introduced a number of
innovative ideas. These include its popular Paper Cup Recycling service and a new specialist industrial
waste management system which has revolutionised the way tenants are charged for their waste.
The system, from Weightron Bilanciai , allows each tenant to be charged for only the exact amount of their
own waste. Previously they would have been billed for an average cost based on the overall amount of
waste taken away.
When a tenant’s waste is brought down to the loading bay, the tenant’s individual PIN code is entered onto
a screen and the type of waste ie mixed recycling, food, general waste etc selected. This enables the
waste to be accurately weighed and recorded, with the information sent to the managing agent.
Grundon’s -ames Luckett, Contract Manager for the I4L proMect, said: ƋThe tenants really appreciate
the fact that they can directly inƜ uence the amount they are charged for waste disposal, it really helps
them to think about how they can do things diff erently to reduce their costs and we have deƛ nitely seen
improved recycling ƛ gures as a result.ƌ