Exploring sustainability as a new intern at SUEZ
At the beginning of July, I joined SUEZ in the sustainability team for a 12-month placement as part of my geography degree course at university. I have been fortunate to be able to visit some remarkable SUEZ sites with Sustainability Manager, Alex Smith. Seeing what happens to waste first-hand has been useful in developing my understanding of SUEZ’s operations and I’ve gained an insight into the sheer volume of waste that is processed at transfer stations – something I never fully comprehended!
On our first day, we travelled to three sites in West London. Our first stop was Transport Avenue Transfer Station. It was astounding to see the large quantities of waste at the transfer station and the shredder in action. We were also able to see the train being loaded with the waste which is sent on to Bristol to be used at the EfW. During our visit, we also had the chance to see the creative reuse farm by the weighbridge, featuring tyres that have been upcycled and crafted into animals.
We then visited Victoria Road Transfer Station. A highlight of the visit was seeing the falcons (I learned that they are used to scare away other birds from the site!). We also had the opportunity to see the new high-tech crane’s control room.
Next, we visited Hayes Transfer Station. The site had reopened in January after being rebuilt following a devastating fire. I was previously unaware of the significant risks that battery and vapes pose to our sites and colleagues. While I had always known the importance of separating batteries from general waste, I hadn’t fully grasped the severity of the potential consequences if this isn’t adhered to properly.
The team displayed their ideas to enhance sustainability on site, including many reuse activities. They had repurposed items to create a birdfeeder, and were in the process of making a system to collect rainwater from the top of the weighbridge to water their planters. They were also in the process of making a wellbeing area for staff.
Our final visit on the following day, was to the SUEZ site in Kensington and Chelsea, where we had a spectacular tour of their services across the area, including general waste collections, food waste collections and street cleaning. The refuse trucks had a 50% split between general waste and recycling. After talking with the operational staff it came to light just how important it is for residents to correctly separate their general waste and recycling, to avoid contamination. It was also great to see the sustainability action plan in place.
On reflection, I found that the site visits were valuable and beneficial in gaining exposure and becoming more familiar to SUEZ’s operations. It was fantastic to see how the enthusiasm and devotion that the sustainability champions have for sustainability, was reflected at the sites. It reaffirmed my decision to begin my professional career within the inspiring field of sustainability.