Sorting and processing

Whether segregated at source or co-mingled, collected material needs to be put to the best possible use – one that saves on resources both for the council taxpayer and the planet.

The challenges range from optimising the management of household waste recycling centres to identifying the most beneficial forms of processing and outlets for materials of value and treatment options for residual waste, while maximising recycling rates.

These often complex calculations need to be made in a context where municipal facilities and finances have suffered from sustained cutbacks. Service changes and any investment must be seen to be provide real benefits and savings.

SUEZ manages a comprehensive suite of infrastructure for sorting and processing material resources and waste. It is backed by world-leading expertise and investment in new technologies.

The national network of facilities we operate includes:

• Household waste recycling centres for the recycling and reuse of household waste items.
• Transfer stations for sorting and segregation of materials; bulking up materials and waste into efficient loads.
• Material recycling facilities (MRFs) for sorting recyclable materials.
• In-vessel composting facilities for garden and food waste.
• Processing facilities for both treated and untreated wood.
• Energy-from-waste facilities for electricity generation.
• Alternative fuel production facilities manufacturing refuse-derive fuels.
• Landfill sites for residual and special wastes.
  

Our teams know how to extract maximum value from waste streams and minimise costs on behalf of our customers – from collection to end use or disposal.

This technical know-how is complemented by our market knowledge. As a leading international player, we enjoy strong relations with a network of materials reprocessors and have a dedicated commodities trading team, with bargaining power to match.  

As well as supplying secondary raw materials, we produce a wide range of quality products including compost, refuse derived fuel, solid recovered fuel, and wood products.

Our partnerships with innovative specialists, and our group’s research and development programme also give SUEZ access to emerging technologies and new techniques for recovering value from hard-to-recycle items.