The mission

Over the last two years EVRi and SUEZ recycling and recovery UK have transformed EVRi’s waste management strategy.

 

Incredibly, in this short time everything, even floor sweepings, has been saved from landfill. In addition, EVRi’s primary waste products now deliver a growing new revenue stream from the sale of recycled materials.

 

Against this backdrop, the EVRi and SUEZ teams undertook the challenge to generate savings and sustainability benefits in this complex, multi-site waste management operation. Their goals are:

  • Zero-waste-to-landfill through waste stream separation.
  • Resale of separated recyclables through SUEZ trading team.
  • Overall waste bill reduction.

Our solution

SUEZ and EVRi are halfway through a high profile and extremely successful multi-phase project to minimise waste and to maximise recycling at all sites. The additional benefit will be maximising the resale value of EVRi’s recyclable waste streams through the SUEZ in-house trading team.

 

The project began with waste audits which resulted in waste stream separation.

 

The initial focus was on cardboard, EVRi’s primary waste stream. Separation of cardboard from other waste streams achieved a saleable commodity. The introduction of baling operations will maximise the cardboard’s resale value.

 

SUEZ is supporting EVRi’s creation of an efficient carboard handling operation, which in year two will involve moving materials to centrally located EVRi depots for baling and onward sale, freeing up valuable operational space in the process.

 

Even during the trial and set up phases, the SUEZ in-house trading team is achieving consistently high prices on EVRi’s baled cardboard. This revenue will ultimately contribute to the parcel carrier’s bottom line.

 

Optimising the shrink wrap plastic recycling process is now underway following a similar methodology to cardboard.

The results

So far, a significant net reduction has been achieved on EVRi’s waste bill, thanks to the achievement of the zero-waste-to- landfill target and a rising contribution from the resale of their recycled materials. The project is also delivering substantial Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) benefits in addition to the commercial ones. EVRi is delighted to be reaping the additional ‘people’ and ‘planet’ rewards this project is delivering.

 

This new revenue stream created from the sale of recycled materials will continue to grow, as baling operations are introduced and optimised across the operation. Ultimately, the completed project is expected to deliver a positive bottom-line contribution from the resale of recycled materials turning waste into revenue.

 

A complete overhaul of EVRi’s waste management process has already produced zero- waste-to-landfill through waste stream separation. Even the non-recyclable floor sweepings are now repurposed via local EfW facilities.

 

EVRi and SUEZ will continue to develop on site processes enabling the SUEZ trading team to maximise the market value of their recyclable materials.

 

Mark Ward Head of Facilities Management at EVRi commented: “The partnership with SUEZ and EVRi is going from strength to strength; our joined-up approach in driving process adherence is paying dividends both commercially and from an ESG perspective.

 

“Dedicated Account Manager provision is really working for the EVRi business as we tap into SUEZ’s knowledge to improve our internal workstreams.”