7 ways Mitie Waste are working towards a better waste industry

To meet the targets set out by the IPCC there needs to be significant work within all industries, this is especially true for waste in which has seen huge volumes of resources being disposed of in recent decades due to our throwaway culture. In the last 30 years Mitie Waste and Environmental has seen many changes in the industry, with our resource not waste approach we aim to be at the forefront of waste. Here are 7 ways Mitie waste and working to achieve this.

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1.????Utilising renewable energy

By utilising renewable energy such as solar or wind we can mitigate the impacts of sorting the waste we create on a daily basis. This can be through basic on-site waste processes including solar powered compactors, right up to state-of-the-art solar powered sorting facilities.

At Mitie, we have achieved our target of converting 30% of our fleet to electric vehicles, 3 months ahead of our target in March 2022. The vehicles create an annual saving of around 10,000 tonnes of CO2 per year.

Electric vehicles provide an alternative to combustion engines which produce significant amounts of carbon while running them. Electric vehicles do not produce point source emissions, consequently they produce healthier workplaces and if the energy is generated from renewable sources, they create very few emissions.

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2.????A reduction of single use materials

The UK has introduced revolutionary measures to tackle single use plastics in the UK, however, to reach net zero more needs to be achieved. Only by eliminating all single use materials, will there be any opportunity to achieve zero carbon in any workplace.

At Mitie, we are working to eliminate single use of plastics within our supply chain as much as possible, which is why we have implemented our ‘Bin the Bag?’ scheme. To implement this, we removed the single use plastic bags found inside bins and replaced with specifically designed bins with three solid liners inside.

This eliminates single-use materials by embracing the circular economy in line with the principles of the waste hierarchy to reduce before reuse and recycling. By doing this we will save 40,000 bin bags and 3 tonnes of CO2 a year from eliminating plastic bags.

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3.????A focus on waste elimination

Before anything is thrown away it should be looked at against the waste hierarchy, can we prevent the waste in the first place? Often this is easier than you think, in our everyday lives we can make small actions count like bringing our own cups to the café or take our containers to refill at the zero-waste store.

This is also achievable on a company level, with small changes that can help to make big changes in the elimination of waste. Mitie’s partner company VisionRe can offer a consultation for businesses to identify where waste can be eliminated, and waste streams can be streamlined helping companies to reduce their carbon footprint and save money.

This can also be achieved on an even larger scale when during our sales process where we take a holistic approach to waste management that considers best practice within the waste hierarchy. This allows us to think of waste not as rubbish to be discarded but as a resource that can cut carbon emissions from business and save money.

Mitie waste is not only a waste company but our unique position as a strategic outsourcer allows us to be at the forefront of innovation in our sector, these unique advantages can be passed onto our clients.?

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4.????Looking towards a more circular economy

By looking at our waste as a resource and not as a problem we can find ways to reduce the biggest sources of waste by either preventing the waste in the first place or finding ways to reuse the resources we have. This can be found in many forms from the reduction or removal of packaging of goods that are found in your everyday supermarket shop to upcycling old pieces of furniture for future use.?

At Mitie, we have a solution to stop redundant furniture and equipment from going to waste. Our resource platform, Waste Match, helps organisations find cost effective, ethical and environmental disposal routes for unused furniture and equipment, by bringing redundant resources back into use for the benefit of businesses, communities, and the environment.

Waste Match offers pre-owned and re-engineered goods for a fraction of the financial and environmental cost of buying new materials. We aim to build a stronger community network by redistributing furniture and equipment back into the local area.

?5.????Opportunities for better recycling

As our reliance on landfill and incineration begins to fall the need to recycle as many of our resources as possible increases. Steps have already been taken any major supermarkets introducing return boxes for soft plastic that is generally not recycled in domestic waste.

At Mitie we can go further than this, we have the resources to recycle many items that are not?usually able to be recycled helping to reduce carbon within your business.

We use technology such as a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) which sorts and segregates waste to ensure the highest possible recycling rates. Trained experts clean and sort the general waste to identify the recyclable materials and segregate them into their recycling streams ready for reuse or other uses. By undergoing this process, we have stopped a total of 2,600 tonnes of waste going to landfill in the last year.?

We also offer composting and anaerobic digestion services which are one of the most effective ways to manage food and organic waste. Composting is the recycling of organic waste, specifically food waste, reducing the amount of waste that needs to be sent to landfill. Studies have found that compost contributes to soil quality which in turn acts as a carbon store, therefore reducing the impact on climate change.

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6.????Education is key

A lack of knowledge rather than access to waste streams can often be the reason why waste can end up in landfill or incinerated. This is mainly due to a lack of understanding of where everyday waste should go take for instance a single use coffee cup, the actual cup is made of a mixture of materials including plastic and cardboard and is difficult to recycle however, the lid is often made of a single plastic and is easily recyclable.

As the lid is recyclable many people often make the mistake of thinking all of it is and dispose of coffee cups in recycling bins. Unfortunately, if liquid is left in the cups or too many cups are found in recycling the whole bag is counted as contaminated and taken to landfill or incineration.

By taking time to educate staff in waste management more efficient waste streams can be developed which can save money and ensure the full resources of the material is achieved.

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7.????Ditching the single use

A deposit return scheme is a drink bottle return scheme where consumers pay a deposit when buying a beverage in a single use container, often ranging from 20p to ￡2. This deposit can be reclaimed by the consumer if they return their empty container, encouraging people to return bottles for multiple use or efficient recycling.

Deposit return schemes have been widely successful in other countries such as Germany and a nation-wide deposit return scheme is set to be introduced in the UK in 2024. By implementing a deposit return scheme UK-wide for all plastic bottles, carbon savings could be up to 6 million tonnes annually if glass, tins, plastic bottles and cans are recycled. (source: keepbritaintidy.org).

Mitie waste has already begun to introduce tailor made deposit return schemes onto office and manufacturing sites allowing employees to donate to charity or earn discounts on food at the cafeteria and ensuring businesses are ready to comply with future legislation.?

If you want to find out about more about how Mitie waste and environment can help your business please visit our website https://www.mitie.com/all-services/waste.?