Experts at sustainable business Envirovue are revolutionising the waste sector by becoming the first self-confessed “anti-waste” company, working to eradicate the UK of waste.
As waste production reaches ‘crisis’ levels, with more than 100 million tonnes of waste produced every year1, the Lancashire-based team of waste experts is on a mission to develop technology that will reduce waste at the source, helping operational leaders to cut waste, emissions and associated management costs.
An estimated fifth of all waste produced is illegally managed – resulting in material being dumped unnecessarily in waterways, fly tipped and harming the environment. To combat this, the team at Envirovue vow to work with business leaders of large industrial and manufacturing organisations to streamline a sustainable approach to waste, sharing insights on how a material can be reused to avoid needless tipping and dumping.
Director at Envirovue, Daniel Redfern explains: “The traditional waste management model focuses solely on collections and disposal. If waste management companies create a profit from increased waste collections and more waste – reduction will never be the goal.
“This approach to both manufacturing and commercial waste is costly, inefficient and harmful to the environment. Landfill sites are the largest contributor to methane emissions in the UK, accounting for 81 percent of methane emissions from the waste sector3, and are a costly option for businesses handling multiple waste streams.
“It’s time for waste management firms to change their priorities. By implementing waste-reduction strategies and technologies that will promote a recycle and reuse-first approach, businesses will be able to avoid the use of environmentally unfriendly options or illegal dumping – our team is often able to turn waste streams into money.”
Most recently, the Envirovue team were able to save a well known material supplier more than £250,000 by re-using one million litres of waste liquid, taken as run off from one manufacturing process, and re-used as a cooling agent in another. Daniel adds: “This is a great example of how we are able to cut back on emission and environmental impact, whilst making a significant saving to the customer on storage and other waste options.”
Using advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence is the way forward for the sector, says Co-Director at Envirovue, Alex Trenbath. He adds: “Through technology, waste management can be redefined.
“Currently we’re able to identify inefficiencies, discover what is causing surplus waste and offer insights to help organisations transition toward more sustainable, circular economy waste practices. Our AI-backed technology, which has been developed in house, is also able to calculate the best disposal routes for waste that cannot be re-purposed.
“But why isn’t this the norm? Traditional waste operators have no real interest in reducing waste, even the best recyclers want to keep recycling waste high to ensure profit by processing as much surplus material and goods as possible.”
The pressure on businesses to address environmental and social responsibilities is ever increasing, fueled by both regulatory frameworks and shifting consumer expectations. The introduction of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards now provides a benchmark for assessing a company’s environmental impact, social contributions, and corporate governance, placing organisations under greater scrutiny from investors and stakeholders.
Daniel concludes: “Businesses can no longer afford to delay meaningful action without risking reputational and financial consequences, particularly as sustainability reporting is increasing year on year with 96 percent of the world’s top 250 companies reporting on sustainability, of which waste is a huge part.”
To learn more about how Envirovue is working to make the UK waste-free, please visit: www.envirovue.io
