Waste Removal and Sustainability: Our Commitment to a Circular Future

Waste Removal is evolving: our local waste removal services put sustainability at the centre of everything we do. We operate with a clear, measurable ambition — to divert more material from landfill and increase the reuse and recycling rates across the boroughs we serve. By combining practical collections with partnerships, low-emission vehicles and targeted transfer station logistics, our waste-removal approach aims to deliver environmental benefit and improved resource efficiency.

Recycling percentage target: we have set a company-wide target to achieve 70% recycling and reuse of all collected non-hazardous materials by 2030. This target balances ambition with realism: it reflects current sorting capabilities at local materials recovery facilities (MRFs), expected investment in processing infrastructure and collaboration with local authorities. The target is reviewed annually and supplemented by interim goals to lift the borough-level diversion rate each year.

Local transfer stations are the backbone of our logistics. We operate and work closely with a network of strategically located transfer stations and consolidation hubs — including Riverside Transfer Station, Northside Transfer Hub and the Central Borough Transfer Yard — where waste is sorted, compacted and redirected to the most appropriate outlets. These regional transfer stations reduce journey times, lower emissions and improve the rate of correct material sorting before materials reach recycling processors.

Different boroughs have different collection schemes — from separated food waste collections and kerbside glass boxes to combined mixed recycling and residual waste bins. We adapt our waste removal operations to support these local systems: offering specialised collections for glass, paper, plastics, garden waste and separate food waste streams where required. Our teams receive borough-specific training so that service crews can help maintain high standards of source separation and contamination reduction, supporting council-led behaviour change without duplicating effort.

We work in partnership with charities and social enterprises to extend the life of reusable items. Our partnerships include furniture reuse charities, community repair centres, electronic-waste recyclers and textile reuse banks. Items in good condition are diverted from disposal streams and offered to partner charities for resale or refurbishment. For bulky household items and commercial clearances, we prioritise donation pathways and record the tonnes diverted through each partnership, making use of strong reuse channels where available.

To support these charitable collaborations we maintain a robust triage and sorting process at transfer stations and during collections, ensuring items that can be reused are kept intact and safely transported. This reuse-first principle reduces the environmental footprint of collection and disposal and contributes to social value by supplying local communities with affordable goods.

Our low-carbon vans and collection vehicles are central to reducing operational emissions. We deploy electric vans for local runs and last-mile transfers, hybrid collection vehicles for mixed-route schedules and Euro 6 / low-emission alternatives for longer transfers. Route optimisation software, load consolidation and scheduled consolidation stops at transfer stations further reduce fuel consumption and vehicle miles. Together, these measures reduce the carbon intensity of waste removal work while maintaining reliable service.

At the transfer stations and sorting centres, we maximise recovery through mechanical and manual sorting, and by sending separated streams to the best available processing: MRFs for dry recyclables, anaerobic digestion for food waste, and specialist recyclers for WEEE, metals and textiles. We regularly audit material flows to identify opportunities to increase the capture of high-value recyclables and to reduce contamination rates. This systems-level approach helps push the overall recycling percentage upward toward our 70% goal.

Transparency and continuous improvement sit at the heart of our sustainability programme. We publish performance summaries to stakeholders, map progress against our recycling percentage target and work with councils to align with borough recycling strategies. Training for crews, investments in electric charging infrastructure at transfer stations, and formal agreements with charity partners all combine to ensure our waste removal company delivers measurable environmental and social outcomes.