Recycling strategies: five companies lead the way

Hannah-Farah Abdulla , September 1st, 2011

As the world’s natural resource supplies run low, more and more companies are making active efforts to encourage the recycling and re-use of materials.

Recycling prevents the waste of potentially useful materials and cuts down on air pollution through incineration, water pollution through landfill and the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions of producing new products.

Though many companies have implemented conventional recycling practices in offices, such as paper recycling, others have gone a step further, and are implementing initiatives, such as recycling refrigerants, as part of their operations.

Construction Week Online has taken a look at the work of five local companies that have achieved significant savings through recycling initiatives:

Company: Bee’ah

Initiative: a three stream recycling system for pedestrians located in Sharjah and Ajman allowed residents to recycle paper, card, aluminum, plastic and general waste. It was launched in 2007 where just 52 recycling points were available. Since then, the number of points has increased to 1750.

Results: When last recorded, the 3-stream pedestrian recyclers collected a total of 1.5 tonnes of recyclables of which a large percentage is paper waste (about 54%).

Company: Imdaad

Initiative: recycling training sessions, flyer and email distribution. Imdaad has also participated in local recycling campaigns such as the Can Collection Drive, encouraging employees to recycle in office.

Result: In 2010, Imdaad sent 36,248 tons of recyclables to local recycling factories. Waste diversion from landfill for 2010 was 11%. It also cut down the number of vehicle trips to landfills.

Company: Khidmah

Initiative: Many companies when they hear the term recycling think of cleaning waste and forget about all the other recycling stream possibilities as part of a sustainable service. For some time Khidmah has been recycling its refrigerant during the practice of air-conditioning maintenance.

Results: There are a number of financial results on procuring recycled air-conditioning. At present, Khidmah is saving around 25%, compared to normal purchases. In terms of its carbon footprint, Khidmah ensures it does not discharge refrigerant gas into the atmosphere. There are a number of changes to operational considerations in recycling refrigerants; from the supply chain of procuring gas through to the storage. Organisations must consider the entire operational methodology when committing to these programs and not simply approach it from a ‘quick fix’ angle.

Company: Transguard

Initiative: Double sided printing – posters and education initiatives introduced.

Result: Monthly paper consumption has been reduced by 18%.

Initative: Move to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) paper.

Result: Approximately 3 trees per month saved.

Initiative: Paper Recycling.

Result: Generates 800kg of paper per month – equivalent to 13 trees.

Initiative: Recycling oil waste from the restaurant and camp catering.

Result: Reduces water contamination by approximately 15,000 gallons.

Company: WS Atkins

Initiative: Double sided printing – posters and education initiatives introduced.

Result: Monthly paper consumption has been reduced by 18%

Initative: Move to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) paper.

Result: Approximately 3 trees per month

Initiative: All wastes (paper, plastic, cans, glass and toners) are assessed for potential to be reduced, reused or recycled (The 3R’s). They are then collected by Emirates Environment Group who send a monthly report detailing the amount of ‘recyclables’ collected.This allows accurate monitoring of KPIs.

Result: Atkins sent a total of 5395 kgs recycling materials to EEG between April 2010 and March 2011.

Initiative: At Atkins Head Office, a mobile recycling campaign was launched alongside EEG and Nokia.

Result: 36 mobile phones were collected.

Initiative: Paper recycling campaign in collaboration with 350.org.

Result: Atkins recycled 640kgs.of paper and planted two trees have at the Mushrif Park as a result of the above campaign.

Initiative: Installation of Printcloud controlled printers in Dubai offices for which staff have to use their ID cards to print any documents.

Result: When last measured in April 2010, 11,000 pages of A4 were saved.