News updates written by CIWM’s commercial partners.
WISE | WISE Celebrates 2024: A Year of Growth, Innovation, and Impact in Environmental Enforcement
Waste Investigations Support & Enforcement (WISE) proudly announces 2024 as a landmark year, cementing its position as the UK’s largest supplier of environmental and waste enforcement services to local authorities.
With 26 active partnerships, WISE continues to lead the way in tackling environmental crime, anti-social behaviour, and waste management non-compliance across the country.
Delivering Exceptional Results
In 2024, WISE demonstrated its commitment to cleaner, safer communities by:
- Providing over 100,000 patrolling hours, addressing environmental crimes head-on.
- Conducting 17,441 waste investigations, ensuring compliance and accountability.
- Issuing 91,621 Fixed Penalty Notices and 6,741 Penalty Charge Notices, helping local authorities uphold environmental standards.
Empowering Communities Through Social Value Initiatives
WISE invested over £100,000 in its Social Value Programme, working closely with councils to enhance community engagement and education. Achievements include:
- 52 school presentations, inspiring young environmentalists.
- 64 litter picks, fostering local pride and cleaner neighbourhoods.
- Donations exceeding £20,000 to UK-registered charities.
“Social value is integral to what we do,” said John Dunne, Managing Director at WISE. “From schools to streets, we’re committed to making a meaningful impact on people’s lives in their communities and the environment.”
Expanding Partnerships Across the UK
In 2024, WISE launched 10 new Environmental Crime and Waste Enforcement partnerships with councils such as Brent, Dudley, and Rotherham. The company also expanded its services to include parking enforcement, anti-social behaviour enforcement, and bespoke training programmes for local authority teams.
Accredited Training for a Sustainable Future
WISE’s Environmental and Waste Enforcement Training Programme received CIWM accreditation, underscoring its commitment to professional development and excellence. As a newly appointed CIWM Commercial Partner, WISE continues to lead the way in industry innovation and education.
Routeware | Routeware launches SmartCity solution for UK local authorities
Waste management software company Routeware has announced the launch of its SmartCity solution to UK local authorities.
Routeware already works with over 150 local authorities and waste and resource management companies in the UK. This new solution will allow the company to help customers further improve efficiency, performance and citizen satisfaction.
Routeware is currently implementing the solution at its first UK local authority. The technology has already been successfully deployed in more than 100 cities across North America, including eight of the top 20 U.S. cities by population.
Routeware SmartCity is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform that helps local governments run more efficient, effective, and sustainable operations across waste and recycling, street cleansing and highway winter maintenance. This all-in-one solution enables authorities of all sizes to reduce operating costs, improve service quality and driver safety, and improve performance through access to real time data.
Digitised operations increase the flexibility, reliability, and resiliency of environmental service operations. Access to real time data and on-demand reports informs more efficient and accurate decision making. Furthermore, the technology incorporates advanced optimisation algorithms developed specifically for waste and environmental services. This helps councils realise significant cost savings through robust and efficient routes.
“Local governments are still required to do more with less,” said Thomas Moffat, UK Sales Director at Routeware. “Routeware has a long history of working with over 150 UK councils to use technology to deliver more effective waste and environmental services. Our SmartCity solution will allow us to make it even easier for resource-constrained authorities to deliver these essential services more efficiently.”
The same solution can be deployed across street cleansing and gritting and snow removal services, which increases the value to councils and makes it easier to share resources across operations.
One municipality already using the solution is Kansas City, Missouri. Here the integrated technology is used in vehicles covering both waste collection and snow removal. Since deploying SmartCity across its fleet, drivers at the City have documented more than 17,000 kerbside issues and more than 60,000 bulky waste jobs have flowed through system.
In the words of Director Shaw, “Since we implemented SmartCity, we have seen citizen satisfaction increase in waste collection by 17 percent. It’s really helping us to be far more on time and on task and to be far more efficient. We’ve seen over two million dollars cost savings in delivering those services in just waste collection alone.”
Fiveways | Broxbourne Council Case Study
Broxbourne Environmental Services Trading Ltd has maintained a collaborative partnership with Fiveways Municipal Vehicle Hire for over 15 years.
The Local Authority Trading Company (LATCO) operates a diverse fleet designed for various municipal functions, including general waste collection, recycling, food waste management, street cleansing, and grounds maintenance.
The fleet comprises 21 vehicles, with 10 of these leased from Fiveways. Additionally, Fiveways is responsible for the servicing and maintenance of the entire fleet under a comprehensive contract.
Commenting on the services received from Fiveways, David Long, Transport Manager at Broxbourne Environmental Services Trading Ltd says “Fiveways manage all our PMIs, MOTs, daily defects and routine servicing.”
Explaining the daily defect process, David says that “at the end of every shift we email any issues to the service team at Fiveways, and they’re dealt with immediately – either being resolved the same day or overnight before the vehicle has to go out on its next shift.”
In an industry driven by strict deadlines and affecting communities in a tangible way, vehicle reliability and timely service are key to customer satisfaction. Put simply, David says, “Our job is to get the rubbish off the floor. Working with Fiveways means that we can consistently and reliably do just that.”
When the contract came up for renewal last year, David explains that “the comprehensive scoring criteria evaluated a wide range of considerations from organisational structure to breakdown support, environmental standards, and safety credentials.
“While Fiveways was not the cheapest choice, they distinguished themselves in critical areas essential for our operations. For example, earlier than expected delivery of the new vehicles, prior to the commencement of the new contract was of real benefit to us.
“Also, although they dispatch engineers as needed, many issues can be efficiently resolved via phone, thanks to the proficiency of their workshop team.”
In addition to all this, David says, “They are also an authorised MOT testing facility, and the fact that the DVSA has approved them to do this gives us extra confidence in their ability and dedication.”
The contract awarded to Fiveways was 5 years with a 2-year extension.
In conclusion, David says, “Fiveways really care about their customers. We’ve built great relationships with the business and the team. We recently had a situation where one of our own twin-chamber trucks with a food pod on the back needed servicing. The vehicle is rare and couldn’t be sourced from anywhere else. Fiveways came to the rescue and serviced the vehicle for us in time for Christmas – 24-hour turnaround! It’s a partnership!”
Emma Cheesman, Fiveways’ Development Director, echoes this saying, “We value the partnerships we have with our customers and suppliers and always strive to go above and beyond to provide the best service possible. Our 15-year relationship with Broxbourne is a testament to this commitment!
“Our close relationship with our partners, such as Dennis Eagle and Terberg are, also very important to us. Working with them, we can provide additional value to our customers, such as providing train-the-trainer training, which ensures that drivers and operatives are fully conversant with their new vehicles.”
Keenan Recycling | Hospitality leaders in England unite for Net Zero
Keenan Recycling, the UK’s largest national food waste collections company, recently brought together top hospitality and sustainability leaders at the Royal Crescent Hotel & Spa in Bath to discuss actionable solutions for achieving carbon neutrality.
Against the backdrop of impending waste regulations set to take effect in March 2025, the event underscored the critical need for collaboration and innovation to address the 1.1 million tonnes of annual food waste generated by the UK hospitality and food sectors.
The panel featured a distinguished lineup of speakers, including Robert Richardson, CEO of the Institute of Hospitality; Philip Shelley, Senior Operational & Policy Manager and the National Lead for Net Zero Food at NHS England; Lorraine Jarvie, General Manager of the Royal Crescent Hotel; Raj Chakraborty, Regional General Manager at Macdonald Hotels & Resorts; and Grant Keenan, Managing Director of Keenan Recycling.
Uniting leaders for change
Robert Richardson kicked off the discussion by emphasising the importance of collective action. “Sustainability isn’t a spectator sport—it’s a collective effort. For every two tonnes of food consumed, another tonne is wasted. Achieving carbon neutrality by 2024 is no small feat, but with the right tools and teamwork, it’s within reach.”
Robert further underscored the gravity of the situation. “Sustainability is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’; it’s an expectation from our customers and communities. To meet these expectations, we need to focus on education, transparency, and collaboration, not just within our own teams, but also with our local communities and across industries.”
Philip Shelley highlighted the importance of sustainable sourcing and eliminating food waste. “In the NHS alone, between £26 and £30 million of food is wasted annually. Menus should reflect the region and the season. We don’t want to see strawberries on the menu in December—menus should reflect the region and the season. Embracing sustainability is about more than just cost; it’s about responsibility. It’s about being proud of where we are.”
“Scotland and Wales have amazing practices, and it’s frustrating when we see gaps across regions. Sharing and learning from each other is key to progress,” he added.
Lorraine Jarvie shared insights into the challenges of achieving sustainability in historic cities like Bath. “Listed buildings present unique challenges for carbon neutrality, but progress is being made. Initiatives like using renewable energy and cycling companies to collect food waste are making a tangible difference. If a historic city like Bath can lead the way, it sets an example for others.”
On balancing expectations with sustainability, Lorraine added: “There is an expectation at a five-star hotel — fresh towels, changed bedding. But more and more, people are understanding that these practices aren’t always the best for the environment. Guests are now asking about our sustainability efforts.”
Raj Chakraborty highlighted the growing consumer demand for sustainability. “I was shocked to learn that 43% of global travellers would pay more to stay in a sustainable property. This shift in consumer expectations drives the need for bold action—from reducing landfill waste to prioritise local and sustainable practices.”
“Seasonality is the key. We must respect nature’s cycles; I’m not going to serve fish that’s out of season, and it’s a commitment we expect from our suppliers too. We’ve transformed our supply chain. Each region now has its own local suppliers, and all deliveries must use electric vehicles—no diesel or petrol trucks allowed on our properties. Shared vehicles now bring in both meat and fish to reduce emissions. It’s about finding innovative ways to cut back every ounce of waste,” added Raj.
How Keenan Recycling leads the charge
As the hospitality industry prepares for the upcoming Simpler Recycling regulations, Keenan Recycling is well-positioned to guide businesses toward compliance and sustainability. With 24 depots across the UK and a mission to turn food waste into renewable energy through anaerobic digestion, Keenan Recycling exemplifies innovation in waste management.
Grant Keenan, Managing Director, shared the company’s commitment to sustainability:
“We’ve become a really wasteful society. My parents’ generation, especially during wartime, wasted nothing. Everything was utilised. But over the years, as wages increased and food became cheaper, it’s become disposable. We’ve lost our way.”
“It’s criminal that food gets thrown away when there are people who need to eat. Organisations like FairShare, Too Good To Go, and Olio are critical. As much as my business is about recycling food waste, that should be the last resort.”
Grant expanded on the outreach work carried out by Keenan Recycling. “We go into primary schools and give free food waste collections. Kids scrape their plates into bins, and we show them how that waste is turned into gas via anaerobic digestion or compost for their eco-gardens. It’s these little kids who go home and tell their parents, ‘Stop! Don’t do that!’ They’re driving generational change.”
Looking ahead
The event concluded with a sense of optimism. Attendees recognised the growing cultural norm of sustainability as a vital part of business success. With customers increasingly seeking eco-conscious brands, adopting sustainable practices is not only ethical but also a sound economic strategy.
Nuclear Waste Services | How international collaboration is driving geological disposal
Solving the scientific challenges of today through skills globally.
We don’t work alone, we collaborate in everything that we do. Nuclear Waste Services (NWS) is part of a global network of top-rated scientists and nuclear experts. But we’re world leaders in nuclear science. Why do we need to work in this way with others outside the UK? We spoke to Neil Hyatt, our Chief Scientific Advisor, to find out.
Why do we collaborate internationally? Aren’t we world leaders?
We are! We’ve been pioneers in the nuclear industry for decades. But that doesn’t mean we should stop learning. Collaborating with our international network means we’re exposed to a much broader range of thinking. We can learn from each other and get the best from the huge reservoir of knowledge that’s been developed around the world.
The evidence base and arguments we use to support our claims of safety are far more robust when they draw from multiple sources and are subject to cross examination from the best brains in the field. It’s also good to be challenged. It keeps us our thinking fresh.
It’s important for people early in their careers to work with more experienced programmes and with more experienced people. When they bring their evidence to the international arena it’ll be scrutinised by the best in the world. That sets a gold standard and challenges them to be at the top of their game.
It also gives us the chance to recruit, and at a time when we’re facing a nuclear skills gap, that’s vital. By working internationally, we can periodically “swap” experts with secondments. On these visits, they’ll work in a specific area for a long time to bring more knowledge, experience and understanding back home.
They’ll also be exposed to different cultural professional approaches to research programmes. This mutual understanding will help to build and sustain these vital international relationships and give them a fresh perspective.
When I give talks, I always say we are not alone in our endeavour. The professional relationships we develop internationally means we can support each other in our goal to make nuclear waste permanently safe, sooner.
How do we collaborate with them?
The Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) programme is an international effort. More than 20 countries across the world are trying to develop a GDF. The most advanced is in Finland, it is expected to achieve the world first disposal of spent nuclear fuel by the end of the decade. Each GDF is likely to be the first (and only) of its kind in each nation state and its construction is very different to building an aircraft or submarine, for example. Every few decades engineers design new classes of submarines which are iterations on what came before. They build on the learning from the previous class and transfer it into the new class so they can build better submarines over time. But a GDF is a different kind of proposition.
That’s why we have to learn through experiments and knowledge sharing, so that the design is right and the facility can be adapted over its lifetime. A lot of our experiments need to be run in a prototype environment in an underground research laboratory. But the best instruments and facilities for these experiments are one of a kind and expensive to build.
We use relevant underground laboratories around the world, working with international teams, to undertake this kind of work, sharing cost and knowledge. This kind of collaboration is an essential part of developing the evidence base and technology to deliver in GDF.
Our partners in France and Switzerland, amongst others, are another great resource. The geologies they are looking to develop in are similar, for example France is developing its GDF in a clay geology similar to that of interest in the UK. That’s why we have such a close technical relationship.
We can also draw on technical learning from Sweden and Finland around pivoting from a scientific organisation into a delivery organisation and then an operating organisation as the building of our GDF moves through different phases. We can use their example to learn how we can build positive working relationships with communities too.
What kind of experiments do you run in underground laboratories?
Case study
We’re running an experiment in Switzerland’s Mont Terri underground laboratory. The experiment, called HotBent, will help us determine whether we can pack High Heat Generating Waste (HHGW) more efficiently in the GDF.
Our High Heat Generating Waste (HHGW) packages, like high level waste glass, could be emplaced horizontally in tunnels, within a lower strength sedimentary rock. The packages will be surrounded by a swelling natural clay, bentonite, which will seal them in place, protecting them.
The HHGW will heat the surrounding bentonite clay and we need to ensure that the temperature does not rise to too much, otherwise its swelling characteristics could be affected. So, one aim of the HotBent experiment is to determine whether bentonite clay can sustain higher temperatures, at realistic scales, and in real conditions.
This information will help us to optimise the layout of the GDF and HHGW container spacing, which could translate into substantial saving in time, cost, and excavation, without any compromise in safety.
So, you can see just how important these international facilities are. We need to verify and validate our disposal concepts through tests at realistic scale and in real environments. Laboratory work is very important, but in this context it only goes so far.
Thanks to our strong relationships with international counterpart organisations, we can run these experiments in existing facilities which are relevant to our GDF design, without needing to develop our own underground research laboratory at this point.
What does international collaboration mean to you?
Communication and relationships are so important to progression in science. It takes dedication, it takes effort. And not just from me, from all of us.
We all want the same thing – to keep people safe for hundreds of thousands of years. When you consider we’ve only been on the planet for 300,000 years, you get a sense of the enormity of our work.
Nuclear waste doesn’t know anything about international borders so we need to connect, human to human, to build relationships that will help us implement the technical solutions to make nuclear waste permanently safe, sooner.
Fleetclear | Fleetclear achieves international standard for data security
Fleet solutions provider, Fleetclear has announced the accomplishment of ISO/IEC 27001:2022 (ISO27001) – the internationally recognised standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS).
ISO27001 offers protection to organisations against security threats by outlining best practices for implementing, maintaining and continually improving an effective ISMS.
Josh Packwood, Cyber Security & IT Manager, Fleetclear: “This certification will enhance Fleetclear customers’ confidence that we are committed to maintaining and continually improving the highest standards of information security.
“We are dedicated to the process of ensuring our systems, technology, data and reputation remain secure. To achieve this, we have a robust Information Security Management System (ISMS) in place to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of data.”
By implementing ISO27001 Fleetclear is demonstrating a proactive approach to security, mitigating information security risks, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and building a resilient infrastructure capable of handling any unforeseen challenges. Testament to Fleetclear’s commitment to cyber security the company was previously awarded Cyber Essentials certification.
Chris Fletcher, Quality & Compliance Manager, Fleetclear remarked: “Many of our products and services involve the monitoring, collection and recording of information and data to help our customers’ run their fleets effectively.
“Protecting this data is our highest priority and achieving this certification demonstrates that we are putting every possible measure in place to keep their data secure and safeguard our systems.”
Fleetclear has a reputation for the highest quality products and service and achieved ISO9011:2015 certification for Quality Management in 2024.
A complete fleet solution provider, Fleetclear is dedicated to enhancing the safety, efficiency, and compliance of fleets. The company is responsible for innovative commercial vehicle safety solutions which include anti-rollaway and driver ID technology, live camera recording systems, reverse radar and Fleetclear Connect, an intuitive web-based fleet management software system. All Fleetclear products are designed and manufactured in the UK.
For more information about Fleetclear visit www.fleetclear.com or Tel 01386 630 155.
ADVETEC | Scotland’s Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar becomes the first UK local authority to turn non-recyclable waste into alternative fuel
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar is making groundbreaking strides in sustainable waste management by diverting 100% of non-recyclable waste in Uist and Barra from landfill by turning it into an alternative fuel.
In a £1.2m eight-year partnership with biotechnology leader Advetec, Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar will process 10 tonnes of domestic and commercial black bag waste into Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) daily at its waste transfer site in Market Stance, Benbecula.
Powered by Advetec’s cutting-edge XO22 digester, this initiative will cut the need for waste transportation from Uist and Barra in the Outer Hebrides to landfill in Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis – 93 miles away – by significantly reducing the volume of waste on ferries.
This has been the only way to remove domestic and commercial waste for many years and marks a revolutionary shift for the Isles, as waste management transitions from costly, carbon-intensive practices to a highly efficient, climate-conscious approach that paves the way for greener and more affordable waste solutions.
The XO22 acts as a mechanical biological treatment plant in a box and accelerates the breakdown of organic matter using unique blends of bacteria. The process stabilises, reduces and repurposes non-recyclable waste that would otherwise be sent to landfill or for incineration, turning it into SRF.
This highly sought-after fuel emits 95% less CO2e than fossil fuels and is helping some of the world’s most carbon-heavy industries reduce their reliance on traditional energy sources.
For every two tonnes of non-recyclable waste Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar puts through the XO22 machine, approximately 1 tonne of SRF is created and 1.2[1] tonnes of CO2e saved.
The new contract forms part of Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar’s broader waste innovation strategy. The council is proactively preparing for Scotland’s upcoming 2026 ban on sending biodegradable waste to landfills, underscoring its commitment to future-proofing its environmental practices.
Cllr Paul Steele, Leader of Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, said: “This investment is hugely beneficial for the people of the Western Isles and our local environment. Our new approach reduces the number of trucks and ferries required to move waste around the isles and will transform it into a commodity.
“Converting this waste into fuel is a much more sustainable solution and allows us to extract greater value from something once deemed worthless. It also prepares us for the 2026 ban on biodegradable waste sent to landfills.”
The 2026 biodegradable landfill ban is part of the government’s drive to reduce landfill dependency, aiming to curb the environmental damage caused by burying waste in the ground; landfills release harmful methane – a potent greenhouse gas.
This ban not only targets biodegradable waste but also sheds light on a much larger issue: significant amounts of potentially recyclable materials ending up in landfills because they’re contaminated with organic residues, such as leftover food or liquid in containers. Advetec’s biotechnology addresses this challenge directly, converting contaminated waste into a valuable fuel source, thus aligning with government goals to minimise landfill use and foster a circular economy.
Lee Knott, Chief Executive Officer at Advetec, said: “40% of UK waste cannot be recycled. This waste is traditionally sent to landfill or for low-level incineration. However, increasing gate fees, waste-related taxes and restrictions mean these routes are no longer sustainable. Change is urgently needed.
“From our first meeting with Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, they demonstrated a genuine appetite to embrace positive change and overhaul their waste habits. Their investment in biotechnology provides them with the means to process waste themselves, save money, reduce road and water miles, protect local communities, and turn rubbish into fuel that will help other industries decarbonise more quickly. It presents a vast set of wins.
“We have had a resounding response to our biotechnology because waste producers and handlers urgently need to innovate, stabilise costs and focus on carbon reduction. Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar is the first council to harness innovation in this way, and we expect more to follow suit quickly.”
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar is expected to take delivery of its XO22 digestor early next year, ushering in a new era of sustainable waste processing that sets a trailblazing example for other councils and communities across the UK.
[1] Compared to using fossil fuel for energy production.
Vision Techniques | Striving for a greener future – Vision Techniques announce new product
Commercial Vehicle Safety and Security specialists, Vision Techniques, are working hard to help the environment and to strive for a greener future – whilst also saving their customers money.
They are doing this by introducing their new product VT Solar Battery Maintenance which uses solar energy harnessed by the sun to trickle charge a vehicles battery.
The vehicle battery maintenance system with a roof mounted solar panel provides trickle charging for 12V and 24V batteries – it does this by using a shatterproof and durable solar panel with double the cells, perfect for maintaining both 12V and 24V vehicle batteries.
Features and benefits include being eco-friendly, cost-effective and providing hands-off battery maintenance meaning you can have automated trickle charging with the Smart Charge Controller, keeping your battery topped up without overcharging, reducing depth of discharge and frequency of discharge by regulating the current flowing to your battery, extending its lifespan and ensuring it’s always ready to go.
The system also offers a complete off-grid solution meaning there is no need for external power sources or bulky generators – the solar panel provides constant power directly from the sunlight.
Lastly, the advanced solar technology enables the panel to generate power even in cloudy or low-light conditions, ensuring that your battery receives a charge throughout the day.
Vision Techniques Managing Director Dave Smith shares why the company decided to introduce this product to the market.
He said: “At Vision Techniques we have enhanced our solar offering and introduced VT Solar Battery Maintenance.
“Many fleets are now purchasing eLCV’s and eHGV’s and are having issues with the 12v and 24v auxiliary batteries going flat.
“We developed VT Solar Battery Maintenance to “trickle charge” the auxiliary battery to maintain the power when the vehicle is not in use ensuring you can use the vehicle when wanted without the risk of flat batteries.”
To find out more about Vision Techniques and their newest product, go to: www.vision-techniques.com.
Capital Compactors | Capital Compactors and Balers Celebrates 10 Year Partnership with Welcome Break
Capital Compactors and Balers, part of the Impact Environmental Group, is marking a highly successful ten-year partnership with leading motorway services group Welcome Break, with a major installation at a new site in Rotherham.
Over the past decade, Capital’s contract with Welcome Break has expanded considerably. The waste and recycling compactor and baler manufacturer started its relationship with the group with the provision of a fully comprehensive, third-party service and maintenance offering, and has since strengthened its support further to include the design and installation of new, custom-built equipment.
Throughout the long-standing partnership, Capital has mobilised replacement equipment to 29 of Welcome Break’s sites across the length and breadth of the nation, supporting the group in its operations by minimising the volume of waste with portable compactors and reducing costs with balers for cardboard recycling, all while heightening its environmental credentials.
The most recent installation in Yorkshire, marking 10 collaborative years, saw the installation of a baler for cardboard and a portable CP30i waste compactor fitted with GPS location, online monitoring of usage and real-time notifications on compactor fill levels. Part of Capital’s i-Series, the next-generation machine incorporates state-of-the-art technology for vastly enhanced operational and environmental benefits, including a 25% improvement on energy performance compared to standard compaction machinery.
Notably, critical information from each asset can be shared via a bespoke monitoring platform with Capital’s service engineers, allowing for faster diagnostics and adjustments if required.
Paul Sweet from Welcome Break commented: “Capital has been a partner and supplier of waste compactors and cardboard baling equipment to Welcome Break for the last decade and has been amazing from the start; the team always go the extra mile be it an emergency, replacement machinery or a repair on the existing fleet.
“The quality and build of their equipment is far superior to offerings from others. We admire the drive on innovation, and next-generation machinery with a pioneering Internet of Things (IoT) platform that Capital is constantly improving.”
Daniel Parsons, Managing Director at Capital Compactors and Balers, comments: “It is a privilege to celebrate our well-established collaboration with Welcome Break, and to mark the many successes we have achieved together over the last ten years. The partnership has grown considerably during that time and we look forward to building on this further as we continue to support the group, providing a best-in-class service and industry-leading offering to heighten Welcome Break’s waste management operations.”
Capital Compactors and Balers is the UK’s leading manufacturer of waste and recycling compactors and balers. Founded in 2000, the company provides and services waste compactors and recycling balers that waste operators and end-users acquire through rental contracts, as well as upfront equipment purchases.
Custom-made in its purpose-built factory in Barnsley, the compactors and balers are constructed using high-grade materials, boosting longevity and helping reduce downtime.
Capital Compactors and Balers is part of the Impact Environmental Group (IEG), a global environmental products and services business, providing a comprehensive suite of new and replacement products for waste and recycling containers, collection and compaction equipment, and waste transportation equipment. IEG’s UK-based brands include Duraflex™, Taylor, UKCM and Capital Compactors.
For more information on Capital Compactors and Balers, visit: www.capitalcompactors.co.uk.
Greyparrot | Greyparrot releases annual waste trends report ahead of major UK policy shifts
Waste intelligence provider Greyparrot recently released its 2024 trend report, sharing takeaways from the 40 billion waste objects detected by their AI waste analytics system across the year.
To build the report, the company collated data from Greyparrot Analyzer units installed in 55 recovery facilities across 20 countries in North America, Europe and Asia. Recovery facility staff use the same data to monitor and maximise yield and product purity, while reducing avoidable losses.
Greyparrot’s team says that the trends revealed by global waste flows will help British recyclers maximise efficiency as they navigate extended producer responsibility (EPR), the deposit return scheme (DRS) and Simpler Recycling.
The company has highlighted four key takeaways to share with the UK waste and recycling sector:
1. PET bottles are still being widely recycled
Greyparrot Analyzer units detected over 6 billion PET bottles entering facilities in 2024 — representing the highest tonnage of the 89 waste categories their system detects. Their analysts compared that to residue line data, and found that PET bottles didn’t even make the top three categories.
The comparison suggests that sorting facilities are successfully recovering billions of plastic bottles every year. Recycled PET produces 79% less carbon than virgin material, making recyclers vital contributors to emissions reduction efforts.
With future EPR fee modulation added to plastic packaging taxes, a steady supply of rPET will be an essential lever for circularity. The trend also suggests that DRS will have an impact on facilities that sort mixed plastic waste, and rely on PET bottles as a key feedstock.
2. There are still gains to be made in plastic recycling
There are opportunities to replicate the success of PET bottle recycling with other polymers.
Data from global residue lines revealed over 35,000 tonnes of recyclable plastics which went un-recycled in 2024, often destined for landfills and incinerators.
Greyparrot’s report cited the fact that each tonne of recycled plastic saves 1.5 tonnes of carbon. Applied to 2024’s data, that represents a potential saving of 52,500tCO2e — from just 55 facilities.
Clear plastic containers were amongst the most common objects detected by the Analyzer system, along with 7 billion flexible film objects.
The insights present an argument for targeted investment in analysis and automation systems that can recover challenging objects like thermoform packaging at scale.
3. Metal and glass recycling excels pre-DRS
2024 data revealed over 2 billion aluminium cans entering global facilities, but just 2.5% of residue line material was recyclable metal. Recyclable metal made up 3% of residue material in the company’s 2023 report — marking a slight year-on-year improvement.
Together with glass, which represented just 1.03% of residue material, metal continues to present a success story for an industry battling misconceptions about the efficacy of recycling.
The implication that glass and metal are being widely recovered and recycled suggests that a key stream of facility income may be affected by DRS — especially with PET bottles also under the scheme’s umbrella. Recovery facilities that rely on that feedstock will likely need to maximise yield for the PET, glass and metal that remains in their infeed stream.
Greyparrot’s report also highlights the fact that DRS often targets materials that are already being recycled. Such insights may help form an argument for preventative regulation that focuses on more challenging materials like flexible films and virgin plastic production.
4. Fibre will play a vital role in facility costs and emissions
Fibre made up 56% of residue material in the facilities monitored, making it the most common category of waste sent to landfills and incinerators. Paper and cardboard waste represent a significant source of methane emissions from landfills, making fibre an urgent target for recovery.
The trend report notes that as energy from waste (EfW) plants fall under the UK’s emissions trading scheme (ETS), fibre will become an even more significant material for facilities sorting mixed waste:
Fibre releases biogenic gas when incinerated, which is not currently subject to emissions fees. If sorting facilities can certify the amount of fibre in the material they send to EfW facilities, they may be able to negotiate lower gate fees.
Advocating for recycling in a changing regulatory landscape
The trends surfaced in the report make it clear that recyclers have an important role to play in the UK’s race to net zero, and are a vital source of data in the effort to regulate waste.
2025 promises to be a transformative year for waste professionals, who are now both impacted by — and influencing — policies like EPR, DRS, and the ETS. Facilities will need to maximise yield and sorting efficiency to navigate regulation without sacrificing revenue. At the same time, regulators, packaging producers, brands and materials science companies are looking to recovery facilities to understand what happens to resources once they are discarded.
Greyparrot’s team have said that they believe waste data can unify those circular stakeholders, and the report revealed that they have worked with several multinational brands and materials producers to encourage more recyclable packaging design. They have since outlined plans to expand their global footprint and analyse a record amount of post-consumption material in 2025.
The company previously announced plans to help its customers adapt to the changing regulatory landscape, speeding the transition to automated compliance reporting by submitting an AI reporting framework to Defra for review.