We are dealing with a waste crisis and diverting rubbish from landfill will prove key in protecting biodiversity and hitting the UK’s Net Zero 2050 target. Calabash is committed to offering businesses facilities management services that support the triple bottom line. Our partner First Mile is providing clients with waste audits to give the insight they need to save money and make more responsible choices.
As part of our sustainability strategy, Calabash has developed a series of facilities management solutions that help clients embed ESG principles. From using low impact high performance cleaning chemicals to paying staff the Real Living Wage, we are a partner of choice for businesses that want to save money whilst supporting people and planet.
At the heart of that offer is responsible waste management. Our partner First Mile supports more than 30,000 businesses in reducing their carbon footprint with a range of recycling, waste, and circular economy services. They offer more than 25 recycling services and a Zero to Landfill commitment means that anything that cannot be recycled is sent to a waste-to-energy facility to power homes.
Through First Mile we are now able to take that work a step further by offering a series of waste audits. Waste Auditing: there are three levels of auditing available to businesses who want greater visibility around what goes in their bins and what action to take to boost their recycling rates.
As part of the audit First Mile pays an unscheduled visit to your premises and collects rubbish bags that are taken to a sorting centre to be opened and analysed. The waste is weighed and examined for contamination in First Mile’s RecycleLab. For those choosing the Full Audit, waste is then sorted by material and weighed again. Data is recorded on an app and within a week you will receive a results and personalised recommendations.
Clients are given an Initial Recycling Rate which shows the initial percentage of waste that was due to be recycled. They can compare this to their Potential Recycling Rate – the level of material which could potentially have been recycled based on the contents of the rubbish bags. Contamination is a major challenge in waste management and occurs when people dispose of waste in the wrong bis. First Mile can for instance show how much food and coffee waste found its way into mixed recycling.
Armed with this new insight, businesses can work to improve their performance by improving segregation through new waste streams or educating staff on responsible disposal. First Mile offers its own learning resources, workshops and webinars to raise awareness and help change behaviours.
At the end of the process clients are presented with a series of recommendations which can range from anything from providing bins for coffee grounds segregation to increase the frequency of collections to minimise waste build up.
Responsible waste management is an ongoing process and Calabash clients can track their performance through First Mile’s online portal. This gives up to date information on recycling rates,
and the data needed for detailed waste and carbon data reporting. It indicates where your waste ends up and even features a scoreboard to compare the performance across multiple sites.
In 2023 41kT of CO2e of emissions were avoided by First Mile’s recycling services. Making new products from recycled materials emits far less carbon than using virgin material and there is a real drive for businesses to do all they can to support the circular economy by keeping resources in the value chain. Doing so will not only help you combat climate change and boost your ESG credentials but it will save you money as general waste is the most expensive waste stream.
Waste audits are a great starting points for developing a responsible waste management strategy. They form part of a portfolio of services to offer Calabash clients more sustainable choices. Talk to our team today about how we can support your business.
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