GET INSPIRED BY SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES FROM STENA RECYCLING DENMARK
For the past year, Stena Recycling Denmark has been working on internal sustainability by researching and implementing projects with sustainability potential. Out of almost 100 sustainability initiatives submitted by the Danish organization, these are some that have the potential to be implemented in other companies in the Stena Sphere.
Many of these initiatives might not have an astronomic impact – but they don’t take much effort either.
STOP THE STANDBY
The hazardous waste branch in Vissenbjerg has installed a timer on the water heating system, for the washing line. This has resulted in a 25 per cent reduction in energy. The potential was spotted by one of Stena Recycling DK’s sustainability ambassadors.
Many machines can be shut down during nights and weekends such as water coolers, coffee machines, screens, and other IT equipment.
REUSE – IF NOT ALL, THEN SOME!
Reuse is above recycling in the waste hierarchy. Even though Stena Recycling lives from recycling, there is good sense in reusing when possible – both economically and environmentally. Here are two examples of how it’s done in practice:
Reusing 70 per cent of a truck
This year, an 8-year-old truck needed to be replaced, but Kim Theilgaard, responsible for purchasing trucks and working machines, insisted on reusing all parts that were not yet worn out. This resulted in 70 per cent reuse of the truck.
Replacing only tabletops
When the administration building in Grenå was refurbished, only the tabletops of the height-adjustable desks were replaced. This approach ensures that fully functional parts can continue to serve for many more years.
WASH AND REUSE WORKWEAR
In Grenå and Roskilde, used and well-functioning workwear is saved. This clothing is provided to temporary workers, new employees, and when someone needs something “new”. Workwear is produced to last – here it is ensured that they are fully used before being thrown out.
DON’T USE SINGLE-USE PRODUCTS
Single-use products are in their nature not produced to last, and very rarely produced to be recycled. Therefore, the use of single-use products is minimized and when they are used, it is only for visitors, such as truck drivers that need items. The production in Roskilde replaced the single-use cups for its staff with cups from second-hand shops and saved DKK 35,000 (EUR 4,700) in one year.
NATURE CERTIFICATE AS A WELCOME GESTURE
Replacing the traditional welcome flowers with a nature certificate for new employees gives back to nature instead of taking. Each certificate reserves 20 m2 for wild nature in Denmark.
WRAP LESS AND SAVE A LOT
Stena Recycling uses plenty of plastic wrapping when handling hazardous waste. In Denmark, they have experimented with using enough, but not too much foil when securing the material on the pallets. They have found that the ideal number of wraps is nine. This has resulted in a 25 per cent reduction in plastic on all pallets – a simple saving in both money and CO₂, by doing the same thing, just a little less.
WASH AND REUSE THE WORK GLOVES
Handling waste can be dirty and requires the use of working gloves. In some branches, it was common practice to discard gloves once they became too dirty. This procedure has been changed in Grenå because a production staff member has taken the initiative to sort and clean well-functioning gloves. This is expected to result in a 75 percent saving, equivalent to DKK 45,000 (EUR 6,000) per year.
