MDL taps into circular economy as it renews recycling contract with SUEZ

As part of our sustainability drive, we’ve renewed our recycling and waste disposal contract with leading waste management specialist SUEZ recycling and recovery UK.

Tapping into the circular economy, the new contract enables us to increase the amount and type of waste we can recycle, from food to ferrous metals, which will then be transformed into new products or used to generate electricity.

“Under our new agreement with SUEZ, no waste will be sent to landfill,” says Joe Walton, our head of health, safety and environment. “Everything will now be recycled or recovered, delivering a ‘zero waste to landfill’ solution.

“Being part of the circular economy in this way, as opposed to taking the outdated linear ‘take, make, waste’ approach, we’re able to move in the desired direction of becoming the most sustainable marina operator, ensuring our berth holders are able to enjoy their boating in the most environmentally friendly way possible.”

Food waste will be collected and transferred to Environment Agency regulated and approved processing sites for anaerobic digestion to generate heat, which in turn drives a generator to harvest electricity. After the material has been used in this way, it is then turned into fertilizer to be re-used yet again, really maximising its potential.

Glass waste will be sent to a recycling facility where it is colour-separated and crushed, ready for melting and making into new products, while ferrous metals will find a second life as steel wire, and cables are reused by cable manufacturers and extruders.

Other general waste will be sent to an energy recovery centre where it will be incinerated to generate electricity, which SUEZ returns to the national grid, or converted into refuse derived fuel (RDF).

Paper, plastic, cardboard and non-ferrous metals, such as aluminium cans, are also recovered, recycled and repurposed.

To make it as easy as possible for everyone at the marinas to recycle, as part of the new contract, we’ll be standardising the waste bins across the group. This standardisation will make it simple to identify what materials need to go in which bins, with a view to further increasing the amount recycled.

“What’s more, each new waste bin will be individually microchipped to provide real time data for each individual collection,” continues Joe.

Over the past nine years, our commitment to recycling as much of our waste as possible has resulted in 1,111 tonnes being recycled, keeping it out of landfill and making it available for reuse.

All our marinas’ refuse and recycling points are equipped with easy-to-read signage, explaining what can be recycled and where. This has evolved over the years, as an ever-increasing range of materials can now be processed and recycled.

“We’re delighted to continue our work with MDL Marinas,” says Steve Denton, account manager at SUEZ. “We’ve been working with the team for almost a decade and it’s a real pleasure to work with a company which is so committed to the environment, ensuring its marinas and offices are recycling as much as possible, which we can then process and manage.

Over the years, through MDL’s efforts working with us, the amount of material that’s been recycled has increased by 37%.

“Education through staff training and onsite signage play a key role in this, ensuring that both MDL’s employees and customers are aware how to minimise waste and recycle effectively, ensuring that all the different locations are working towards a more sustainable future.”