Whirlpool UK cuts its general waste production by half

Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited, the UK arm of the company that owns KitchenAid, Whirlpool, Hotpoint and Indesit, has cut its general waste by 50%.

The company began working with waste management specialists, Axil Integrated Services, a year ago and during this time has introduced new systems and processes it says have resulted in a reduction in waste equivalent to 100 tonnes per month.

David Sherrington, UK and Ireland energy, environmental, health and safety manager at Whirlpool UK Appliances, added: “It has been an exceptional year working with Axil Integrated Services and we have made great strides in waste management thanks to their help and direction.

“To achieve such healthy numbers in cutting waste is very positive and we look forward to reducing the company’s waste further and contributing to bettering our workplace environment, driving zero to landfill and ultimately making some headway in helping our planet.”

Paul Cooke, operations director, Axil Integrated Services, said: “Together we have made some big strides to debulk general waste and reduce plastics at Whirlpool UK Appliances, ensuring as much waste is reused and recycled as possible. This includes reducing general waste through on-site sortation, reclassification and energy recovery, simplifying processes, and introducing new machinery.

“Whirlpool UK Appliances is committed to #PlasticLess, and initiatives like the use of continuous liners and replacing canteen cutlery, bottles and cups removes a significant amount of single-use plastics. By using local services, we have also reduced the company’s carbon footprint and we are directly supporting the local economy.

“Our aim is to always give our customers the best service and value with the best environmental outcome. As a leading total waste management company, we have provided Whirlpool UK Appliances Limited with a bespoke, total waste management solution to suit its business needs and it is great to reflect on what we have achieved together over the past 12 months.”

These procedures include segregation-style bins in the office to increase recycling. Continuous liners are also used in Whirlpool office bins, which has reduced plastic waste by 80% as they are only throwing away the part of the bag that is filled.

Other changes include a ‘clean as you go’ philosophy in the waste yard, and the use of a new trailer system that can exchange four 1,100-litre bins at a time.

Food and drink waste has changed as the company has removed single-use canteen cutlery, replacing it with biodegradable alternatives. Reusable coffee cups and stainless-steel water bottles have also been introduced, which will remove more than 158,000 single-use coffee cups and 56,000 plastic bottles from Whirlpool’s canteens.

Axil Integrated Services also helped the company find a way to recycle the concrete ballast used in appliances into aggregate. Improvements have also been made to the Whirlpool UK Appliances premises in Peterborough, with the removal of an old office and welfare unit that were in a state of disrepair. These have been replaced with new facilities, which it said also helped promote boosting staff morale.

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