Who Manages Our Waste - Veolia

Who Manages Our Waste?

Veolia

Who are Veolia?

Veolia are one of the leading environmental solutions firms in the UK. They provide waste, water, and energy management services, and they are committed to focusing on preventing pollution, preserving natural resources, tackling climate change, and raising awareness of environmental issues.

Veolia around the globe

Veolia’s parent company operates around the globe, offering solutions focusing on waste recovery, and preserving water, energy, and materials.

The company employs 187,000 people globally who work to help customers in the public and private sectors operate as sustainably as possible.

Imagine 2050

The company is taking an innovative approach to helping customers become more sustainable. Their strategy is focused on green products and energy, and they are investing £1 billion in infrastructure to help customers reduce their carbon footprint.

Their ‘Imagine 2050’ report details their innovative approach to environmental solutions, and includes plans like the recovery of palladium from street sweepings, and transforming waste ‘sludge’ into plastic.

Company aims and goals

The company aim to protect the health and safety of their employees, and give them the opportunity to develop. They also aim to protect the environment and the local communities in which they operate.

The Community Promise

This is a commitment that Veolia asks its staff to make, to spend at least half a day improving a local area in the community. Staff have taken part in some popular projects in Nottinghamshire.

• At St Patrick's Catholic Primary & Nursery School, they did general maintenance, painted a fence, and did some gardening.
• At Clipstone Youth Centre, staff painted the centre’s education room.
• At BarrowHill Community Link, they planted flowers and helped to lay a new path.
• At the Royal British Legion, they bought and wrapped presents for veterans.

Veolia’s other projects

Materials Recovery Facility Tours

The company’s Recycling and Education Officer can arrange educational visits and tours of their Materials Recovery Facility in Mansfield.

Materials Recovery School Visits

In partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council's Schools Waste Education Team, the company are able to carry out educational school visits.

Schools Waste Action Club

The Schools Waste Action Club (SWAC) is a waste education programme that Veolia provides free of charge to primary, secondary, and special needs schools throughout Nottinghamshire.

The aims of the programme

• To increase awareness of waste management among school staff and pupils 
• To encourage and support schools to reduce, reuse and recycle waste where possible
• To encourage staff and pupils to take their new-found knowledge home

Typical activities in schools

A school visit usually starts with a school assembly which uses a model wheelie bin as a prop to discuss waste management.

The Education Officer will then follow up the assembly by delivering some classroom-based activities which are intended to raise awareness and change behaviours. Typical activities include:

Learning about making recycled paper 

Designing a waste-free lunch 

Learning about worms and composting

Learning about ‘Make do and mend’

Making mini composters