Die REMONDIS-Welt der Nachhaltigkeit

REMONDIS' World of Sustainability

De REMONDIS-wereld van de duurzaamheid

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REMONDIS Sustainability

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REMONDIS' World of Sustainability

There are so many different facets to sustainability – especially at a company such as ours that works each and every day to conserve our planet's natural resources and curb global warming. Why not take a trip around our 'World of Sustainability' to find out more?!

The future can wait?
You must be joking!

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The whole notion of sustainability will be a lost cause unless we take action here and now to conserve our planet's natural resources. Future generations and today's developing countries will only be able to enjoy prosperous lives if steps are taken right now to counteract the growing shortages of raw materials. For us – being one of the world's leading recycling, service and water companies – there can be only one goal: to tackle this problem and lead by example. Why not join us on this path?!

The only thing our throwaway society is discarding is its own future

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'Recycling rather than disposal'. This is a principle that we never fail to follow – doing everything in our power to close product life cycles so that fewer raw materials need to be mined and processed using energy-intensive machinery. A principle we follow with the highest levels of commitment and always with state-of-the-art technologies. Recycling is far too important for us to sit back and be satisfied with what has been achieved so far.

Dead or alive.
A few degrees change is sometimes all it takes

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Everyone agrees that global warming must be limited to 2°C – or preferably 1.5°C – if we wish to prevent our ecosystem from being irreparably damaged. Large areas of woodland in Germany are dying as the country suffers ever longer periods of drought. Pussyfooting around is not going to stop climate change. Some major action needs to be taken. And not just switching from fossil fuels to renewables but from virgin to recycled raw materials as well. We are showing how this can be done.

Today: a raw material; tomorrow: a recycled raw material.
In between: 0% loss in quality

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Our planet’s raw materials are finite. And yet we still treat them as if they will last forever. A mere 14% of the raw materials needed in Germany are supplied by the recycling sector. And this despite the fact that recycled raw materials are not only of the same high quality but also better for our climate and carbon footprint.

It looks like an industrial plant but has the same effect as 25,000ha of forest

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The Lippe Plant in Lünen is not only a high tech site, it is also an important project for combatting global warming. The various activities carried out at the site help to cut carbon emissions by 488,000t every single year. For a forest to have the same effect, it would need to contain 37 million trees. Certainly a lovely place to take a walk in but perhaps not an ideal place for creating 1,400 jobs.

If the Green Deal is to be a success –
landfilling must be banned

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If anyone knows how the Green Deal works, then it is us. This can be seen not only by the innovative ways we produce recycled raw materials and renewable energies, but also by our many efforts to combat climate change. A good example of this is the ban on landfills here in Germany, which was initiated by us. We have been calling for such a ban to be adopted across the whole of Europe for many years now. This would lead to GHG emissions in one of the four biggest industrial sectors falling by 67% in one fell sweep.

Technically speaking, there is only one growth industry.
And it has been around for 3.9 billion years

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Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for all living organisms on Earth. There is, therefore, a great demand for this substance. Huge volumes of phosphorus are needed in Europe alone every single year – as a source material for products such as fertilisers and animal feed. The search is on, therefore, for innovations that are up to the challenge of recovering this substance.

What will be left of you in 400 years' time?
Your plastic rubbish

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People searching for an argument in favour of plastics recycling need look no further than at our seas and oceans. Vast areas of waste are floating around in them and are so big that they can even be seen from space. This problem, however, can only be solved on Earth – with more responsible consumer behaviour and systematic plastics recycling.

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Could you imagine this area being a playground?
We can

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Unfortunately memories are not the only things left behind by brownfield sites. Such land is often highly contaminated. Every year, our company REMEX ProTerra handles, processes and treats 1.7 million tonnes of soil in order to reclaim land.

That’s one idea for empty coffee pods.
Ours though is definitely more sustainable

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The old pods used in single-serve coffee makers are simply too good to throw away. At the end of the day, aluminium – which makes up most of the pod – is a valuable raw material. Which is why we got together with the Nespresso coffee producers to come up with the best possible recycling scheme.

Fresh nappies make a happy baby.
Used nappies less so

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Disposable nappies are a real problem as far as sustainability is concerned. For the most part, they go from the changing mat straight into the residual waste bin – and from there to the incineration plant. This is most certainly not eco-friendly. And does absolutely nothing to conserve natural resources. The answer to this problem is to recycle them.

Dangerous waste can only be found at landfills?
Just take a look inside one of your drawers

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Dangerous substances are part of our everyday life. Empty batteries, for example, contain harmful mercury and must be recycled using special processes. REMONDIS is the right place to turn to here as well. We have access to state-of-the-art technologies for treating hazardous waste – including systems for recycling mercury.

When a light goes on in Germany, then that may be down to us

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Every year, REMONDIS’ Lippe Plant generates 336,900 MWh of carbon-neutral energy from incinerating waste – energy, therefore, that is produced without any fossil fuels. Moreover, we are constantly working on developing new ways to produce green electricity and heat.

The best way to be sustainable?
From within

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Talking the talk but not walking the walk? Not at REMONDIS. It goes without saying that our all-encompassing view of sustainability also includes us being sustainable ourselves. This covers all aspects of our business – from the energy efficiency levels of our head office buildings, all the way through to ensuring that all our locations adhere to our high social standards, no matter where in the world they may be.

Profits are there to be reinvested.
Preferably for the greater good

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Every company tries to make a profit. And things are no different at REMONDIS either. For us, however, money is always a means to a good end – which is why a large part of the profits we make is invested in developing new and innovative recycling processes and technologies. Helping to preserve our planet’s valuable natural resources.

Others work simply to be in the black.
We also work to be green.

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An ever growing number of employees are looking to find a job that allows them to do work that is both meaningful and sustainable. That’s exactly what they’ll find at our company – no matter what their qualifications or level of education may be. As far as we are concerned, our motto “Working for the future” also means making it possible for people to have a future.

Adjustments need to be made to get the right angle.
And not just to our office chairs

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Ergonomic workstation assessments are carried out at regular intervals to ensure our workstations are safe and healthy places. Moreover we have stringent safety standards in place so that our workforce remains healthy – and not just those who sit while they work but also those working high up in the air, such as our industrial climbers.

An intelligent building:
REMONDIS’ head office

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Our new head office building, which officially opened in 2010, is a prime example of high efficiency. Several of REMONDIS’ innovative recycled products were used for the construction work. The heat generated by the building’s own computer centre is used to heat the offices and meeting rooms. The temperature regulation system automatically turns the heating off in a room if a window is opened. All in all, a really smart building.

We aim to be good neighbours.
Hundreds of times over

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One of our company’s most important features is its decentralised organisation. We have built up close ties with the towns and cities where we are located and do everything in our power to support their local economy – in keeping, therefore, with our maxim of ‘thinking globally and acting locally’.

Every day, helping to make the world that little bit better – this, too, is sustainability in practice

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The movement to help preserve our planet’s natural resources is an international concern but the first step begins with each individual and the way they think. Dedication and a commitment to sustainability, therefore, must be thought through at global level but the message must also reach the people on the ground and must inspire them to join in. REMONDIS’ projects show how this can be done.

The great thing about sustainability?
It’s catching

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Sustainability is not a state or a condition but an ongoing process. First and foremost, sustainability is team work. Which is why we cooperate closely with experts and research institutes that also feel strongly about conserving our planet’s natural resources and preventing climate change. Such work always leads to new approaches and innovations.

The A* grade for companies:
REMONDIS’ Sustainability Certificate

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We worked together with the independent Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety, and Energy Technology UMSICHT to develop this unique Sustainability Certificate. It provides our customers with documented proof of how our services help their business to conserve resources and cut carbon emissions.

At first glance a field.
At second glance a climate action project

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Did you know that arable land is also an excellent carbon store just like moorland? What’s more, unlike its natural counterpart, it is actually possible to increase the climate action potential of cultivated land. By using compost to increase the humus content of soils. A special tool developed by us and the Fraunhofer Institute can help with the calculations here. The name of the tool: CarboSoil.

It’s always going to be hot here.
And green as well in the future

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Think of steel making and you’re likely to come up with a picture of searing heat, glowing furnaces and a never-ending demand for energy. We would like to change the last one at least. Increasing the use of recycled raw materials can help make steel production a much greener and more climate-friendly business.

Whatever people put together
should be able to be taken apart again

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Recycling starts much earlier than most people realise – namely when a product is actually being designed. It is certainly true that composite materials are very useful for our everyday lives. They are, however, causing a real problem when they are no longer needed as it is practically impossible – or only with a huge effort – to separate the materials from each other so that they can be recycled for reuse. The only way to solve this problem is to systematically implement the principle of ecodesign, which takes the environmental compatibility of a product into account from its development all the way through to the end of its useful life. Including the recyclability of the product and to what extent recycled raw materials can be used to produce it in the first place.

Proof that waste collection systems can also be highly efficient

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All around the world, local authorities and public sector customers are opting to work with REMONDIS and make the very most of its specialist knowledge. The outcome of setting up these so-called public private partnerships is stable fees for the local inhabitants as well as professional waste treatment processes – combined with the highest possible recycling rates. Positive outcomes that also benefit the environment.

Breweries need water.
And they need us

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One of the top priorities for companies wishing to run a responsible business is to ensure they have sustainable production processes in place. REMONDIS is always happy to help out here with its know-how. Our portfolio of services ranges from treating wastewater, to processing residual materials, all the way through to producing biogas – all of which are delivered on site at our customers'.

At the beginning: pure copper
At the end: a needle in a haystack?

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Raw materials don’t disappear, they are just hidden away. Today’s complex products consist of so many tiny elements that it seems practically impossible to recover them and separate them according to type. Focusing on material streams can make things much easier.

We’re sending sustainability on a journey.
Right around the world

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Copy our technology? Yes please! Our recycling operations in Lünen are acting as a role model around the globe and have even received an award from KlimaExpo.NRW. We have succeeded in transferring our know-how to many flourishing regions around the world, such as to the Eco Industrial Parks in Asia, which are now run in line with the Lippe Plant’s high standards.

Perhaps the most important step:
To take a look in the mirror

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The latest studies have revealed that each and every one of us could do a great deal more towards conserving our planet’s natural resources. Simply by separating our waste better – i.e. less commingling. If we all did this, then a further 7.8 million tonnes of recyclables could be returned to production cycles in Germany alone. This is the equivalent of a further 95kg per inhabitant per year.

A rose becomes a rose, becomes a rose.
A car becomes waste

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A comparison with how nature works shows that what we call a circular flow or closed loop economy is often a bit misleading. This is because, more often than not, people fail to think in a holistic and all-encompassing way. This failure leads to recyclable materials and pollutants being mixed together during production processes, making it impossible for the products to be fully recycled at the end of their useful life. The so-called Cradle to Cradle® design concept aims to help out here.

Just because it was built for the future
doesn't mean it will last forever

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Products are being developed and improved all the time – not least because of our society's desire to switch to renewable energy. Any environmental benefits that photovoltaic systems, wind turbines and composite insulation boards may bring, however, quickly fall by the wayside if they cannot be sensibly recycled once they reach the end of their useful life. This is where research work must step up to the mark.

Sustainability is the future.
A future that needs to be fostered

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Wherever we see an opportunity to drive forward the notion of sustainability and to fix it even more firmly in the minds of people, then we are there, full of passion and enthusiasm for the cause. This covers a whole range of activities – from educational projects, to acting as advisers, to supporting universities.

They say you're learning for life at school.
At last, there's some truth to this

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It makes no difference how many pamphlets politicians and scientists print out about the subject of resource conservation. What is important is just how much of their message is actually taken in by society. Which is why we are doing everything in our power to take the notion of sustainability to where it will truly be absorbed – to kindergartens and classrooms.

Sustainable development was on our agenda long before it became a vote winner

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We are more than happy to share our knowledge with others. Each and every day, we advise politicians and trade associations about topics such as conserving natural resources and preventing climate change to ensure these issues are given the attention they deserve. Lobbying for sustainable development so to speak.

When we began collaborating with universities, he'd just started learning his ABCs

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EURAWASSER Nord, a company belonging to the REMONDIS Group, has been collaborating with the University of Rostock since 1994 – carrying out research work together and promoting young talent. That's quite a few semesters – and quite a few projects as well, of course.

Our planet can't be replicated.
Our recycling efforts can

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If everyone around the world consumed our planet's natural resources at the same rate as we do in Germany, we would need to have 2.7 Earths to satisfy their demand. There can, therefore, be only one solution: more responsible consumption habits, less waste, better recycling. REMONDIS works with, among others, NABU (German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union) to help set the course for a more sustainable future.

It's not possible to avoid hot air being produced at meetings.
CO2, however, can be prevented

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The Steigenberger Hotel in Berlin was presented with the "Meeting Experts Green Award" in 2015. Why? Because the events held at the hotel focus on sustainability and carbon compensation. REMONDIS has been helping Steigenberger with its bespoke recycling concept, drawn up to cover the hotel chain's specific requirements.

Knowledge is the only resource
that is inexhaustible

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Everyone is talking about the scarcity of raw materials and about sustainability. But what exactly is behind it all? We decided to do some research to find out what it’s all about – so that we could put together some pages with the most important background information for you to read.

Difficult to say which will melt away first.
His ice floe or the Rio Earth Summit goals

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The first time that attention was really paid to sustainability was during the UN Conference on Environment and Development, which was held in Rio in 1992. At the time, the delegates attending the event decided that the problem of greenhouse gases should be tackled in order to reduce levels of carbon emissions around the world. Practically no progress has been made since then. Which means we have even less time now to successfully combat the greenhouse effect.

One choir, over 190 voices –
Each of them a soloist

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Whilst sustainability is without doubt a global issue, it still needs to be tackled at national level with each government introducing their own national structures. So what are the different policies – at global, EU and German level? How is sustainability being approached by these different communities? This chapter provides some answers.

Stand up for three letters
instead of sitting on four!

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Sustainability needs action. Right around the world. The Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs – which were drawn up and adopted in 2015 – describe what action needs to be taken so that all 7 billion people living on our planet can enjoy a high quality of life.

It took ages to discover 118 elements.
It’s taking no time at all to use them all up

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Every one of us has at some time or other heard or read of the ‘impending shortage of raw materials’. Just how serious is the situation though? How much of these natural resources do we actually have left and how can we consume less of them? We’ve put together a few examples that answer both these and a number of other questions.

Sustainability – a look at the big picture.
Plus a whole bunch of numbers

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The whole of this website is simply brimming with facts and figures – as indeed is the subject of sustainability in general. Anyone wanting to stay on top of things really does have to immerse themselves in the material and do some serious research work. Or simply scroll down this page, paragraph by paragraph. We have put together a summary of some sustainability facts for you. Clearly divided up into different categories and depicted in a variety of infographics.

How to find out about green issues?
By looking all over the place of course

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The concept of sustainability is finding an ever greater audience – online as well. We have done our homework for you and sifted through the huge range of websites on this topic. The result is an interesting collection of websites, portals and blogs.

So what exactly is ecodesign?

Ecodesign covers the principle of designing and manufacturing products so that they have a minimum – or ideally no – impact on the environment and climate. It takes the whole life cycle of a product into account. From the initial clever product idea, to the amount of energy and raw material resources needed, to the production and use of the product, all the way through to the recovery and reuse of the individual components when it reaches the end of its useful life.

  • The individual aspects of ecodesign

The calls for ecodesign are getting ever louder.
And we should listen carefully.

  • Ecodesigns are still far too rare in our everyday lives. The reasons for this are complex. And it is precisely this complexity that is the biggest hurdle preventing the idea of ecodesign becoming a success. One problem is the difficult balance between global environmental responsibilities and the need of individual companies to run a cost-effective business. It is, of course, easy enough to say that manufacturers should design and make products that take environmental compatibility into account. The companies must, however, be compensated for the additional time and expense caused by this. This means that the right economic conditions must be put in place. One possibility could be to financially promote the use of recycled raw materials – such as is currently being planned for the area of packaging in the latest statutory amendments. Another could be to introduce minimum recycled content. This is something that we have been calling for for a long while now and, as the name suggests, involves minimum recycled content requirements for new products. What’s more, there should be a charge for the carbon emissions caused along the whole of the supply chain – from the raw material to the end product – similar to the practices used for power stations. Companies would then benefit financially if they used carbon-saving recycled raw materials.

  • REMONDIS is playing an active role when it comes to ecodesign – making the most of its knowledge of resources and recycling. Just one example of this is our recycling label

Companies must be rewarded for developing and manufacturing sustainable products. Goods that can be recycled should have a better position on the market than those that can’t..

Ecodesign and the circular economy

    • It doesn’t take long to explain how ecodesign and the circular economy are connected – indeed it is really quite simple: the better one of them works, the better the other does, too. Which explains, of course, why REMONDIS is so interested in seeing the principles of ecodesign being established in as many production processes and in as many sectors as possible. This also includes us actively helping companies to design and manufacture products so that their individual components can be recycled in the best possible way once the products reach the end of their useful life. Whether it means using raw materials that can be easily recycled or putting products together so that the different types of raw materials can be easily separated. It is essential that the individual components of a product can be separated from each other if the recycling processes are to be successful. And so once again, we have come full circle as new laws and political guidelines are needed here as well. Being a recycling business, we depend on manufacturers being genuinely interested in producing recyclable products. For this to happen, there must be appropriate incentives in place ensuring that it makes good financial sense for them to adopt such an environmentally friendly attitude.

    • A good example of ecodesign in practice can be found in the section Cradle to Cradle

The Ecodesign Directive.
The right direction but still only half way there

  • The European Ecodesign Directive (2009/125/EC) has been in force since 2009 and is an extended and more detailed version of the 2005 Energy-Using Products Directive. To begin with, the Ecodesign Directive focused entirely on the energy efficiency and environmental compatibility of electrical and electronic appliances. Over the last few years, however, it has, for the most part, been amended to include all products rather than just electronic devices. What is still missing, however, is an extension of the Ecodesign Directive to encompass other important quality factors beyond the subject of energy. Just one key factor here is raw material efficiency. What percentage of a product’s contents is made up of recycled raw materials? How well can the products be dismantled into their individual parts and recycled once they reach the end of their useful life? These are fundamental questions that have so far been ignored. It is essential, however, that these factors are taken into account when assessing – both from an environmental and economic point of view – just how sustainable a product actually is. There is still much to be done.

  • Find out how the EU Ecodesign Directive has been transposed into German law: the EVPG as PDF

Walking the talk.
REMONDIS is showing how.

  • It’s easy enough to carp and complain. It’s far more difficult, though, to take matters into your own hands to try and move things forward. Which is why REMONDIS spent time thinking about how to develop an integral approach to the whole issue of ecodesign. Not as an isolated environmental measure but as a comprehensive raw material strategy for the industry of the future. This has led to us developing a recycling label to close the raw material efficiency gap in the Ecodesign Directive (see above). Just as the long-established energy efficiency label has been informing consumers about a product’s energy consumption levels, this recycling label aims to provide clear information about the raw material efficiency levels of a product. This means giving exact details about a product’s recycled content as well as letting people know to what extent the individual components can be recycled. This label enables consumers to see immediately just how sustainable a product is. And there’s something else that is just as important: it’s a great opportunity for companies and manufacturers to communicate to their consumers that they are practising the ecodesign principles – providing a further way, therefore, of documenting their sustainable operations.

  • The more recyclable a product is, the better. The recycling label documents the raw material efficiency level of a product

Would you like to find out what the raw material efficiency levels of your products are? Would you like some advice on this subject? Then contact us now

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    Being one of the world’s leading recycling, service and water businesses with over 30,000 employees, everything we do revolves around sustainability. We ensure that the environment is protected and that natural resources are conserved in over 30 countries across four continents.
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    44536 Lünen
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