Bywaters proudly release our
plan to reach Net Zero by 2030

Our team have been working tirelessly behind the scenes and we’re proud to announce the launch of our strategy to reach Net Zero by 2030!!

Our detailed plan takes into account everything from emissions in our supply chain to light and power in our buildings. We know it’s ambitious, but we also know it’s achievable with the knowledge and expertise of our team and the support of our industry.

Our pledge to reach Net Zero by 2030

Today we’re proud to release our strategy to reach Net Zero by 2030. In doing so, we pledge to adhere to the strictest internationally recognised principles, by committing to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) requirements for Net Zero standards. 

In order to meet the necessary requirements laid out by SBTi, we will be focusing on key areas such as rapid/deep emission cuts, planning for near and long-term targets, expanded use of renewable energy, target achievement verification (before any success claims are made) and an equal commitment spread across reducing scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. 

How we plan on reaching Net Zero by 2030

In particular, we will make crucial progress in the following areas: 

1. Reducing emissions across all operations:

   Assessing every element of our performance, identifying opportunities to reduce emissions across scopes 1,2 and 3 wherever possible.

2. Ramp up continued use of renewable energy:

   Following the installation of 4,000 solar panels on the roof of our Material Recycling Facility, we will invest in new opportunities to self-derive sustainable energy to power our operations.

3. Utilise rigorous monitoring methods to track performance:

   We will continue to verify and track performance, with full transparency, to validate progress along the SBTi pathway.

4. Invest in zero emission technical innovation:

   From zero-emission lorries to harvesting latent heat generated by the Material Recycling Facility, we will invest in all operational sectors to reduce overall environmental impact.

5. Keep the public updated

   We will track our performance to improve services, whilst also delivering transparent updates to the public.

Our journey so far

Working with Planet Mark, we have adopted short and long-term goals to deliver lasting carbon reductions throughout our operations. These plans have led to rapid emission cuts, more than halving our carbon output over the past eight years.  We have reduced emissions by over 50% in recent years.

The carbon intensity measures, which outline emissions per employee (total emissions in tonnes CO2 equivalent/number of our employees in that year) – are just as impressive. In 2014, we generated 17.51 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per employee; by 2021 this figure has reduced to 11 tonnes – a 37.18% reduction.   

Our plan to reach Net Zero has been embedded throughout our company ethos and staff culture through several key projects: 

• Installation of solar panels – 4000 solar panels were installed on the roof of our Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). Generating up to 700MWh a year.
• Euro 6 and electric vehicles – We invested £7 million to replace our fleet with Euro-6 vehicles, including two-caged 3.5 tonne tipper vehicles, 25 dustcarts, 5 tail-lift vehicles, 13 skip-loaders, and 17 hook-loaders. These were supported by fully electric staff cars and fast-action collection vehicles.
• Lighting project – We surveyed lighting within our facilities, with a view of upgrading to LED. 179 lights are being replaced on a phased approach. On completion, there is an estimated 31,053 kWh annual savings.
• Rainwater harvesting – Our team Installed a 10,000-litre tank to reduce water consumption, funneling the guttering of our Lea Riverside MRF into a rainwater harvesting tank. The siphoned water is used to wash containers and vehicles reducing the use of mains supply.
• ISO 50001 – We continue to maintain the rigorous ISO:50001 standard for our energy management system. This certification outlines our commitment to efficient energy management and continuous improvement.
• Our first electric dustcart – The first of our fleet of fully electric RCVs is now servicing London. This forms the start of an ambitious electrification plan, propped up by an initial £7 million investment.

Commenting on the Net Zero commitment, John Glover Sr, MD at Bywaters, said: “Net Zero operations is achievable, even for a firm of our size and scale of work across one of the world’s busiest cities. We have an ethical imperative to make this happen, and we will by 2030. 

“We also need to ensure we stay true to the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) requirements. These are crucial as they are internationally respected and recognised measurements. As London’s leading recycling and waste management firm, we have a responsibility to lead by example on this issue while providing transparency on how we’re getting there. We’re not doing this as part of an effort to distinguish ourselves from competitors; in fact, it’s the opposite. We want the rest of the industry to follow suit and join us in this endeavour. To help make this happen, we’ve made sure our process and plan is laid out in the accompanying white paper to this announcement; we invite all our partners, clients, competitors and other businesses in our sector to read this and engage with us. We welcome any discourse and will be happy to share our learnings along the way. Ultimately, all businesses need to reach Net Zero if we are to have a chance of staying below 1.5 degrees warming, so let’s work together on this.”