There are a variety of businesses in Lewisham, and this poses something of a challenge for the Bywaters team. To efficiently and correctly manage the borough’s commercial waste, we are specially equipped with the know-how and technology to recycle all types of waste that different companies produce. A large initiative of ours is to build a sustainable society fit for the future, with support from our Green Gurus who guide businesses through the right waste management strategy they need.
Bywaters can handle a wide range of materials in Lewisham, including food, cardboard, dry mixed items, coffee cups and confidential waste. Alongside our designated team that is responsible for making sure zero waste reaches landfill, we can sustainably deal with your waste, regardless of the material.
Located at our Lea Riverside headquarters in Bow, East London, we are home to London’s biggest indoor Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) — the destination of Lewisham’s commercial waste. Driven by solar-powered energy, the MRF’s cutting-edge technology separates mixed waste into segregated streams, which can then be stacked together and sent away to be recycled.
Our sister facility, situated at Gateway Road, specifically deals with construction and demolition waste. For example, if you’re a contractor charged with demolishing a big high-rise, we’re on hand to get rid of the debris of bulky items like metal and bricks. These will either be diverted to recycling or energy recovery. We also provide a small tipping service, with a minimum load of 500kg.
Our other facility located at Gateway Road manages construction and demolition waste, so if your shop premises or office complex is undergoing a refurbishment, for example, we can dispose of the rubbish. This includes bulky waste items such as bricks and metal, that are either diverted to energy recovery or recycling.
Timed at the convenience of your business, Bywater’s waste collection service is powered by a sustainable fleet of either fully electric or ULEZ compliant Euro 6 vehicles. We deliver your waste to one to one of our facilities, where it’s managed for recycling, recovery, or reuse.
In the grand effort to improve business sustainability across the capital, Bywaters’ recycling services are crucial for the borough of Lewisham to make the much-need steps towards a cleaner and more eco-friendly city. We’ll deliver a selection of recycling bins and containers to your door, and depending on what suits your businesses, our collection services can be arranged at your convenience. Once we’ve got your rubbish, zero waste will be sent to landfill. In this way, we support your company to reduce its carbon footprint and achieve its goals for sustainability and the environment.
Average recycling rate of 60%
Over 600 tonnes of waste collected annually
More than 4250 collections a year
50 clients serviced seven days a week
45 individual waste streams
Lewisham is situated in South London, and is accessible from the north side of the city via Tower Bridge and Blackwall Tunnel. The borough consists of historic districts such as New Cross, Deptford, Lewisham, Brockley, Blackheath, Forest Hill, Hither Green, Catford, Southend and Sydenham, among others. Lewisham is flanked by the borough of Greenwich on its east side, Bromley on its south side, and Southwark to the west. The Prime Meridian (the measure for GMT) runs from Greenwich and passes through Lewisham across Hither Green.
Lewisham was first formed in 1965, having been amalgamated from the former Metropolitan Boroughs of Lewisham and Deptford, established in 1900. Before then, the metropolitan borough was constituted by the ancient parishes of Lee and Lewisham. There have been some minor changes to its boundaries since then, most notably in 1996 when the Royal Docks in Deptford became part of the London Borough of Greenwich. Until 1889, Lewisham was technically part of Kent.
Lewisham’s origins start with the Saxons, where the Germanic Jutes settled in the village of Ladywell. Later, King Alfred the Great would be named Lord of the Manor of Lewisham – a title that is still honoured today on a plaque you can see in Lewisham Library. Lewisham’s centre was thought of as the southern part of town, where currently stands the University Hospital Lewisham.
The borough is home to such staples as Millwall FC, The Horniman Museum, the Crofton Park Rivoli Ballroom, and an (accidental) ancient stone circle — as well as the Catford Cat statue.
In 2021, Lewisham was named as the Mayor’s London Borough of Culture, receiving £1.35milllion in funding to deliver events and activities aimed at showcasing and empowering the local community. One of the key focuses of Lewisham’s bid was to focus on bringing members of the borough together to address climate change and sustainability.
Meanwhile, Lewisham is ahead of the rest of London in terms of entrepreneurship and self-employment. The economic trajectory is also distinct from the city’s remaining boroughs, with a focus on public services such as health and education. Lewisham has also become a leading hub for a range of creative and dynamic industries. According to the council’s annual report in 2020, the borough had just over 11,000 businesses in 2017, with 91% of these being microbusinesses with less than five employees.
Most businesses are found along principal roads or near rail lines and in town centres and industrial areas such as Surrey Canal and Bromley Road strategic industrial locations (SILs). Micro-businesses are scattered across the borough, but wherever you are, Bywaters serves organisations of all shapes and sizes. If you are in the centre of town or on the industrial outskirts, it’s no problem — we can collect and recycle your commercial waste.
Lewisham is home to plenty of thriving restaurants, pubs, as well as museums and landmarks. The Horniman Museum in Forest Hill is the site of natural history, anthropology, and taxidermy displays, as well as some resplendent gardens. You will also find Manor House Gardens in Hither Green. The Migration Museum that opened in Lewisham Shopping Centre in 2013 celebrates the diverse movement of peoples to and from Britain throughout the ages. Lewisham Arthouse is also a popular haunt for many Goldsmiths University students making the short walk from the main campus from New Cross.
The borough is also teeming with bustling parks, markets and entertainments, such as Telegraph Hill, Brockley Market, and the non-profit Deptford Cinema. The latter is particularly special, as until very recently, Lewisham was one of two boroughs in London that did not have a film theatre.
On that note, Bywaters has a range of services that can properly cater to events, facilities and hospitality businesses, so be in no doubt that if you work in these sectors, we can manage your waste for you quickly and efficiently.
If you forget to put your bins out ready for your Bywaters collection, our dedicated customer services team are able to handle any missed services. Simply contact us on 0207 001 6000 or via email at customerservices@bywaters.co.uk.
We recycle almost every material in Lewisham, including glass, batteries, WEEE, hazardous items and construction waste. No matter what kind of waste your business creates, we can take care of it, helping you improve your recycling rates and protecting the environment at the same time.
This depends on your area, the noise restrictions in place and when we are in that specific location. Generally speaking though, our service is 24/7 across London.
