Recorra is driven to provide businesses in London and the South East with the best possible resource management options – proving that waste does not have to be wasteful. Net Zero Strategist Kirsten Zoe Smith and Head of Product, Innovation & Circularity James George revealed more, in a report by Imogen Ward.
With a passion to provide the most diverse and expansive range of recycling services the UK has to offer, Recorra has long acted as an industry-wide inspiration. The last two years have been no different.
“Over thirty years, Recorra has built a reputation for innovation in the commercial waste management sector,” explained Net Zero Strategist Kirsten Zoe Smith. “We are keen to trial novel technologies and continuously expand our service offering. Last year we pushed the envelope even further by introducing the UK’s first electric RoRo vehicle made by Scania to our fleet, and this year we have launched our Impact Consulting arm, helping clients with sustainability projects that go beyond recycling.”
A major upgrade
Having dedicated its operations to sustainable growth, Recorra has worked hard to champion circular waste management and responsible resource use. Through these efforts, it has earned a place among the top 15% of companies assessed by EcoVadis.
The EcoVadis Silver Medal is a testament to the progress Recorra has made so far, including its ongoing transition to a zero-emission fleet at the tailpipe.
“We have transitioned a large portion of our diesel-powered fleet to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO),” explained Miss Smith. “This renewable alternative affords us an 83 per cent lifecycle carbon reduction on fossil diesel, delivering immediate cuts to our Scope 1 emissions, which translate into significant reductions for our clients’ Scope 3 reporting.
“The transition to HVO has also produced improvements in nitrous oxide and particulate matter emissions, which negatively impact human health when inhaled. This was an unexpected find, because we had implemented the fuel purely from a carbon perspective.”
The impact of cleaner vehicles is something that Recorra has explored ever since, with the company now nearing a significant milestone: having an electric version of every type of vehicle in its diverse fleet. Given the breadth of its operations, reaching this point represents a considerable accomplishment, and its latest investment in a new electric RoRo has brought that goal one step closer to completion.
“The new eRoRo is currently operating around London, where many of our customers prefer to compact their waste on site,” explained Miss Smith. “Previously, we relied on non-electric heavy goods vehicles to fulfil these requests, as electrifying this type of vehicle was a challenging prospect.
This new truck also provides a way to reduce air pollution within the city – a particular benefit for Recorra clients that serve the public interest and vulnerable populations.
“We have received very positive feedback from clients that monitor their on-site air quality, highlighting noticeable reductions in pollution levels,” added Miss Smith.
Even more, the benefits go beyond environmental and social responsibility, providing the added bonus of performance parity when compared to non-electric counterparts. This has encouraging economic implications for Recorra’s clients.
Efficiency made effortless
Keen to further enhance its impact, Recorra also recently launched its new suite of waste- and recycling-related technologies. Labelled SmartSystems, these solutions can be integrated into customers’ everyday operations, providing accurate data in real time to encourage better choices.
“These on-site technologies can be integrated into customers’ everyday operations to provide a better understanding of their waste levels, highlighting where improvements can be made to reduce contamination,” explained Head of Product, Innovation & Circularity James George.
Four SmartSystems have already reached the market, with many more in development. The first, SmartWeigh, is an on-site weighing system that enables tenants and building floors to understand the volume and categories of waste they produce.
Recorra has also developed SelfWeigh, an intelligent waste-tracking system that automatically measures and records recycling as it enters the bin. Built-in bin sensors and RFID lids create a precise digital record of waste in real time.
The third, SmartAudit, uses AI to analyse commercial bin contents, helping reduce contamination and improve waste reporting.
“SmartAudit takes a snapshot of what is in the bin and identifies the different items,” revealed Mr George. “This informs users whether they are putting the correct items into the designated bins, while also offering advice on recycling streams that could enhance their overall recycling programme.”
The latest addition is SmartReturn, which helps sites capture drinks containers for deposit return and reuse. This is an important part of the company’s mission to help business sites prepare for the UK’s upcoming Deposit Return Scheme that is scheduled to launch in October 2027.
Recorra has also recently introduced a specialist consulting service – Impact Consulting – to offer further support to clients. This new consulting arm has been designed to offer bespoke services focused on three main pillars: Earth, Air and People.
“Impact Consulting is the culmination of a year of development, taking the consultancy services we have previously offered on request and transitioning them into a structured commercial offering to benefit all our clients,” explained Miss Smith. “Through the Earth division (headed up by James) we cover circularity, resources and waste reduction.
“The second pillar, Air, is my responsibility and is focused on carbon emissions and air pollution. This can be anything from carbon reporting to air quality monitoring. The third and final pillar, People, which is managed by my colleague Ed Van Reenen, offers a full spectrum of services focused on charitable giving and social impact.”
Under the People division, Mr Van Reenen has been able to implement several impactful projects in South Africa. This includes tackling illegal waste dumping and promoting responsible waste infrastructure development. Mr Van Reenen also runs eco training camps for local youths, to raise awareness and inspire the next generation. This is in addition to working with UK clients to provide more social value initiatives and charity partnerships.
Growing together
Of course, none of these developments would be possible without the ongoing support of Recorra’s workforce, customers and partners.
“All our partners are vital to our mission,” explained Mr George. “Companies like Essity, which offered the first paper towel recycling programme in the UK, are really changing the game for commercial waste management. We also have a fantastic partnership in place with Murray and Yeatman, near Eastbourne. This distillery utilises our customers’ used coffee grounds and distils them into alcoholic coffee liqueur. This is the first new type of alcohol for 400 years, and it is incredible.
“Envar is another great name to mention, because it has allowed us to offer circular compost to our customers. Envar accepts all the green waste from our landscaping clients, plus compostable packaging from workplace dining, and turns it into high-quality compost that they can then buy back.”
As it looks to the future, Recorra intends to continue working with these amazing partners, and many others just like them. Together, they hope to match and exceed their net zero targets.
“We intend to cut our absolute emissions by 30% against our 2019 baseline,” said Miss Smith. “By 2040, our ambition is to achieve zero emissions, which will require continued investment into electrifying our fleet and enhancing our use of solar power. Beyond that, we align with the Government’s national net zero target of 2050. Achieving this will require a 90 per cent reduction in Scope 3 emissions, something we are working hard to deliver in collaboration with our suppliers.”